Capt Edmund GREENLEAF (1590 -1671)  was Alex’s 12th Great Grandfather, one of 8,192  in this generation of the Shaw line and one of 8,192 in the Miller line.  (See his great grandson Thomas BROWNE for details of the double ancestors.)

Capt. Edmund Greenleaf was born in 1590 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England.  He married Sarah MOORE on 2 July 1611 in Langford, Essex,  England.  He immigrated in 1634 aboard the Mary and John with his family and was one of the first settlers to come by water to Newbury, Massachusetts, Agawan Plantation near Ipswich, Massachusetts.  After Sarah died, he married second Mrs. Sarah (Jordan) Hill in 1663 in Mass.  Edmund died in Boston, Mass on 24 Mar 1670/71.

On the parish records of St. Mary’s la Tour in Ipswich, County Suffolk, England, is recorded: “Edmund Greenleaf, son of John and Margaret, was baptized 2 Jan. 1574.” This may be too early for the Edmund Greenleaf who came to America. Other sources suggest a birth date about 1590.

Sarah Moore was born on 17 Sep  1588, All Saints parish, Maldon,  Essex, England.   Her parents were Enoch MOORE and Catherine [__?__].  Sarah died on 18 Jan 1662/63 in Boston, Mass. , at age 74.  Since the late 1800’s, genealogists had assumed Sarah’s last name was Dole, however, a recently discovered 24 Dec. 1615  will by Sarah’s brother (see below)  proves her name to be Moore.

Sarah  Jordan (Jordain or Jurdin) was baptized 4 Mar 1598/99 at St Mary Arches, Exeter, Devon, England.(Others say 28 Sep 1612 in England, but then her 1619 marriage would not be possible) Her parents were Ignatius Jourdaine and Elizabeth Baskerville.  Ignatius was a leading Puritan (known at”The Arch-Purtian”) and Member of Parliament,  see bio of William Hill from History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, below.

Elizabeth Baskerville sister of Sir Simon Baskerville physician to James I and Charles I descended from the ancient family of Baskervilles in Herefordshire.    The fame Simon had acquired at Oxford preceded him to town, and heralded him to the court of James I, who appointed him one of his physicians. King Charles I employed him in the same capacity, and at Oxford conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. With such distinction the road to affluence lay open to him, and so lucrative was his practice that he acquired the name of Sir Simon Baskerville the Rich. He was considerate and liberal in his profession, to the clergy and inferior gentry, insomuch that, as Prince relates on the authority of Lloyd, “he would never take a fee of an orthodox minister under a dean, or of any suffering cavalier in the cause of Charles I under a gentleman of an hundred a year, but would also with physic to their bodies generally give relief to their necessities.” Sir Simon Baskerville died in July, 1641, aged 68, and was buried in old St Paul’s,.

(Sir) Simon Baskervill (knight) Doctor of Physic, of the parish of St. Dunstan in the West (London) 20 April 1641, proved 7 July 1641.

I give my dwelling house in Fleet Street and all my houses adjoining, which I lately did purchase of Sir George Crooke, to my dear wife and to her heirs forever. I give to my sister Jourdayne ten pounds. To her son, my nephew Ignatius Jourdayne [Jr] I give all my books of Divinity. I give to my nephew Richard Baskervill two hundred pounds. To my trusty servant Thomas Hall twenty pounds. To the poor of St. Dunstan’s parish wherein I dwell three pounds. All the rest of my goods and leases whatsoever I give to my dear wife whom I make sole executrix. Proved by Dame Catherine Baskervill, relic &c. Evelyn, 88.

Ignatius Jourdaine began his business life with kinsmen in Exeter, county Devon. In 1576 he was sent by his employer to Guernsey, where he was converted. In 1599 he was appointed a Bailiff of Exeter. He was a member of the Chamber in 1608, Receiver of the City in 1610, Sheriff of Exeter in 1611, Mayor in 1617. He served as Deputy Mayor in 1624 for three months during the plague, when all the magistrates had fled. He was a Member of Parliament from Exeter 1625-1628.

“He was a Puritan, and when the proclamation touching the rebellious practices in Scotland was read in Exeter Cathedral, Alderman Jourdain was one of three who put on their hats in silent protest. For this he was commanded either to apologize or to appear before the Council in London. He did neither; but did not long survive.”

His will was dated 1 March 1635, proved 16 October 1640. It named wife Elizabeth, children of son William Hill, and others.

The New York genealogical and biographical record, Volume 44:.

Ignatius Jourdain was of a prominent family of Lyme Regis, Dorset.

John Jourdaine his cousin was a Captain in the service of the East India Company and President in 1618 of the Council of India.

Richard Jourdain his uncle was a member of the Society of Merchant Adventurers of Exeter before 1571, was Bailiff in 1583, and Receiver of Exeter in 1596.

Silvester Jourdaine his brother was the companion of his townsmen Sir George Somers Sir Thomas Gates and Captain Newport in their voyage to America in 1609 and was wrecked with them at Bermuda. On his return home Silvester Jourdaine published A Discovery of the Barmudas otherwise called the Isle of Divels 1610 from which Shakespeare is supposed to have drawn material for The Tempest.

Ignatius Jourdaine went early to Exeter In 1576 he had occasion to go to the isle of Guernsey where probably through the influence of some of the banished preachers he was new borne as he himself expressed it and he was ever afterward a staunch Puritan though also a good churchman and loyal to the King. But he did not hesitate to express his opinion when any royal act clashed with his sentiments. He wrote to the King a strong letter of protest against the Book of Sports and induced Bishop Carey to present it.

When Charles read it he declared that the writer ought to be hanged but the bishop besought the King’s leniency asserting that in Mr Jourdaine God had not a better servant nor his Majesty a better subject in the whole land. Again in 1638-9 when the royal proclamation in relation to the seditious practices of the Scots in matters of religion was read in the Exeter Cathedral. Alderman Jourdaine and others put on their hats by way of protest.

The delinquents were summoned to appear in the Star Chamber to answer but Mr Jourdaine then nearly eighty years old was excused on the certificate of his medical adviser that a journey to London would endanger his life. Ignatius Jourdain died in Exeter June 15 and was buried June 18 1640 in the church of St Mary Arches.

His life was considered of such prominence as to entitle him to a biography written by his pastor and published in London in 1654. It concludes That therefore his name may live and that he may be a pattern of Piety and Charity to succeeding generations it hath been thought fit to commit to writing and to publish to the world those singular graces and memorable acts that did shine forth in him both living and dying.

Mr Jourdain filled many municipal offices in Exeter. In 1599 he was appointed one of the Bailiffs or Stewards and in 1608 he was chosen a member of the Chamber of Alderman. He was Receiver of the city in 1610, Sheriff in 1611, and Mayor in 1617. He acted also as Deputy Mayor in 1624-5 when Exeter scourged by the plague was deserted by Mayor Walker and other officials.

In 1625 he was elected one of the Burgesses to represent Exeter in Parliament and again in 1627-9. He was prominent in both sessions serving on important committees and speaking frequently. He also introduced several bills against profane swearing, against abuses of the Lord’s Day, and for the capital punishment of adulterers.

Mayor Jourdain’s first wife married June 24 1589 was Katherine daughter of John Bodley goldsmith and nearly related to Sir Thomas Bodley from whom the Bodleian Library Oxford was named. She was buried May 4 1593 in St Mary Arches Exeter, and Ignatius married second Aug 5 1593 Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Baskerville.

The Register of St Mary Arches contains the baptisms of seventeen of his children all excepting the first three by the second marriage. Of these Sarah the sixth child was baptized March 4 1598/99.

She married in Exeter Oct 28 1619 William Hill son of James Hill of Lyme Regis and came with him and his six children to New England in the William and Frances arriving in Boston June 5 1632.

William Hill was among the first settlers of Dorchester Mass where he was made a freeman Nov 5 1633. Land was granted to him there Nov 2 1635 and in 1636 he was a Selectman. He removed soon to Windsor Conn which he represented in the General Court in 1639, 1641 and in 1644. Thence he removed to Fairfield Conn where he was an Assistant and Collector of Customs. He died in September 1649. His will made Sept 9 of that year was not proved until May 15 1650 but the inventory of his estate was made at Windsor Sept 24 1649 and at Fairfield Nov 16 1649. His widow was then about fifty years old.

The date of her marriage with Edmund Greenleaf of Boston is not known but it was in or after 1663 as Greenleaf s first wife died January 18 of that year. With these facts before us the myth of a Wilson marriage precedent to Sarah jourdain’s marriage is scarcely worth discussing as it was invented solely to explain the relationship between the Hill and Wilson families.

While Sarah Jourdain’s age twenty at the time of her marriage with William Hill would not absolutely preclude the possibility of an earlier marriage, the fact that she was wedded under her maiden name of Jourdain would seem to settle that question conclusively. We must therefore look further for the solution of the problem in New England genealogy given by Mr OP Dexter in the New England Genealogical Register xxxix 78.

Nor does it seem necessary to accept his suggested solution Gen Reg Hi 83 that if it can be proved that Anthony Wilson and the Hills were not blood relations then I will not hesitate to say that Anthony Wilson married probably in 1655 7 Elizabeth younger daughter of William and Sarah Jordan Hill had by her his daughter Sarah and then immediately lost his wife. While this is not impossible it seems hardly probable for the relation between the Wilsons and the Hills may be accounted for through their marriage connections.

Anthony Wilson whose first wife was Rachel Hubbard Brundish widow of John Brundish married second Sarah Jones Bulkeley daughter of Rev John Jones and widow of Thomas Bulkeley son of Rev Peter Bulkeley. Mr Jone’s coadjutor at Concord Mass. William Hill son of William and Sarah Jourdain Hill married Elizabeth Jones the younger sister of Sarah Jones Bulkeley and this sisterly connection of the two wives fully explains Anthony Wilson’s designation of William Hill as his brother ie brother in law.

While this may not wholly justify viewed from a twentieth century standpoint his speaking of his brother in law’s mother as Mother Hill and of his brothers as brothers Ignatius and James Hill we must remember that family relationships were not very clearly defined in the early days and that the Hills and Wilsons appear to have been very intimately associated.

Those interested in the subject will find wills of the Hills the Jourdaines and the Baskervilles with remarks by Mr Henry F Waters in Gen Reg xlix 494. See also The Life and Death of Mr Ignatius fourdatn by Ferd Nicolls London 1654 and An Exeter Worthy and his Biographer by Frances B Troup a reprint from Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science Literature and Art 1897.

She first married 28 Oct 1619 St. Mary Arches, Exeter, County Devon, England to William Hill (b. abt. 1594 in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England – d. Sep 1649 in Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut) Sarah and William had six children born between 1620 and 1630.

Children of Edmund and Sarah all baptized at St. Marys la Tour in Ipswich, County Suffolk, England:

	Name	Born	Married	Departed
1.	John Greenleaf	c 1612	Hester Hoste 18 May 1636, St. Augustine’s church near Paul’s Gate London	Stayed in England
2.	Enoch Greenleaf	1 Dec 1613 St. Mary’s le Tour in Ipswich, Suffolk, England		1617
3.	Samuel Greenleaf	8 Jan 1615 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich, England		24 Mar 1627 Ipswich, Suffolk, England
4.	Enoch Greenleaf	1 Dec 1617/18 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich	Mary [_?_] 1647 Boston, Mass	1683 Boston, Mass.
5.	Sarah GREENLEAF	26 Mar 1620 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich	William HILTON 1640 or 1641 Newbury, Mass	1655 Newbury, Essex, Massa
6.	Elizabeth Greenleaf	16 Jan 1622 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich	Giles Badger 1642 . Richard Browne 16 Feb 1648/49	26 Apr 1661 Newbury, Mass
7.	Nathaniel Greenleaf	27 Jun 1624 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich		24 July 1633 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich, Suffolk, England
8.	Judith Greenleaf	2 Sep 1625 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich	Henry Somerby 2 Mar 1633 Newbury . Tristam Coffin Jr. 2 Mar 1653 Newbury	15 Dec 1705 Newbury
9.	Capt. Stephen Greenleaf	10 Aug 1628 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich	Elizabeth Coffin 13 Nov 1651 Newbury . Mrs, Esther (Weare) Sweet 31 Mar 1679 Newbury	31 Oct 1690 (most genealogies say 1 Dec 1690) Drowned off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
10.	Daniel Greenleaf	14 Aug 1631 St. Margaret’s parish, Ipswich	Hannah Braintree 1652 Newbury	5 Dec 1654 Newbury, Mass
11.	John Greenleaf (May be an grandson?)	c. 1632	Hannah Veazie 26 Jul 1665 Newbury	16 Dec 1712 Boston, Mass
12.	Mary Greenleaf (May be an grand daughter?)	16 Dec 1633 Newbury	John Wells (Son of our ancestor Nathaniel WELLS) 5 Mar 1667/68 Newbury	5 Mar 1668/69 Newbury? (See discussion below)

State Street in Newbury (now Newburyport) was formerly Greenleaf’s Lane.

Edmund and his wife Sarah (Moore) Greenleaf had ten children, all baptized at St. Marys la Tour in Ipswich, County Suffolk, England:

Of the origin of the family, from all that can be gathered, it is believed that the ancestors of Edmund were Huguenots, the name being a translation of the French “Feuillevert.” As the name has not been found among the English parishes, other than at Ipswich, County of Suffolk, England, it is believed that the family (Feuillevert) came as French refugees to England with many other Huguenots, who fled from their homes on account of their religious principles, and settled in England some time in the sixteenth century. Edmund Greenleaf was a silk-dyer by trade; a trade that does not appear among the English industries until about the time of the coming of the French refugees.

Edmund was one of the original settlers of Quasca Cunquen, afterward Newbury, where each of the first settlers was granted a house lot of at least four acres, with a suitable quantity of salt and fresh meadow. In addition to this, he had a grant of twelve acres, which shows him to have been one of the eighteen principal pioneer settlers. Edmund lived near the old town bridge in Newbury, where he kept a tavern. By trade, he was a silk dyer.

Among the family relics still preserved is the cane brought to this country by Edmund Greenleaf; it bears the initials “J. G.” on a silver band near the handle.

13 Mar 1638 -Edmund was made a freeman in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts

1639 – Promoted to Ensign

22 May 1639 – Permitted to keep a house of entertainment.

1642 –  Promoted to Lieutenant

1 Jun 1642 – Commissioner of the General Court of Newbury

8 Sep  1642.- “Ordered to send home an Indian woman.

27 Sept 1642 – “On a committee to take charge of certain orders by the council.”

1645 – Promoted to Captain of the Newbury Militia under William Gerrish

11 Nov 1647 – Requests his “discharge from military service

c. 1650  He and Sarah Moore removed to Boston

1655 – His dyehouse located in Boston by the spring 30 (5 month) 1655.

22 Dec 1688 – Will of  Estate of Edmund Greenleaf of Newbury/Boston.  There was bad blood between Edmund and his second wife Sarah Jordan Hill including a lent wedding gift, unpaid mackeral cider, and bread and pease, and expenses for her grandchild that her son William Hill did not pay.

In the name of God, Amen. The two and twentieth day of December, sixteen hundred and sixty-eight, I, Edmund Greenleaf mindful of my own mortality and certainty of death, and uncertain of the same, and being desirous to settle things in order, being now in good health and perfect memory, do make, appoint and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following; that is to say first and principally, I give and bequeath my soul into the hands of my blessed Redeemer, the Lord Jesus, who hath died and gave himself for me and his blood cleanseth from all sin, and through his righteousness I do only look for justification and salvation; and do commit my mortal body after this life is ended, into the dust from whence it was taken there to be preserved by the power and faithfulness of my Redeemer Jesus Christ until the resurrection of the just, and then to be raised up by the same power to immortality and life, where I shall see him as he is, and shall ever be with him; and in this faith and hope I desire, through his grace and assistance, to live and die, and at last to be found of him in peace.

Nextly, my will is, being according to God’s will revealed in the word, that we must pay what we owe and live of the rest unto whose rule the sons of men ought to frame their wills and actions; therefore my mind and will is that my debts shall be truly and justly paid to every man to whom I shall be indebted, by my executors hereafter named.

And first I do revoke, renounce frustrate and make void all wills by me formerly made ; and I declare and appoint this to be my last will and testament.

Imprimis – I give unto to my son Stephen Greenleaf, and to my daughter Browne, widow, and to my daughter Coffin to each I twenty shillings apiece.

Item – I give unto my grandchild Elizabeth Hilton ten pounds.

Item – I give unto my grandchild Enoch Greenleaf ten pounds.

Item – I give unto my grandchild Sarah Winslow, five pounds if her, father pay me the four pounds he oweth me.

Item – I give unto my eldest son’s son, James Greenleaf, twenty shillings; and after my funeral debts and legacies are discharged,

I give and bequeath the rest of my estate unto my son Stephen Greenleaf, and to my daughter Elizabeth Browne and to my daughter Judith Coffin, equally to be divided amongst them and their children.

And, further, I desire ad appoint my son Stephen Greenleaf, and Tristram Coffin the executors of this my will see it executed and affirmed as near as they can; and I further entreat my cousin Thomas. Moon, mariner to see to the performance of this my will.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this twenty-fifth day of December, 1668. (Signed) EDMUND Greenleaf [L.S.]

Signed, sealed, published, and declared to be my last will in the presence of us,  George Ruggell  John Furnside

The inventory of Mr. Greenleaf’s estate, which was, appended to the will amounted to £131-5s-9d The following paper is also recorded in the “Probate Records,” appended to the will, as, probably, assigning the reason why the name of his second wife, who appears to have outlived him, was not mentioned:

I married my wife I kept her grandchild, as I best remember, three years to schooling, diet and apparel; and William Hill, her son, had a bond of six pounds a year, whereof I received no more than a barrel of pork of £3. 0s. 0d of that £6. 0s. 0d. a year, he was to pay me, and sent to her son Ignatius Hill, to the Barbados, in mackeral cider, and bread and pease, as much as come to twenty pounds, and never received one penny of it. His aunt gave to the three brothers £50 apiece. I know not of whether they received it or no; but I have or received any part of it.

Witness my hand. (Signed) Edmund Greenleaf

Besides when I married my wife, she brought me a silver bowl a silver porringer, and a silver spoon. She lent on gave them to her son, James Hill, without my consent.

Source: Boston Probate Records 1669-1674, pg. 112 as printed in:Genealogy of the Greenleaf Family, James Edward Greenleaf, Boston, 1896.10

1670 – Will  probated 12 (2) 1671 in Boston

This he found in the will of Sarah’s brother Samuel Moore of the Parish of Much Totham, co. Essex, dated 24 Dec. 1615 and proved by his brother Francis More the 2nd of February following.

In the name of God Amen the 24th day of December in the year of our Lord god 1615. I Samuell More late of Much Totharn in the county of Essex husband-man being poor of body but of good and perfect remembrance (thanks be given unto almighty god) Do make and ordayn my last will and testament in manner and forme following: First I commend my soule into the hands of god my creator hoping through the . . merits of Jesus Christ my Blessed savior that att the generall resurrection both body and soule shall be rejoincd together and made perteker of his everlasting kingdom: I bequeath my body unto the earth from which it first came to be buried in decent Christian burial att the Discretion of my Executor.

Item I give to the poor of Much Birch at the time of my . . . six shillings eight pence to be payd at the discretion of the minister and brothers:

Item I give unto my sister Sara the wife of Edmund Grinleaf of Ipswich in the county of Suffolk a Bedsted [and] a flockbed one bolster two pillows.

Item I give unto her two children John and Enoch either of them ten pounds of lawful english money . . .sayd summe my will is shall be paid by my executor to Edmond Grinleaf their father for their use and he enter bond unto my sayd executor for the true payment thereof and . – . from me when they shall come to the several ages of one and twenty years: Item I give to Anna Hewster my Aunt twenty shillings to buy her a gold ring to be worn by her for my sake.

Item I give unto my father Enoch MORE of Haverill the like summe of twenty shillings: Item I give unto Enoch more my brother and to my two sisters Merry and Judith to each of them six shillings eight pence.

All the residue of my goods and shattells unto him as well moveables and imoveables I give unto Francis More my brother whom I nominate and ordayn my sole Executor: And lastly I do — . Nicholas More of Mauldon my Uncle to be supervisor unto this my will unto whom I give for his payment twenty shillings: in witness whereof I have hereto set my hand the Day and Year above written

Samuell More In presence of His mark Robert Ham (?) Edward —— (maybe Bailer or Kailer) John Hewster Arthur Gaywood (Bishop of London Commissory in Essex, Essex Record Office, Chelmsford).

Reference to the parish registers of Maldon, co. Essex (to be found in the old library attached to the medieval tower of St. Peter’s church) gives a few of the vital statistics of the family, though they have to be used in conjunction with the existing wills, two of which are those of Nicholas and William Moore, the paternal grandparents of Sara (More) Greenleaf. Nicholas Moore, according to the parish records of St. Peter’s, was living in that parish when his son Enoch was baptized, 19 Jan. 1560/61, but by 17 Sep 1570, when Nicholas the Younger was baptized, the family was in All Saints parish. No other baptisms of their children are recorded though there were sons Samuel, Thomas and Edward, and daughters Anna and Phillip, according to the various wills.

As is apparent from the above records the parents of Sara were married in All Saints parish 23 Nov. 1585. Sara herself was baptized there 13 Dec 1588, probably not far inside the curious triangular tower to be seen in Maldon today. Her mother died in that parish a little more than a month after the birth of Sara’s brother Francis and was buried 11 Oct. 1593. At some time, perhaps after his father’s death in 1594, Enoch Moore Jr.  moved to Haverhill, co. Suffolk. By 1599, according to a fragmentary record found in the Withington material (Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.), Enoch had married again for the baptism of daughters Mary and Jane occurred in Haverhill. This scrap may have come from the Bishop’s transcripts and could be an indication that other bits of information will in time turn up even though the Haverhill parish records are said not to have survived.

Also curiously an Edmund Grenelif, a mariner, in the City of Tangier, made a will, dated 10 April 1670, in which he left a dwelling in the parish of Stepney to his wife, if she was living-it was proved 21 Jan. 1670/71 by Hannah Greneleafe, the widow (see James Edward Greenleaf, op. cit., p. 499, under “Enoch Greenleaf;” also p. 472, the account of John of Braintree; the will of Edmund of Tangier is filed in London).

Children

1. John Greenleaf

John’s wife Hester Hoste was born xxx.

“The naming of John, the first born son, in the will of his uncle, Samuel More, who, as far as we can know, survived baby-hood, explains the bequest of Edmund Greenleaf to a grandson James, his eldest son’s son.  One cannot help surmising that John Greenleaf, the silk dyer of St Andrews Undershof,Londan, who married Hester Hoste, daughter of James Jost of Stephey, 18 May 1636, in St Augustine’s church near Paul’s Gate in London, may have been the eldest son and elected to remain in England when the rest of the family migrated.  For him the usual pattern would be to name a son James.  It might also be that the John Greenleaf who married in Braintree, Mass., whom nobody has been able to place might be another grandson though it is granted that actual proof is needed.

4. Enoch Greenleaf

Enoch’s wife Mary [_?_] was born in 1620 in England. Mary died in Malden, Mass.

5. Sarah GREENLEAF (See William HILTON‘s page)

6. Elizabeth Greenleaf

Elizabeth’s first husband Giles Badger was born 1620 in Westbury On Severn, Gloucestershire, England. His parents were John Badger and Anne Greenwaye. Giles died 17 Jul 1647 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

Elizabeth’s second husband Richard Browne was born 1607 in Maidstone, Kent, England. His parents were Joseph Browne and Sarah. Richard died 26 Apr 1661 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

8. Judith Greenleaf

Judith’s first husband Henry Somerby was born 17 Mar 1612 in Little Bytham, Lincolnshire, England. His parents were Richard Somerby and Margaret [__?__]. Henry died 2 Oct 1652 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.

Judith’s second husband Tristram Coffin Jr. was born 1632 in Brixton, Devon, England. His parents were Tristram Coffin and Dionis Stevens. His grandparents were Peter COFFIN and Joane KEMBER.  Tristram died 4 Feb 1704 in Newbury, Mass.

9. Capt. Stephen Greenleaf

Stephen’s first wife Elizabeth Coffin was born  1634 in Brixton, Devon, England.  Her parents were Tristram Coffin and Dionis Stevens. Her grandparents were Peter COFFIN and Joane KEMBER.  Elizabeth died 9 Nov 1678 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.

Stephen’s second wife Mrs, Esther (Weare) Sweet was born 1629 in Nantucket, Nantucket, Mass.  Her parents were Nathaniel Weare and Sarah [__?__].  She first married 1 Nov 1647 in Newbury, Essex, Mass to Benjamin Swett (b. 12 May 1624 in England – d. 29 Jun 1677 in Black Point, Scarboro, Maine).  Esther died 16 Jan 1718 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire

Stephen was a representative to the General Court from Newbury, 1676 – 1686.  He was appointed Ensign in 1670, Lieutenant in 1685, and Captain of the Militia in 1686. “As a Captain of the Militia, he went with the disastrous Phips expedition against Port Royal, 1690, to Cape Breton, and was there wrecked in a vessel and drowned in company with nine others.”

29 May 1671 – Stephen was fined four nobles [a noble was six shillings and eight-pence] for his part in the Parker-Woodman War.

Parker- Woodman War

For many years the church in Newbury had been divided, almost equally, between the original pastor, Reverend Thomas Parker, and Mr. Edward WOODMAN, of whom the noted historian Joshua Coffin wrote: “He was a man of influence, decision and energy, and opposed with great zeal the attempt made by the Rev. Thomas Parker to change the mode of Church government from Congregationalism to something like Presbytarianism.” This divison of the town was not due to a great difference of theology, but of church governemt.

As early as 1645 the Rev. Parker and his party maintained the church should be governed by the pastor, his assistants, and a ruling elder. Mr. Woodman’s party believed it was the right of the members of the church, and government should be by the congretation. In a letter to the church council, Mr. Edward stated, “As for our controversy it is whether God hath placed the power in the elder, or in the whole church, to judge between truth and error, right and wrong, brother and brother, and all things of church concernment.” These ecclesiastical problems, which grew more violent and partisan each year, plagued the town for over 25 yearsand became known throughout New England as the “Parker-Woodmam War.”

By 1669 difference of opinion had grown to such proportions that an appeal was made to the civil authorities. the court proceedings began March 13th at Ipswich and continued on and off for over two years. The decision of the court, on May 29, 1671, found in favor of Rev. Parker’s part and levied fines against the members of Mr. Woodman’s party. Edward Woodman was fined 20 nobles. [ A noble is six shillings and eight-pence so Edward’s fine was a little more than 13 pounds]

Mr. Richard Dummer , Richard THORLAY (THURLOW), Stephen Greenleaf [son of Edmund GREENLEAF], Richard Bartlet and William Titcomg, fined 4 nobles each. Francis Plummer, John Emery, Sr., John Emery, Jr., John Merrill and Thomas Browne, a Mark each. [A mark is thirteen shillings and fourpence. ]

All others Nicholas Batt, Anthony MORSE Sr, Abraham Toppan, William Sawyer, Edward Woodman junior, William Pilsbury, Caleb Moody, John Poor Sr, John Poor Jr, John Webster, John Bartlet Sr., John Bartlet Jr, Joseph Plumer, Edward Richardson, Thomas Hale Jr., Edmund Moores, Benjamin LOWLE (LOWELL), Job Pilsbury, John Wells, William Ilsley, James Ordway, Francis THORLA (THORLAY), Abraham Merrill, John Bailey, Benjamin Rolf, Steven Swett, and Samuel Plumer, a noble each.   However, the judgement of the court did not bring an end to the controversy, and the conflict continued for several years. Note: For a complete chronology, see pages 72-112 of Joshua Coffin’s History of Newbury.

21 Nov , 1686, ” Deacon Nicolas Noyes, deacon Robert Long and deacon Tristram Coffin were at the request of the select men chosen standing overseers of the poore for the town of Newbury.”

1 Dec 1686 , “Captain Daniel Pierce and Captain Stephen Greenleaf were added to the deacons as overseers of the poore,” and any three of them had power to act.

In 1686, and in 1689 was appointed as a consultant “for the conservation of the peace of the Country.”

Stephen died on 1 Dec 1690 in Drowned off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, at age 62 . In the French and Indian War, Captain Stephen Greenleaf, Lieutenant James Smith, Ensign William Longfellow, Sergeant Increase Pillsbury, William Mitchell and Jabez Musgrave were cast away and lost on an expedition against Cape Breton.

“The expedition under Sir William Phips, consisting of thirty or forty vessels, carrying about two thousand men, sailed from Nantasket on the ninth day of August, 1690, but did not arrive at Quebec until the fifth day of October. Several attempts were made to capture the town, without success; and, tempestuous weather having nearly disabled the vessels and driven some of them ashore, it was considered advisable to re-embark the troops and abandon the enterprise. On their way back to Boston, they encountered head winds and violent storms. Some vessels were blown off the coast, and ultimately arrived in the West Indies. One was lost upon the island of Anticosti, and several were never heard from. Capt. John March, Capt. Stephen Greenleaf, Lieut. James Smith, Ensign William Longfellow, and Ensign Lawrence Hart, of Newbury, Capt. Philip Nelson, of Rowley, and Capt. Daniel King, of Salem, were among the officers commissioned for service in the expedition to Canada, under the command of Sir William Phips.”

Footnote from the Diary of Samuel Sewall, p. 335, which states as follows: “Twas Tuesday the 18th of November (1690) that I heard of the death of Capt. Stephen Greenleaf, Lieut. James Smith, and Ensign Wm Longfellow, Sgt. Increase Pilsbury, who with Will Mitchell, Jabez Musgro, and four more were drowned at Cape Britoon (Breton) on Friday night the last of October.”

The military spirit seems to have been transferred to the 3rd generation.

5 Mar 1696, Stephen’s son Captain Stephen Greenleaf Jr. petitioned the General Court for compensation for repulsing an Indian raid, in which he was wounded in his side and wrist, and it was directed that forty pounds should be paid to him “out of the treasury of the Province.”

The house attacked by the Indians was [our ancestor] John BROWN’s, and the following is the family tradition respecting it: ” The Indians had secreted themselves for sometime near the house, waiting for the absence of the male members of the family, who about three o’clock departed with a load of turnips. The Indians then rushed from their concealment, tomahawked a girl who was standing at the front door; another girl who had concealed herself as long as the Indians remained, immediately after their departure gave the alarm.”

The coat which Captain Greenleaf wore in his pursuit of the Indians is still preserved by his descendants, together with the bullet which was extracted from his wound.

10. Daniel Greenleaf

Daniel’s wife Hannah Braintree was born in 1634 in England.

11. John Greenleaf

John’s wife Hannah Veazie was born 18 Mar 1644 in Braintree, Norfolk, Mass. Her parents were William Veazie and Elinor Thompson.  Hannah died 1670 in Boston, Suffolk, Mass

12. Mary Greenleaf

Mary’s husband, John Welles was born about c. 1630 Colchester, Essex, England.  His parents were our ancestors Nathaniel WELLS and [__?__].  John died 15 Dec 1681 – Newbury, Essex, Mass.

(May be a grand daughter?)

John was a ship’s carpenter.

The consensus for Mary’s date of death is 5 Mar 1669. I don’t see any source of record for that, but there are Massachusetts vital records showing Mary Greenleaf’s 5 Mar 1668 marriage. It seems a coincidence that she died exactly one year after her marriage.

Other genealogies show Nathaniel and Mary having four children which of course puts the 1669 date of death into question. Some of these genealogies say Mary’s father was Edmund’s fourth son Enoch, but he was too young to have been Mary’s father (15 years old in 1633). On the other hand, Edmund’s wife Sarah was 45 years old in 1633, on the outer bound to have another child. I can find no other information for these four children, so maybe they all died young.

Children of John and Mary:

i. Mary Wells b. 16 Dec 1669 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA; d. 2 Feb 1670/71 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA

ii. John Wells b. 20 Aug 1671 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA

iii. Mary Wells b. 12 Feb 1672/73 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA

iv. William Wells b. 15 Jan 1674/75 in Newbury, Essex Co., MA

Sources:

http://www.bdhhfamily.com/edmund_greenleaf.htm

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=16909153

Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbury and John Sargent Pillsbury (1938) By Holman, Mary Lovering, 1868-1947; Pillsbury, Helen Pendleton Winston, 1878-1957