James Townsend

Citations

1. [S124] A Memorial of John, Henry, and Richard Townsend & their descendants., page 135 - JAMES, SON OF JOIIN 1 ST. WE find by the Records that James married Jane Ruddock, and Delivered . From Dr. Peter Townsend's Note-Book, we find that his first wife was a Wright, which accounts for several gifts of land made to him and his son James by Anthony and Job Wright, and Richard Crabb. She must have been a daughter of Peter Wright. To his second wife, Jane, daughter of Henry Ruddock, he was married October 16, 1677. His homestead was the place now owned by the family of T. W. Burtis. This he sold, and removed to Cedar Swamp"; page 137 - "James and his brother George owned a tract of land at Norwich, to which place they gave that name in honor of the town in England, from the neighborhood of which their father carne. He was a Surveyor, and although not the Town Surveyor, was one of those appointed to lay out Unkoway and Latting's Necks. He was elected Overseer while he lived at Oyster Bay. After that he held no office. Oyster Bay being the centre of population, as well as the geographical centre, the Town Officers were for many years all residents of the village."; "...We find from the paper left by Squire George Townsend, that he died 1697 or '98, in the great sickness. There is upon the Town records an entry, dated November 19, 1698, a confirmation, from James, the eldest son, of the gifts made by his father in his will to his wife Delivered, and his sons Job, Thomas, Daniel, Ruddock, Joseph, Joshua. Afterwards we found frequent mention on the Records of a son of James, named Runzone or Ruinorn, and were at a loss to account for his not being mentioned in his father's will, until it occurred to us that he might be a posthuwnous child. Mrs. Seaman confirmed our supposition, and said that his mother, comparing the bitterness of her grief to rue, called him Rueniourn. He was entirely unprovided for, but his brothers contributed to make up his share, especially two (probably James and Job) who had no families, and the homestead fell to him. Thomas and Joseph died young. Of Job we only know that he lived at Cedar Swamp. James moved to Norwich, not long after his father's death, and is called on the Records James Townsend, Jr., of Norwich. The settlement that he made with his brother Ruddock, in the division of his father's estate, shows him to have been an amiable, 'unselfish man. He was a Surveyor, and made many surveys with James Townsend, of Jericho. It is probable that he never married. Ruemourn, in his will, mentions his sister Deborah, but there is no other mention of her, and she might have been his mother's daughter by a second marriage. Ruddock married Abigail , and first lived at Norwich. He then built at Oak Neck, on the east side adjoining Pine Island, where he lived some time, and about 1714 or 1715 he removed to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, after which we know nothing of him.
   DANIEL, SON OF JAMES, OF CEDAR SWAMP, Married Freelove, daughter of Captain Samuel Dickensoii, and died in 1724 or 1725.-Issue, John and Benjamin."
2. [S448] Martha J. Burke, Two John Townsends & the Mayflower Connection, Will of James Townsend, 1698. There are four Townsend wills in Liber A. The first is that of James2 Townsend (John1), found at page 125. For an account of this James and his wives and children see the Spring 1984 issue of this newsletter, correcting Chapter VI of the Townsend Memorial. We quote this will in full, including the appended court record (spelling, capitalization, and punctuation as in the original; anything in square brackets added by the author):
   In the name of God, Amen.
   I James Townsend of Cedar Swamp in the bounds of Oysterbay Husbandman, being at present in a fitt of sickness but of sound & perfect memory knowing the infallibility of this world & that there must at last be a period to this life I leave constitute & make this to be my last Will & Testament in maner & forme as followeth Viz:
   My Soul I do bequeath unto Almighthy God that gave it hoping that he will receive it into glory My body I do committ unto the earth to be decently buried in that place wherein my late wife Jane & her children were buried. And as to my worldly goods & possession estate & what shall be pertaining to estate thus as followeth:
   Imprimis. As to my eldest son James this is my last Will & Testament I do give & bequeath unto him the said James & his heirs & assigns for ever the one half of three score acres of land called by the name of the great hill as by the record in the towne of Oyster bay more fully sheweth with the one half of my land which lyeth at the head of Oyster bay Mill river, & one share of meadow which lyeth in Beaver Swamp as likewise one seventh part of my meadow at the South.
   Item. As to my fourth son Redurck I do will give & bequeath unto him my sd son Redurck & his heirs & assigns for ever the other half of my land lying at the head of Oyster bay mill river: with the other half of my land called the great hill, of the which I have given unto my eldest son James heretofore mentioned the one half & of the meadow which lyeth at Beaver Swamp whereof one whole share I have given to my son James aforsd I do give & bequeath unto my sd son Redurck his heirs or assigns one equall sixth part of the remainder of the sd meadow as likewise one equall seventh part of my meadow at the south.
   Item. As to my son Job I do give and bequeath unto him his heirs or assigns nineteen acres of my right in land lying in the north side of Samuell Dikersons land with an equall sixth part of the meadow at Beaver Swamp as also one seventh part of my meadow at the south.
   Item. To my sons Thomas & Daniell & their heirs & assigns for ever I do give & bequeath all that part of my farm on the north east & south east runing as far as the wells upon an equall square, that is to say my son Thomas to have the north east part & my son Daniell the south east provided a clear way between both my sd sons of three rods in breadth to be constantly kept for highway & also unto my sons & their heirs & assigns for ever I do give & bequeath two equall sixth parts of my meadow at Beaver Swamp & the two equall seventh parts of my meadow at south to my son Thomas his heirs & assigns for ever I do give & bequeath all my right of upland lying upon the West Neck at south & to my son Daniell his heirs & assigns for ever I do give & bequeath all my right of upland at Unkaway neck at the south.
   Item. To my sons Joseph & Joshua & their heirs & assigns for ever I do give & bequeath the remaining part of my farme to be equally devided between them with all the houses & improvements standing in my said land with two equall parts of my meadow at the Beaver Swamp & two equall seventh parts of my meadow at the south.
   Item. I give & bequeath unto my daughter Rose one feather bed & furniture thereunto belonging which were her mothers as also two large pewter dishes three pewter plates one iron pott & two cowes all which I do will may be delivered unto her my said daughter when she shall be at the age of eighteen years old or be married either of which shall first happen.
   Item. Also, all my right in comons I do will & bequeath to each & every of them my sons their heirs and assigns for ever an equall part in generall.
   Finally I do will constitute & appoint my well beloved wife Delivered to be my sole executrix & to see this my last Will & Testament duly & truly performed and that all the remaining part of my personal estate goods chattels movables debts dues or demands whatsoever & whatsoever remaining to her & her heirs intirely provided that my debts all & every of them be discharged by my said wife & my will is also that during her widowhood my sd wife may fully possess & enjoy all that part of my farm with the houses profitts & conveniences thereunto belonging which I have given & bequeathed unto my sons Joseph & Joshua & to the true performance of this my last will & Testament I bind my said wife & executrix this eleventh day of February in this yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninty & eight.
   As Wittness my hand & seal. James Townsend Signed Sealed & delivered in the presence of us Peter Adolph, Samuel Dickinson, Thomas Langdon.
   
   May the second 1698. Then appeared Samuell Dickinson & Thomas Langdon personally before us & made oath on the holy evangelists that they saw James Townsend sign seal & publicly declare the above will to be his last Will & Testament & that he was in his right mind & senses to the best of their understanding. [Signed] Tho: Hicks, Danll Whitehead, John Jackson.
   
   Memorandum that on the 18th day of May 1698 came before Thomas Hicks Esq. Judge & william Hallett & Samuel Moore Esqrs his Majesties justices for the keeping of the peace within Queens County assigned Peter Adolf one of the wittnesses to the within written Last Will & Testament of the within named James Townsend & made oath that he saw the said James sign seal & publish the same as his last Will & Testament. These are therefore to certifie all whom it may concern that the said last will & Testament is allowed & approved of & that the within Delivered Townsend hath full power & authority to do & perform & execute all & singular the permisses in the said will & what by [law] executors might or may do, she giving bond to exhibit into the court of Comon Pleas for Queens County a true & perfect inventory of the goods & chattels of the said Testator & to perform the said Will.
   Per order of A. Gibb, Cler.
   Entered the 19th day of May 1698. By Andrew Gibb. Cler.
3. [S106] Howland Delano Perrine, The Wright Family of Oysterbay, L.I. with the ancestry of and descent from Peter Wright and Nicholas Wright, 1423-1923, page 68 - James Townsend d. 1697-8, in the great sickness.1671 (Memorial of John, Henry & Richard Townsend, & their descendants, 1865, p. 136.).