Notes
Note for: John* Woodbury, ABT 1579 - 1641 Index
Occupation:
Place: Representative of Salem in General Court between 1635 and 1639. Selectman and Surveyor
Individual note:
[Master File.ftw]
John Woodbury was born in England, posssibly Somersetshire, and, it is bel
ieved, came to New England with his eldest son, Humphrey, early, settli
ng first at Cape Ann, then soon at Salem in 1626 under the direction of Ro
ger Conant. He returned to England the following year and came back in Jun
e, 1628, possibly bringing with him his wife and son William, although the
se may have come with him originally in 1626.
He was sworn constable 28 Sept. 1629 and requested admission as freem
an 19 Oct. 1630; he took the oath of Freeman 18 May 1631. He was a represe
ntative in 1635 and 1638 and, during this time, his wife likely died a
nd he married again, having children born in 1636, 1637 and 1640. He di
ed in 1641. His will was proved 27 June 1643, but no copy survives.
Notes for JOHN WOODBURY*:
Some of John's data was taken from a "Sketch of John Page Woodbury" by Cha
rles Jeptha Hall Woodbury. John took the Oath of Freemen on 18 May 1631,
C.R., Vol. I. pp. 73, 74. See: N.E.H.G. Register, Book #3, Pg. 90.
John first came over in 1624 on the "Zouch Phenix." According to "The Plan
ters
of the Commonwealth," by Charles Edward Banks (Boston, 1930), p. 58:
"She was consort of the 'Unity,' or arrived with her in the spring of this
year. It is believed she sailed from Weymouth, and brought the following
passengers, who settled at Cape Anne"* (*Banks MSS).
Representative of Salem in General Court between 1635 and 1639. Selectm
an and Surveyor. Returned to England in 1627 as Agent for the Dorchester
Co.,
(Burke's American Families Pg. #2983).
See: Frederick Virkus's Compendium, Pg. #634...
John is frequently mentioned in the genealogies of other early settle
rs to New
England.
On Sept. 24, 1639, John Woodbury, Peter Palfrey, and John Balch, [3 of the
original "Planters"], three of the Salem selectmen, brought civil suit aga
inst
Isabel Babson. There is no specific charges mentioned, but cases like thi
s
frequently involved land disputes. (See: The Babson Genealogy 1637-1977).
John spent six months in England and, soon after the issuance of the grant
for their lands on March 19, 1627-8, he sailed for New England bringing wi
th
him son, Humphrey. They arrived in Salem on the June 28, following.
See: Gates and Allied Families pp. 823-828.
While searching for more information on John Woodbury, Robin Bush traced
a marriage license between a John Woodberrie of Dorchester, Dorset, husban
dman, and Ann Napper of Hardington, spinster, at Hardington on 19 March
1627/8, (ref: D/D/01 26, p. 222, also in D/D/01 25, p.53), It seems like
ly that this could be John's second marriage. In the Bishop's transcripts
for West Coker there are three entries that may be relavent:
John Woodberye & Johan Bishop, married 3 May 1607.
Johan daughter of John Woodberie, bpt. 23 March 1607/8
Humfrey son of John & Joane Woodberry, bpt. 25 July 1611
John Bishopp on 16 Apr 1605 (Johan's 1st husband, father?)
From Robin Bush's research "Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1
630" Vol. 25; New Ancestral Discoveries. Robin Bush was Deputy Archivist
in the Somerset County Record Office, Taunton, England.
---notes of Larry Wert
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~
known as the "Old Planter" and also as "Father Woodbury" He landed in Ca
pe Ann, MA in1624, among others, under the direction of the Dorchester Com
pany. He was one of the origional settlers of Beverly whence he remov
ed in 1626 to Naumkeag or Salem and was one of the charter members of t
he First Church there. The settlers became concerned about a patent of tit
le from the crown and John Woodbury was sent abroad to secure one. He we
nt in 1627 and returned the following year, his mission being successfu
l, and the title to their lands was guaranteed by a patent under date of M
arch 19, 1628. Mr Woodbur was accompanied on his return by his eldest so
n, Humphrey, who had remained abroad on the first immigration. John Woodbu
ry was made a freeman in 1635, was deputy to the general court that same y
ear and on Nov. 4 of that year received a grant of two hundred acres of la
nd, being his share of one thousand acres at the head of the Bass River di
vided among five men. He had two wives but the name of the first is unknow
n. That of the second was variously written as Ann, Agnus and Annis. http:
//www.concentric.net/~htasker/html/g0000172.html#I1812
Came to America in 1624, settled in Salem, Mass, returned to England in 16
27 for supplies and returned with eldest son Humphery. With Roger Cona
nt he had an interest in building a new republic.
http://www.phoenix.net/~dmartin/Jwbry.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
20 June, 1628, Sailed from Weymouth, England in the ship "Abigail"-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Old Planters
The earliest history of Salem refers to 4 families as the most promine
nt in establishing the groundwork for the city. The heads of these famili
es are known as the "Old Planters" and they are generally accepted as t
he "founders" of the City of Salem. A Company of immigrants sailed from Do
rchester County in Somersetshire, England. The group was known as The Dorc
hester Company. They first arrived in the New World in 1624; only 4 yea
rs after the pilgrims landed at Plymouth. . The group spent 2 years with t
he Pilgrims at the Massachusetts Bay Colony before establishing the Ci
ty of Salem at the port of Cape Ann in 1626. The city later became famo
us for the Salem witch trails wherein about 20 people were executed in 169
2. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne was born there in the 17th Century a
nd the city is also the location of the literary "House of Seven Gables".
When the company first arrived an individual known as Roger Conant was t
he first leader. The first year was beset with difficulties and the proje
ct did not produce profits to the investors who had financed the expediti
on of The Dorchester Company. Most of the company was considering abandoni
ng the settlement to look for gold or join with the Virginia colony to t
he south where the weather was said to be more favorable. Mr. Conant deter
mined to stay even if all others deserted him. Word came back from the inv
estors in England and requested a commitment from some of the others to st
ay with the settlement. Four individuals Roger Conant, John Woodbury, Pet
er Palfry and John Balch, were described as ‘honest men" and of "good char
acter". The investors committed to continue to support the enterprise on t
he condition that these four men would agree to stay and develop the Sal
em site. A pact was made and these four men became known as the "four plan
ters" who established the ancient site of Salem Massachusetts.
John Woodbury, The Old Planter
John Woodbury is often referred to as "The old Planter" in city record
s. He is spoken of with a certain kindly reverence not often to be look
ed for in official records, as "brother Woodbry" and as "father Woodbry
," though by no means an elder in years. In 1627 he returned to Engla
nd to report on the progress and brought new immigrants with him, includi
ng his brother William and his family as well as his son Nicolas.
John Woodbury was one of the original members of the 1st Church, Sale
m, at its formation in 1629. He became a freeman in 1630 and established t
he Salem Police department, being appointed constable in the same year. O
ne of the original five farms of two hundred acres each, "by the great po
nd side," was voted to John Woodbury by the colony in 1635. In 1635 John W
oodbury was appointed one of the overseers and Layers out of the Lots of g
round for the city. In 1637 he was chosen one of the selectmen, which offi
ce he filled till his decease, being present at every meeting of the boar
d, the last one being December 3, 1641.
John Woodbury was described as one who "did what one resolute man cou
ld do to defeat the ambition of Richelieu and to give us a New England ins
tead of a New France between the Hudson and the Bay of Fundy and, having a
ccomplished this, died full of honors if not of years in 1641."
http://uvol.com/www1st/columnists/01bladh.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
History of the Salem Police Department
Salem is an old city that holds fast to its traditions. First settl
ed in 1626, only six years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. Salem w
as not
incorporated as a city until March 23, 1836. As with all emerging communit
ies, the problem of social control existed from the very beginning in Sale
m. The first strife in the city resulted from the banning of Quakers fr
om the colony. And so, in 1630, one John Woodbury was appointed Constabl
e. His work and the work of those who assisted him was severely tried wh
en a number of Quakers demonstrating against the Puritans attempted to bre
ak up church services, protesting against their vanities of dress, the Qua
kers also ran naked down Essex Street. Such offenses were not taken lightl
y. Three such offenses by one person resulted in the death sentence, altho
ugh records reflect only that offenders were ordered from the city.
http://www.salempd.org/history.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Salem Quarterly Court Records and Files June 1684 p. 247:
"The 27th of the 11th mo 1636.
"Its ordered that John Woodbury & Capt Trask & John Baulch shall lay out t
wo Hundreed acres of land for Mr Endicot next adjoying the land which w
as formerly granted him. Salem, Febru. 23d 1682-3. pr John Hathorne, * w
ho write this Copy from Salem Records."
http://www.ogram.org/17thc/sqc_allen-v-nurse_06-84.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS THE MASSACHUSEETS BAY COLONY
A settlement, the first in New England, had already been made at Plymout
h, when, three years later, 1623, the Dorchester Company, which was dissol
ved in 1626, established a colony at Cape Ann near what is now Glouceste
r. Roger Conant, who was the superintendent of affairs for the New Engla
nd Company, soon became satisfied with the settlement and moved to Naumkea
g, now Salem. The Dorchester Company was organized by the Rev. John Whi
te of Dorchester, England. He was able to convince a number of men of mea
ns to contribute three thousand pounds to the company. Upon Conant's arri
val in Naumkeag he informed the Rev. White of the success settlement. Up
on approval of the English Crown to the Rev. White a meeting was conven
ed and the subject discussed. Curiously, Mr. Conant, John Woodbury, Jo
hn Balch, and Peter Palfrey were in favor of moving to Virginia. In doi
ng so Rev. White exceeded his promise of gaining favor from the King, he h
ad already received many supplies from England, he ordained a patent, (a r
ight to land) giving to six men, Sir Henry Rolsewell, Sir John Young, Jo
hn Humphrey, Thomas Southcate, John Endicott and Sam Whitcomb a tract of l
and described as that part of New England lying between three miles nor
th of the Merrimac, and three miles to the south of the Charles River, a
nd of every part thereof, in the Massachusetts Bay; and in length betwe
en the described breadth from the Atlantic to the South Sea.
http://www.tiac.net/users/speter/andover.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Woodbury Family, p. 44-
John Woodbury had sat under the Episcopalian ministry of the Rev. Mr. Lyfo
rd at Cape Ann and at Salem, whose Christian services had been "tolerate
d" by the brethren of Dorchester adventurers. He joined the first chur
ch organized at Salem, under the new charter, in 1629, and continued a mem
ber until his death. The terms "father" and "brother" applied to him in t
he records show respect for his practical Christianity.
In connection with the doctrine of "religious toleration" and "civil libe
rty" of Roger Williams, Woodbury's position demonstrated that his
convictions were with the apostle on this subject, and that he thought gen
uine piety was not promoted by invoking the arm of the civil power again
st liberty of conscience. Nowhere do we find him acting the zealot's part.
The reputable positions he occupied in public affairs seem to have been ga
ined by his capacity for business and force of character.
Following back to his first coming, selected because of confidence in h
is ability, the business men of Dorchester, when they considered the
enterprise had failed, the "miscarriages by land," absolved him from all b
lame.
Hubbard is precise that Mr. White solicited Conant, Woodbury, Balch and Pa
lfrey because of their character, to undertake a new settlement at
Nahumkeag, promising them men, goods and supplies, a commendation sustain
ed by his associates.
In 1627, they selected and despatched to England, John Woodbury, to conf
er as to the future of the settlement, the supplies, the promised
men and, more than all, the patent which was to secure the enterprise to t
hose who were bearing the heat and burden of the day. Woodbury sailed ear
ly in the autumn on some of the returning fishing vessels, arrived in d
ue season at England, and entered on his business.
The deposition of his son Humphrey shows that he visited his friends and r
emained some half-year. It cannot be said that as explorer and first messe
nger from this new Canaan of Nahumkeag, he returned "bearing bunches of gr
apes" nor yet that he bore the Golden Fleece, like Jason, back to native s
hores, yet it can be assumed that he carried with him a promising sto
re of beaver skins, which assimilated to the classic golden fleece in intr
insic value and attraction.
His months of renewed life in that fertile land where his kin resi
ded, brightening his social ties, his return to the luxury of
civilization, was a treat to the Old Planter of Cape Ann. His mission ende
d, with "a comfortable answer" he started to return.
The man who now looks from the hoe at Plymouth or Dorchester, towa
rd America, may think of patent cultivators, reapers, telephones,
telegraphs, gas, electric lights. The man who, in 1628, took his last lo
ok at the "Scilly," as the good craft, hauled up on her course, said, "My
native land, good night," concerned himself not with these things, yet w
as hopeful and at peace.
I cannot aver that he fled from persecution, but I think his mi
nd was heavy with the thought whether he should arrive at Nahumkeag befo
re his corn was all planted.
When Endicott came to America Woodbury was one of his first counci
l. On the arrival of the Bay Corporation, he was one of the first office
rs elected. There was energy and vigor about him, and, as Carlyle would sa
y, "no slop." All the town and county business devolved on him alone, or w
ith a local committee of his own selection.
Level and uniform in his bearing, assiduity and perseverance mark
ed his conduct. The continuous occupancy of posts of trust shows his inte
grity and usefulness, and his busy profession as surveyor indicates his ab
ility, practical, mathematical education, and sturdy health.
John Woodbury had laid his claim to fame before Endicott came ove
r. He was there, an "Old Planter."