Repost from When I Was 69 blog, dated 7/21/2018
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He was the 7th birth of 10 of which at least 3 siblings didn't live past a year of age. Robert may have been part of the heritage which said youngest sons should go to the clergy. His parents were well off, Lady Helen (Ellen) Kirton (Girton) of White of Hill Farrance, Somerset, England and Sir Richard White of Minot, Somerset, England.
Robert married in 1685 to Lady Brygette Allgar (1562-1605). The youngest of her 8 children was Anna (Rosanna) White Porter, my ancestress (See blog HERE). Though Robert and Lady Brygette White both died in England, they had a son and 3 daughters immigrate to Windsor, Connecticut in the American Colonies.
from http://ancestor.homestead.com/files/Robert_White.htm:
"Robert White was born in Essex, England, on Tuesday, June 24, 1561, and died in Essex in 1617. His name was also spelled Robert Whighte. He was buried in Shalford, Essex, on June 17, 1617. Bridget Allgar was baptized in Shalford, Essex, England, on Wednesday, March 11, 1562, and died in Shalford after June 24, 1605. They were married in Shalford on Thursday, June 24, 1585. She took the name Bridget White. She is the daughter of William and Margaret (Parye) Allgar. William Allgar of Shalford, Essex, England died in County Essex, England, in 1575. He was buried in Shalford on August 2, 1575.. His wife was Margaret Parye of England."
" Robert White was a yeoman; that is, he was not a member of the nobility but did own a small amount of land (small compared to a typical nobleman's estate). He was wealthy and appears to have lived in Shalford from his marriage until a few months before his death. Shalford is about two miles south of Wethersfield."
"In his will, Robert White bequeathes 40 shillings to Mr. Richard Rogers, preacher of God's word at Withersfield in Essex. Therefore, it is likely that he was friendly to the non-conformists and attended some of their services. A like bequest to Bartholomew Scrivener, minister of the Church of God in Messing, implies that he was also interested in the established church (or was covering all of the bases). His bequest of 40s to the poor people of Messing and nothing to the poor of Shalford where he is supposed to have lived most of his life, opens the possibility that he was born in Messing."
Sources:
· Jacobus, Donald Lines, History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (reprinted with corrections), Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991 (1930); vol. 1, p. 487.
· English Origins of New England Families, Series 2, vol. 3: The Children of Robert White of Messing, Co. Essex, England, Who Settled in Hartford and Windsor (Family Tree Maker CD181).
He is listed on a Find A Grave site as a -
"Common Ancestor for US Presidents:
Millard Fillmore
US Grant
Stephen Grover Cleveland
Gerald Ford"
His grave site is unknown however.
It does seem a bit strange he didn't bequeath some money to the poor of Shalford where he spent most of his life. He seemed to know where he wanted his money to go, so it doesn't seem like it was an oversight. One has to wonder, then, if there was a specific reason why he didn't?
ReplyDeleteThat author guessed he may have been born in Messing. None of the documents said where he was born, except Essex, which I think is like a county.
DeleteI’m impressed that you can trace your family back so far.
ReplyDeleteSusan
Well, fortunately someone else has done it all before.
DeleteMust be rather unusual to be able to find images of ancestors that far back in history. I have no photos going back further that great-grandparents (and not even all of those).
ReplyDeleteYet I have very few of immediate family gatherings...which haven't happened that often (one good reason.)
DeleteHow wonderful to get back to the mid 16th century and to have a portrait as well. I would love to hear more about his American connection.
ReplyDeleteI can skip over to aunts, uncles, cousins...whoever back in the further reaches of our ancestors might have been interesting!
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