Perhaps this story is well-known, but I stumbled across it recently in
browsing. It is found in E. A. Reitan, ed., _The Best of The
Gentleman's Magazine, 1731-1754_ (E. Mellen Press, 1987). In 1747,
this journal published an account of the speech supposed to have been
made many years earlier by one Polly Baker of New England when brought
before the court on a fifth charge of bastardy. Her speech had been so
sensible and matter-of-fact, according to this account, that the
charges were dropped and one of the judges (not named) married her the
next day (and had fifteen additional children by her).
Next, the book reprints a purported follow-up letter from a
gentleman in New England who states that he knows Polly Baker, now 60
years of age, and that she is currently the wife of a very prominent
judge, one Paul Dudley, by whom she is the mother of fifteen children.
This letter is signed "William Smith."
A third piece of correspondence on the topic is also reprinted. In
this item, yet another New Englander protests vehemently that Judge
Paul Dudley has never been married to any such Polly Baker, his only
wife being the daughter of Gov. Winthrop [n.b., I think this is
factually incorrect].
Descendants of the Dudley family may find this mildly amusing --
Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
Moderator: MOD_nyhetsgrupper
-
John Brandon
Re: Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
I wonder what the explanation is for the following, from NEHGR, 34:185
("Seals in the Collection of the Hon. Mellen Chamberlain") --
Paul Dudley, 1707.---A lion rampant queue fourchee; these are the well
known Dudley arms.
Joseph Dudley, 1702.---Quarterly: 1st and 4th, a stag's head; 2d and
3d, ermine, in centre a mullet. These are not the Dudley arms.
("Seals in the Collection of the Hon. Mellen Chamberlain") --
Paul Dudley, 1707.---A lion rampant queue fourchee; these are the well
known Dudley arms.
Joseph Dudley, 1702.---Quarterly: 1st and 4th, a stag's head; 2d and
3d, ermine, in centre a mullet. These are not the Dudley arms.
-
John Brandon
Re: Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
This is interesting (from A2A)--
Elwell & Son, Highworth, Solicitors
Catalogue Ref. 1033
Creator(s):
Ellwell and Son, Highworth, Wiltshire, solicitors
FREKE OF HANNINGTON
FILE [no title] - ref. 1033/54 - date: 1633-1740
item: [no title] - ref. 1033/54/5 - date: 1683
hit[from Scope and Content] Sale by Joseph Dudley of
county of Suffolk in New England, to Thomas Freake of Hannington, of
2000 acres of forest land in Massachusetts, New England, in the Nipning
country or province, part of a larger portion of land purchased by
Dudley from Black James and his Company, native inhabitants of the
province.
I think the implication is that Black James was also a Native American.
But "Black James" was the nickname of Col. James Fitch, who had
accumulated a vast acreage through deals with the Indians.
Elwell & Son, Highworth, Solicitors
Catalogue Ref. 1033
Creator(s):
Ellwell and Son, Highworth, Wiltshire, solicitors
FREKE OF HANNINGTON
FILE [no title] - ref. 1033/54 - date: 1633-1740
item: [no title] - ref. 1033/54/5 - date: 1683
hit[from Scope and Content] Sale by Joseph Dudley of
county of Suffolk in New England, to Thomas Freake of Hannington, of
2000 acres of forest land in Massachusetts, New England, in the Nipning
country or province, part of a larger portion of land purchased by
Dudley from Black James and his Company, native inhabitants of the
province.
I think the implication is that Black James was also a Native American.
But "Black James" was the nickname of Col. James Fitch, who had
accumulated a vast acreage through deals with the Indians.
-
John Brandon
Re: Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
Also,
FREKE of Hannington
Catalogue Ref. 516
Creator(s):
Freke family of Hannington, Wiltshire
FILE [no title] - ref. 516/13 - date: 1683
hit[from Scope and Content] Grant of 2,000 ac. of forest land in
the Nipmug Country in Massachusetts Bay, New England, being part of the
land purchased from Black James and his company in 1681.
FREKE of Hannington
Catalogue Ref. 516
Creator(s):
Freke family of Hannington, Wiltshire
FILE [no title] - ref. 516/13 - date: 1683
hit[from Scope and Content] Grant of 2,000 ac. of forest land in
the Nipmug Country in Massachusetts Bay, New England, being part of the
land purchased from Black James and his company in 1681.
-
John Brandon
Re: Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
(This is straying far from the original topic, but it might be helpful
to have this information available *somewhere* on the internet.)
My line of descent from James ("Black James") Fitch of Connecticut goes
as follows:
James Fitch + Elizabeth Mason
Jedediah Fitch + Abigail Coffin
Beriah Fitch + Deborah Gorham,
etc.
I had always wondered how Jedediah Fitch, from a Connecticut family,
married Abigail Coffin, from a distant New Hampshire family (albeit
with ties to Nantucket). I've seen their place of marriage given on
the Internet as Newbury, Massachusetts, which is in yet a third colony
(of all places)--although Newbury is fairly close to the New Hampshire
border. (I suspect Newbury is the correct place of marriage, as the
marriage is not recorded in any of the volumes of the Barbour vital
records for Connecticut).
I noticed recently that Abigail's grandfather has speculated in Indian
lands (as had Jedediah's father). This may have been the common
interest that led to an alliance between the Fitches and Coffins.
Charles W. Tuttle, _Capt. Francis Champernowne, the Dutch Conquest of
Acadie, and Other Historical Papers_ (Boston, 1889), contains an essay
on "Hope-Hood," a New Hampshire Indian chieftain. Tuttle quotes from a
1686 Indian deed between this Hope-Hood and Mr. Peter Coffin. The deed
runs thus:
Know ye that the natives of New England or Indians whose names are
known in the English tongue, are called by the name of Hoope Whood, and
Samll Lines, and Ould Robbin, and Kinge Harry, now we, the before-named
Indians and natives, as by our native right, are the proprietors of
these parts of New England which do joing and border upon the rivers
called by the names of Newitchawanoke River, and Cochechow River, and
Oyster River and Lamperill River, within the Province of New Hampshire.
Noe know all men that we, the said Hope Whood, Samll Lines, Ould
Robin, and King Harry, for and in consideration of the sum of seven
pounds to us in hand paid by Mr. Peter Coffin of the town of Dover, in
the Province of New Hampshire, the receipt whereof we acknowledge, and
of every part and penny thereof, do free, acquit, and discharge the
said Peter Coffin, his heirs, executors, and administrators. By these
presents do give, grant, bargain, and sell and confirm unto the said
Mr. Coffin and to his heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns for
ever, all our right and title which we, the said natives ever had,
have, or ought to have, unto all the marshes, and pine timber standing
or lying, that is or shall be within the two branches of Cochecho and
half way between northernmost branch of Cochechow River and
Newchewanoke River, beginning at the run of water on the north side of
Squammagonake old planting ground (and between the two branches) to
begin at the spring where the old cellar was, and so run ten miles up
into the country between the branches by the rivers, all which said
marshes, lands, and timber as is before mentioned, and expressed in the
bounds aforesaid, shall be to the sole and proper use, benefit, and
behood of Mr. Peter Coffin, his heirs, executors, administrators, and
assigns for ever ...
Jedediah and Abigail Fitch later removed to Nantucket, and this is
confirmed by the following, from _New Hampshire Provincial and State
Papers, Volume 17: Part I: Rolls and Documents Relating to Soldiers in
the Revolutionary War; Part II: Miscellaneous
Provincial Papers, from 1629 to 1725_, p. 747:
Power of attorney from Jedediah and Abigail Fitch, and Jemima Coffin,
"of Sherborn on the Island of Nantucket, to Ebenezer Gardner," relative
to lands by them owned in New Hampshire.
to have this information available *somewhere* on the internet.)
My line of descent from James ("Black James") Fitch of Connecticut goes
as follows:
James Fitch + Elizabeth Mason
Jedediah Fitch + Abigail Coffin
Beriah Fitch + Deborah Gorham,
etc.
I had always wondered how Jedediah Fitch, from a Connecticut family,
married Abigail Coffin, from a distant New Hampshire family (albeit
with ties to Nantucket). I've seen their place of marriage given on
the Internet as Newbury, Massachusetts, which is in yet a third colony
(of all places)--although Newbury is fairly close to the New Hampshire
border. (I suspect Newbury is the correct place of marriage, as the
marriage is not recorded in any of the volumes of the Barbour vital
records for Connecticut).
I noticed recently that Abigail's grandfather has speculated in Indian
lands (as had Jedediah's father). This may have been the common
interest that led to an alliance between the Fitches and Coffins.
Charles W. Tuttle, _Capt. Francis Champernowne, the Dutch Conquest of
Acadie, and Other Historical Papers_ (Boston, 1889), contains an essay
on "Hope-Hood," a New Hampshire Indian chieftain. Tuttle quotes from a
1686 Indian deed between this Hope-Hood and Mr. Peter Coffin. The deed
runs thus:
Know ye that the natives of New England or Indians whose names are
known in the English tongue, are called by the name of Hoope Whood, and
Samll Lines, and Ould Robbin, and Kinge Harry, now we, the before-named
Indians and natives, as by our native right, are the proprietors of
these parts of New England which do joing and border upon the rivers
called by the names of Newitchawanoke River, and Cochechow River, and
Oyster River and Lamperill River, within the Province of New Hampshire.
Noe know all men that we, the said Hope Whood, Samll Lines, Ould
Robin, and King Harry, for and in consideration of the sum of seven
pounds to us in hand paid by Mr. Peter Coffin of the town of Dover, in
the Province of New Hampshire, the receipt whereof we acknowledge, and
of every part and penny thereof, do free, acquit, and discharge the
said Peter Coffin, his heirs, executors, and administrators. By these
presents do give, grant, bargain, and sell and confirm unto the said
Mr. Coffin and to his heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns for
ever, all our right and title which we, the said natives ever had,
have, or ought to have, unto all the marshes, and pine timber standing
or lying, that is or shall be within the two branches of Cochecho and
half way between northernmost branch of Cochechow River and
Newchewanoke River, beginning at the run of water on the north side of
Squammagonake old planting ground (and between the two branches) to
begin at the spring where the old cellar was, and so run ten miles up
into the country between the branches by the rivers, all which said
marshes, lands, and timber as is before mentioned, and expressed in the
bounds aforesaid, shall be to the sole and proper use, benefit, and
behood of Mr. Peter Coffin, his heirs, executors, administrators, and
assigns for ever ...
Jedediah and Abigail Fitch later removed to Nantucket, and this is
confirmed by the following, from _New Hampshire Provincial and State
Papers, Volume 17: Part I: Rolls and Documents Relating to Soldiers in
the Revolutionary War; Part II: Miscellaneous
Provincial Papers, from 1629 to 1725_, p. 747:
Power of attorney from Jedediah and Abigail Fitch, and Jemima Coffin,
"of Sherborn on the Island of Nantucket, to Ebenezer Gardner," relative
to lands by them owned in New Hampshire.
-
John Brandon
Re: Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
Robert Battle has kindly sent this information:
A check of the MA VRs available online via newenglandancestors.org (if
you are a NEHGS member) reveals the following:
from the Newbury VRs: Jedediah Fitch of Norwich, resident in Newbury,
m. Mrs. Abigel Coffin, of Nantucket, now resident in Newbury, 13 Sep
1701
from the Nantucket VRs: Jedediah Fitch of Norwich, resident in Newbury,
and Mrs. Abigal Coffin [editor's note: Abigail, d. Peter and Elizabeth
(Starbuck)] "1st of Nantucket, From Norwich, Conn." m. 13 Sep 1701 in
Newbury
So, it would appear that Newbury being the place of marriage is
well-founded.
A check of the MA VRs available online via newenglandancestors.org (if
you are a NEHGS member) reveals the following:
from the Newbury VRs: Jedediah Fitch of Norwich, resident in Newbury,
m. Mrs. Abigel Coffin, of Nantucket, now resident in Newbury, 13 Sep
1701
from the Nantucket VRs: Jedediah Fitch of Norwich, resident in Newbury,
and Mrs. Abigal Coffin [editor's note: Abigail, d. Peter and Elizabeth
(Starbuck)] "1st of Nantucket, From Norwich, Conn." m. 13 Sep 1701 in
Newbury
So, it would appear that Newbury being the place of marriage is
well-founded.
-
John Brandon
Re: Judge Paul Dudley slandered in an English magazine
I was wrong when I said, a couple months ago, that Abigail (Coffin)
Fitch was a first cousin of William Gayer. But both of her parents
were his first cousins (and first cousins of each other)--and William
and Abigail were approximately "of an age."
Fitch was a first cousin of William Gayer. But both of her parents
were his first cousins (and first cousins of each other)--and William
and Abigail were approximately "of an age."