William Varney Ipswich, Massachusetts

William Varney was the first of his line to come to the Americas. Most genealogies list his birth in 1608 in Claydon, Buckinghamshire, England. William died in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts March 1, 1653/54. William joined the great migration from England to the New World. There where three major destination points for the migration; Virginia, New England and the West Indies. William ended up in Barbados where he had acquired an interest in a plantation. In Barbados he met and married Bridget Knight on May 4, 1629. Tradition suggests that all of their children were born there. William later moved his family to Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. Williams’ name is prominent in the land and town records in that community The oldest child was Thomas. His birth date is generally listed as 1630. Thomas died in Ipswich in 1692. The children are generally listed as Rachael 1632-1707/8, William 1632-1645, Walter 1635-1650, Humphrey 1642-1713. There are many genealogies that list another daughter, Sarah, the wife of Jeffery Parsons. While there are good records for some of the births and most of the deaths of the children but there is not that one definitive document that clearly identifies the family. William died intestate. The probate record for his estate is found in, “Ipswich Quarterly Court Records, vol-1. In dividing up his estate the Probate Court noted that it was to be divided between his wife, Bridgett, three sons and a daughter.--------- “Administration of the estate of William Varney, intestate, granted Mar. 28, 1654, to his widow, Bridgett Varney. He left three sons and one daughter. Ordered that the eldest son have 8 pounds within three months, and the other children 4 pounds each at the age of twenty-one.”-------- The Inventory for William’s estate is found in the deed records. At first glance it seems to be very humble. But we need to remember he had only been in Massachusetts for about a dozen years. Given a family history of four sons how do we reconcile that with the probate record? The surviving death dates indicate that William and Walter had died before their father. Did one of them have a surviving interest? Also note that the court record only notes one daughter. Many genealogies include a second daughter Sarah.------ We get some clarity from the surviving will left by Bridgett Varney dated November 10, 1671. In the will she names three of her children, Thomas, Humphrey and Rachael.-------- “I Bridgett Verney of Glocester in ye County of Essex in New England being by Gods Providence Cast upon my Bed of Sickness & weakness & not knowing how near the time of my death & departure out of this world may be at hand yet knowing that all men are borne to dye & depart out of this world doe therefore declare & make knowne this my last will & Testament in manner and forme following. And first I commit & command my Soule into the hands of God the Father of Spirits & my Body to the Grave to be decently buryed by my Surviving Friends. And for my Goods and Estate I give & bequeath in the first place unto my Sonne Humfrey Verney the Summe of twenty Pounds to be payd by my sonne Jeffery Parsons of this Towne in foure years, five pounds per Annum during the space of foure yeares after my decease. Item I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Rachael Vinson, the wife of William Vinson, twenty Pounds to be payd out of my estate according as thee sayd William vinson my sonne in Law Can best order it for Her And this to be for my sayd Daughter after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto my sone Thomas Verney Seaven Sheepe after my decease. And for the rest of my goodes or estate besides what is above mentioned and bequeathed I leave in the hands of my Sonne in Law William vinson as he shall see meet And to the end this my Last will & Testament may be duely & truly performed in manner and forme above sayd I doe hereby appoint constitute & ordayne my sayd Sonne in Law William vinson to be sole Executor. In wittnesse whereof I the sayd Bridget had hereunto Set my Hand & Seale the tenth day of this instant November Anno Dom, one thousand Six hundred & Seventy one. Bridget Varney”----------- The will takes a little translating. After the death of her husband, Bridgett moved to nearby Gloucester to live with her daughter Rachael and her husband William Vincent. It seems evident from the will that she had intermingled her estate with that of her son in law. On her death she named William Vincent to be the executor of her will. The naming of Jeffery Parsons in her will has created a great deal of confusion. Many have suggested that he was after some fashion actually her son. Many suggest that he was married to another daughter in the family a supposed Sarah Varney. The explanation, although a little unconventional, is quite straightforward. There is ample evidence for the marriage and family of Jeffery Parsons and Sarah Vincent who he married November 11, 1657. Sarah was the daughter of the William Vincent in Bridgett’s will.--------- The term “sonne” held a number of different meanings in 1672. A son or a brother could actually refer to a son, a son in law or a brother in law. In the case of Jeffery Parsons, Bridgett was either expressing a close relationship in an extended family or making reference to the fact that he was Rachel’s brother in law. But Jeffery Parson’s was not her actual son.-------- The most famous or infamous town in Essex County is Salem, to be ever remembered for its witch trials. The witch hysteria also caught the Varneys in its trap. Thomas Varney married Abigail Proctor the daughter of John Proctor, the main character in Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” who was hanged on August 19, 1692. Rachel Varney, her name appearing as the “Widow Vincent”, and her daughter Rachael, referred to as the “wife of Hugh Row”, was accused by her grand daughter and arrested. She was released on bond in October 1692. Her name is found in the collection of documents from the witch trails. The death records for Thomas and Abigail are found in the records of the Chebacco Parish; Thomas, Dec 4th, 1692 and Abigail, March 1st, 1731, age 92.------ “Petition of Ten Prisoners at Ipswich. To the Honourable Governor and Councell and Generall Assembly now sitting in Boston. The humble petition of us whose names are subscribed hereunto now prisoners at Ipswich humbly sheweth, that some of us have Lyen in the prison many monthes, and some of us many weekes, who are charged with witchcraft, and not being conscious to our selves of any guilt of what nature lying upon our consciences; our earnest request is that seing that winter is soe far come on that it can not be exspectd that we should be tried during this winter seson, that we may be released out of prison for the present upon Bayle to answer what we are charged with in the Spring. For we are not in this unwilling nor afrayed to abide the tryall before any Judicature apoynted in convenient season of any crime of the nature: we hope you will put on the bowels of compassion soe far as to consider of our suffering condition in the present state we are in, being like to perish with cold in lying longer in prison in this cold season of the yeare, some of us being aged either about or nere four score some though younger yet being with Child, and one giving suck to a child not ten weekes old yet, and all of us weake and infirme at the best, and one fetterd with irons and halfe year and all most destroyed with soe long and Imprisonment: Thus hoping you will grant us a releas at the present that we be not left to perish in this miserable condition we shall always pray &c. Widow Penny, Widow Vincent, Widow Prince, Goodwife Green of Havarell, the wife of Hugh Roe of Cape Anne, Mehitabel Dowing, the wife of Timothy Day, Goodwife Dicer of Piscataqua, Hannah Brumidge of Havarell, Rachel Hafield besides thre or foure men.”---------- The petitioners were granted bail in October of 1692. The following spring the Courts took up the cases for adjudication. By 1693 the general consensus was that the witch trial had been a miscarriage of justice. All of the Ipswich petitioners were cleared of the charges thanks to the support they received from the local ministers in Essex County, “Petition of Eleven Ministers from Essex County To his Excellency the Governor , Council and Representatives of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, In General Court Assembled Whereas in the year 1692 some of our neighbors of a good conversation, were apprehended and imprisoned upon the suspicion of Witchcraft, upon the complaint of some young persons under Diabolicall molestations; and upon their Tryall at the Court at Salem condemned; great weight being layd upon the evidence of the Afflicted persons, their Accusers Sentence of Death was Executed on severall of them other were Reprieved. But since it is apparent and hath been Acknowledged, that there were Errors and mistakes in the aforesaid Tryals; and notwithstanding the care and conscientious endeavors of the Honorable Judges to do the thing that is right: yet there is great reason to fear that Innocent persons then suffered, and that God may have a controversy with the Land upon that account. We would therefore humbly propose to the consideration of this Honored Court, whether something may not, and ought not, be publickly done to clear the good name and reputation of some who have suffered as aforesaid, against whom there was no as is supposed sufficient evidence to prove the quilt of such a crime and for whom there are good grounds of charity. Some of the condemned persons aforesaid, and others in behalf of the Relations who have suffered, have lately Petitioned this Honoured Court upon this Account. We pray that their case may be duely considered.” Over the coming years the Courts reversed the findings of the Salem Courts although to late for those who were executed. The Court then set up a commission to pay reparations to those damage by the miscarriage of justice.------ Reference the Samuel Griffin Genealogy Blog-------- Documents: 1-Court Record for William Varney’s estate 2-Inventory for William’s estate 3 and 4- Bridget Varney’s will 5-Inventory of Bridgett’s estate 6- Court record for Bridget’s estate 7- Death of Thomas Varney 8- Death of Abigail Varney