Anthony Colby History

Notes for Anthony Colby:
Came to Boston from England in Winthrop's fleet in 1630.
Notes: from Blaisdell Family Association
Earlier writers erroneously placed Anthony Colby's origin in Beccles, Suffolkshire, England but in 1975 Glade Ian Nelson showed that the Beccles Antony was still in England long after the immigrant was settled in Massachusetts Bay. More recently John B Threflfall made what appears to be the correct identification in Horbling, Lincolnshire, England . Baptism at about the right time is in itself not sufficient evidence. But the occurence of a baptism in Horbling, the home of Simon Bradstreet, who seems to be indirectly connected with Colby, makes this very likely the correct solution to the problem.
Souces: The Great Migration Begins sent by Marilyn Christie, Laconia, NH.
Sources: The American Genealosist Whole Number 202 Vol 51 No 2 April 1975- Anthony Colby's Purported Ancestryt by Glade Ian Nelson sent by Steven S Skaropowski, Andover, Ma.

Parental Conflict: Thomas Colby and Lady Beatrice Felton

birth conflict: Sept 8, 1608 in Beccles, England . ( I believe this to be wrong with reflection on the research I have done)

Emigrated to America in 1630 with the Purtains, on the ship "Arabella" of the Wintrop Fleet. He came with his wife Susannnah. Their first home was in the disputed territory between Cambridge and Watertown which was given to Cambridge in 1632, and was on the road to Mount Auburn close by the river.

In 1633, on the second Sabbath that Rev. John Cotton preached, he baptized his own son Seaborn Cotton and John Colby, son of Anthony.

Anthony built a second house near the Washington Elm and a third one near the Fresh Pond, He was admitted freemand in Cambridge in 1634. Three years later, he appeared in Ipswich, and three years after that in Salisbury. He was among the first settlers of the latter town. Together, the men (Jared Haddon) joined the church in Charlestown and took the freeman's oath in
Cambridge on 14 May 1634. Together laly their houselots at East Salisbury and when Jared sold his homestead in 1644 and built in what is now Amesbury, Anthony bought the lot adjoining and came with his family. On this land he at last settled down to make a permanent home. He received additional lots of land from the divisions in 1643, 1654, and 1658.

In 1640, he was appointed an appraiser for the government and in 1651 was elected a selectman.

Anthony Colby seems to have been always at odds with the leaders in town affairs and was often in controversy, legal and personal, with the authorities. Once he was fined for making a speech in town meeting on the ground that he hadcreated in a disturbance. He worked incessantly to have the new settlement at Amesbury set off from Salisbury as a town. the fight was carried on after his death by his sons, and the separation was finally accomplished in 1666.

He was an industrious man, and in spite of moving every few years and in spite of may children, he became one of the largest property holders in Amesbury. His lots included: Back River, Fox Island, Lion's Mouth, Great Swamp, Hampton, River, Whiskers Hill, and lots from the third and fourth divisions. His inventory set a value of 359 pounds sterling upon his property.

The old house was on the southwest side of Maine St. which leads form Amesbury Center to the Merrimac and was the seventh from Bartlett's Corner. Here is the well described in Whittier's poem, "The Captain's Well". the well was dug by a grandson of the daughter Mary.

The year after Anthony's death, the wido sold to her son Isaac, sixty acres near Haverhill to pay for her board. From the public divisions she received land in 1662 and1664. In the latter year she married William Whitridge, a carpenter from Gloucester. He died in 1669. In the meantime, she had had to defend her homestead against the claim of Thomas Macey from whom it had been purchased. At about the time of the sale, Macey had fled to Nantucket to escape the penalty of sheltering two Quakers during a thunderstorm, but later he denied the sale and tried to expel the widown and her family by legal process. He was unseccessful and the premises were in the possesion of her descendants as late as 1895. In 1678, the son Thomas was deeeded half of all the lands remaining in consideration of services rendered the widow, and in 1682, the homestead was deeded to her son Samuel, who cared for her during the infirmities of old age.

Noted in "The Great Migration Begins" 1996, New England Historical and Genealogical Socitiey, pages 413- 416 He died on Feb 11, 1660 in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Bio: Left London (Isle of Wright) in March of 1630 with more thatn 400 others arrived on ship Arbella at Boston. Lived on shipboard 4 months before housing could be made. In Boston, Ipswich, Salisbury,& Amesbury. Noted as a "planter", received land in the 'first division' in 1640 and '43; one of the first commoners of Amesbury, where he received land in 1654 and 1758, and his widow, in his right, in '62 and 6'64. Was church member in Bsoton, living Cambridge 1632, afirmed freemand oath 14 May 1634; at Ipswich 1637; Sometimes printed as "Arthur" He was married to Susannah (Colby) about 1632 in Boston, Ma (?)

Extract from The American Genealogist
Whole number 202 Vol. 51, No 2

Anthony Colby's Purported Ancestry
By Glade Ian Nelson

James W. Colby's frequently unreliable 'Colby family History', published in 1895, is the basis for the statement that Anthony Colby of Massachusetts Bay Colony was the son of Thomas Colby, esquire, by his second wife Beatice felton of Beccles, So. suffolk, England. Since the printing of that volume, this relationship has been repeated in many other publications with elaboration's upon the barious royal personages which fill the ancestral pedigrees of the Colby and Felton families. Most recently it has appeared in Michel L. Call, 'Royal Ancestors of some L.D.S. Families' (Salt Lake City; 1972), and in Count d'Angerville, 'Living Descendants of Blood Royal', vol. 4. While the first book is so error filled as to make it completely untrustworthy to any serious student of royal genealogies, the second does contain some lineage's of merit. To the discredit of both authors they falil their reader by not giving dcumentary source material or references for data contained in their book. It should not be too surprising , therefore, that the claim of the Massachusetts immigrant, Anthony Colby, as the son of Thomas and Beatice (Felton) Colby is without substatiation and most likely completely fallacious. Certain linegage societies have rather blindly accepted his leneage in the past and, I presume, continue to do so. (See Langston and Buck, 'Pedigrees of Som o f the Emporor Charlemagne's Descendants' Vol ii (1974), p 96--Ed.). Therefore, in order to correct this lineage purported parentage and to warn those who might be tempted to accept the questionable lineage, the following information is presented. Anthony Colby came to New England probably with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630 for in that year he was of Boston and recorded as a church member. He was of Cambridge as early as 1632 when he owned land and buildings there, and was still there when , on 14 May 1634, he took the oath of "freeman" before the General Court in Boston. About 1637 he moved to the settlement at Ipswich, but soon thereafter moved on to Salisbury, then called Colchester, where he recieved land in the first division of 1639. Additional grants of land were given to him by the town of Salisbury in 1640 and 1643. Anthony Colby was one of the original settlers of the "newtown", now called Amesbury, where he was made a commomer on 19 March 1654, receiving a grant of land there in that same year as well as grants in subsequent years. (1) He died intestate, 11 Feb. 1660/61, in Salisbury, Mass., and the inventory was taken on 9 Mar 1660/61, (2) with the division made 9 April 1661. (3)

Although as early as 1939, information concernign the identity of Anthony Colby's wife was printed by Donald Lines Jacobus, (4) many errors have since been printed concerning her. Mr. Jacobus clearly pointed out that Anthony Colby married after coming to New England, problaby between 1630 and 1632, the widow Susannah Waterman of Boston, Mass. She married, thirdly, about 1663-1664, William Whitridge, a carpenter from kGloucester who died 5 Dec. 1668, leaving her a widow for the third time. Susannah died 8 July 1689 in Salisbury, Mass. Various accounts stat her maiden name to have been Haddon and make her either a sister of daughter of William Sargent, and stll others ascribe her to the name Nutting. None of thes claims, however, is substatiated by documented evidence, leaving her maiden mane unknow, (5) Anthony and Susannah Colby had the following children; (6) i. John, bapt. 8 Sept 1633, Boston, Mass., d 11 Feb 1673/4; m. Salisbury, 14 Jan 1655/6, Frances Hoyt. ii. Sarah, b. 6 Mar 1634/5, Cambridge, Mass,; m. 6 March1653/4, Orlando Bagley. iii. Child, b. abt 1637, prob. Ipswich, Mass.; may have d.y. (Savage states here were four children older than Isaac. which is the basis for the inclusion of this unnamed child). iv. Samuel, b. abt 1638, Ipswich, d. 1716; m. Elizabeth Sargent. v. Isaac, b. 6 July 1640, Salisbury, d. by 1691; m. Martha Parratt. vi. Rebecca, b. 11 Marh 1643, Salisbury, d. by 1673; m. Haverhill, Mas., 9 Sept 1661, John Williams. vii. Mary, b. 19 Sept 1647, Salisbury; m. Amesbury, 25 Sept. 1668, William Sargent. viii. Thomas, b. 8 March 1650/1, Salisbury; estate inventory taken 31 March 1691; m. 16 Sept 1674, Hannah Rowell.

Examination of English Colby records sheds light on the problem at hand. The1612 Visitation of Suffolk contains the family of Thomas and Beatrice (Felton) Colby as "thomas,son and heir; Charles, second son, obit; John, obit; Anthony; Edmond, obit; Philip; Francis; Huntington; Beatrice, mar to Edmond Thurston of Colchester; Mary, mar. to John Copuldyke of Kirby in suff.; Penelope, mar. to Sir Walter Aston in Chesh,; Katherin, unm." (7) thus it can be seen that there was a son Anthony belonging to this family. However, justification fro rejectiong him as the immigrant Anthony is substantial, as will be further explained.

Thomas Colby of Beccles, co. Suffolk, England, wrotehis will 8 June 1588 and it was proved that same year at the Prerogative Court of Caterbury. (8) In this will Thomas referred to "Beatrice my well beloved wife" to whom he gave all his manors for life as well as other items. He then bequethed to his"son Thomas from and after the deceased of my wife all my manors..." Provision was made that should the son tomas die without legal heirs, the lands were to be entailed to his other living sons, Anthony, Edmond, Philip, Francis and Huntington, in that order. Concerning these lans five sons mentions is made of a distribution of an annual rent in the sum of 9 pounds and 6 shillings to each of hte sons from a farm in Brundish, co. Suffok, that "eache and every of them shall begin to receyve their saide annuitic or portion at twentie years of age untill whiche time I will and devise that my executors shall putt the saide money during their minorities or manage to the only profit and bringing upp of my said sonnes in vertu goode education and bearinge..." Thomas also mentioned "my thre (sic) daughtrers and the child whiche my wife is at the making... at their age of twentie yeares or tat their severall dayes of marriage... " Thomas made his son Thomas and his brother-in-law Anthony Felton executors of his will, with his brother Francis Colby as supervisor.

The children of Thomas and Beatrice (with approximate birth years based on the best documentation available) were: (9)
i. Thomas, b. ca. 1566; m. Brundish, 1599, Amy Brampton; lived in Brundish where six of there children were baptized, with two additional children mentioned in the 1612 visitation of Suffolk.
ii. Charles, 2nd son, b. ca. 1568; appears only in the 1612 Suffolk Visitation as already deceased; not mentioned in father's will in 1588 nor in that of Uncle Francis in 1599.
iii. Beatrice, b. ca. 1570; under 20 years of age in 1588 when her father's will was made; m. Edmond Thurston of Colchester,; her unamed children are referred to in her brother Philip's will in 1643.
iv. John, 3rd son, b. ca. 1572; mentioned only as deceased in the 1612 Visitation; not mentioned in the wills of his father (1588 or Uncle Francis (1599)
v. Anthony, 4th son, b. ca. 1674; erroneously claimed as the New England immigrant.
vi. Mary, b. ca. 1576, m. 1598 in Beccles, John Copuldyke of Kirkby, Suffolk.
vii. Edmond, 5th son, b. ca. 1578; mentioned in will of his father (1588) and in his Uncle's (1599), but not listed in the 1612 Visitation of Suffolk as already deceased.
viii. Philip, 6th son, b. ca. 1580; m. 1609 in Beccles, Lady Dorothy (Bacon) Gawdy, daughter of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Knt. and widow of Sir Bassingbourn Gawdy, Bart. She d. 1621 at age 47. Philip's will in 1643 mentioned only one daughter. This will, referred to later on, contains additional valuable information concerning his brothers, sister, nephews and nieces.
ix. Penelope, b. ca. 1582, m. Sir Walter Aston; mentioned in brother Philip's will as "my loveing sister ye Lady Aston."
x. Francis, 7th son, b. ca. 1584; m. 1610 in Beccles, Margaret Sampson, daughter and coheir of George Sampson of Sampson's Hall, kersey, Suffolk; gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Prince Henry. Francis and Margaret had one son Hertford age 1 in 1612 Visitation.
xi. Huntington, 8th son, b. ca. 1586; knighted 28 Nov. 1616.
xii. Katherine, b. shortly after her father's will (1588) in which he refers to "the child whiche my wife is at the making." Unmarried when the 1612 Visitation was recorded.

The Anthony Colby living in Beccles, England, son of Thomas and Beatrice (Felton) Colby, as has been pointed out, was under 20 years of agein 1588 when his father made his will. His eldest brother thomas was the only one of the family not designated as under age. Consequently Thomas's birth year cannot be placed later than 1568 and was probably just one or two years before that date. The Visitation of Suffolk taken in 1561 (10) indicated the father as then married to Ursell, Lady Brend, his first wife. Therefore, thomas's second marriage , to Beatrice Felton, occurred subsequent to 1561. the 1612 Visitation of Suffolk lists the children of Thomas and Beatrice, listing Anthony as the fourth of their eight sons along with four daughters. Other listings of the brothers follow the same basic position of Anthony as fourth son. given this information, and knowing all of Thomas and Beatrice's children were born between 1561 and 1588, their son anthon's birth year can be Approximated as placed earlier than 1570 nor later than 1579. If this was the Anthony Colby who came to New England in 1630, he would then have been at least 50 years of age! That by itself would not be too astounding, but his next feat, marriage to a young, recent widow who had the attractive attribute of owning property and not under the necessity of making an undersiable marrige arrangement, certainly would have been. (11) Next, this Anthony would have sired at least eight children, the last arriving at at least 70 years of age. For this to be the case, the wife Susannah would have had at least twenty years his junior. While not bioloically impossible, thise accomplishments are not very probable. Their improbability is further accentuated by a knowledge of what the immigrant Anthony did after coming to New England.

In the old Norfolk County, Mass., records, (12) can be found an agreemant made 4 Nov 1658 between Willi: Osgood, Phillip Challis, William Barnes, Anthony Colby and Sam'll Worcester, copartner, present possessors of a saw mill situated in Salisbury. David w. Hoyt in his work, 'Old Families of Salisbury oand Amesbury,' (13) presents information concerning each of these men. According to Hoyt's records, William Osgood was born about 1609 and hence would have been about 49 years of age in 1658. William Barnes would have been born between 1605 and 1615, as his children are recorded as bourn from about 1640 to 1653; his age then in 1658 would have been between 43 and 53, say 48 as a copromise. Samuel Worcester was first married in 1659 when he ws about thirty, placing his birth about 1629. Compare these ages of 49, 41, 48 and 29, with the 78 years of the son of Thomas and Beatrice (Felton) Colby. The wording of the sawmill agreement is such as to make it seem that all were able-bodied men who would be personally laboring at the mill. For a man of 78 this would have been difficult, even if in excellent health. Association of a elderly man with men of millde years might be reasonable if he had superior financial capacity, butr his does not seem to have been present to the advantage of Anthony Colby. the total value of his estate when appriaded just three years later was only li 359, of which li 185 was in real estate and the remainder in various sundry personal goods. (14) of interest is the fact that the inventory contained several items belonging to the saw mill and its activities. the logical conclusion that must be reached is that the Anthony Colby associated with the saw mill in 1658 was not in his late seventies, and therefore could not have been the son of Thomas and Beatrice (Felton) Colby of Beccles, England.

The most enlightening information concerning his comes from the will of his brother Philip. (15) this will, amde and proved in 1643, mentions, among other, two of his sister, tow of his brothers and seven nephews and nieces, including:

Item I dow give into my brother Mr. Anthony colby in present moneys xx li and dow give & confirm unto him his anuity or porsion being ffive pounds by ye yeare during the terme of his naturall life, payable at hollowmas and candlemas.

Item I doe give unto hissonne Thomas Coby three score pounds to be payd unto him within one yeare next after my decease.

This document is important becuase (1 it mentions Philip's brother Anthony with no hint whatever that he was not residing in England, thirteen years after the American Anthony had arrived in New England, and (2 it show that Anthony had a son Thomas in 1643 also presumably living in England. It would have been very unusual for Philip not to make provision for sending Anthony's "ffive pounds by ye yeare during the term of his natural life" twice yearly, if this money was to have been transoported to the New World! Failure to make such a provision is further indication that two Anthony's are involved. The second item quoted shows that Anthony had a son thomas in 1643 who was to recive a substantial legacy within one year after his uncle Philip's death. An examination of the American Anthony's family, as presented earlier, indicates that his son Thomas was not born until 1650, with only sons John, Samuel and Isaac in 1643! Furthermore, none of the American Colbys would have been anywhere near their majority when the will was written. Had Philip's nephew Thomas then been a minor, provision would certainly have been made for supervision of his legacy monies until a specified age was attained. In fact, this is exactly what Phili did with two of his three grandchildren with legacies to become due and payable when the grandchildren reached the ages of 16 and 14, respectively. the logical to become due and payable when the grandchildren reached the ages of 16 and 14, respectively. The logical conclusion to be reached, again, is that Philip's brother Anthony was not the same person as the Amesbury Anthony.

While use of the given name Anthony in the Beccles Colby family does provide a valuable clue as to the immigrant's possible ancestry, the Beccles branch of the Colby family had no monopoly of this Christian name. Edward Colbye, Gentleman, of Banham, co. Norfolk, wreote his will 31 March 1580, proved 17 May 1580, (16) in which he named, among others his wife Elizabeth, daughter Alice and sons Thomas, Francis, Anthony and Edward. the Banham parish registers contain the baptismal records of Edward (28 Jan 1560) and Thomas (14 Sept 1561), (17) but not those of Alice, Francis and Anthony. There seems to have been a break in the Banham registers from about 1565 to about 1580, and their birts probably occurred during this time. this Anthony could logically be estimated as born about 1568, making him even older thant the Beccles Anthony. The Colby family of Banham, co. Norfork, and that of Beccles, co. Sufffolk, were branches of the same family, sharing common ancestry. It can be seen that the name Anthony was known in both branches at least one generation before the American Anthony came to New England.

Furthermore, two other contemporary Anthony Colbys can be located in England. In 1622, Elizabeth Colby, singlewoman of Matshell (Mattinshall?), co. Norfolk, made a nuncupative will in which she left the majority of her goods to "Anthony Colby my brother Also his wife" (18) but as Thomas and Beatrice did not have a daughter Elizabeth, this must be another Anthony, especially in light of the significant distance. The paish registers of St. Nicholas, Ipswich, Suffolk, (19 contain the baptismal record on 29 april 1597 of Richard, son of Anthony Colby. The burials of this church show in 1604-

29 Aug. John Colby\
Richard Colby fratres\
Ralph Davy
31 AugAnthony Colby pater

The only similarity between theimmigrant and the son of Thomas and Beatrice was the given name. However, other Anthony's located in England, without any additional documentation, have just as valid a clim to be the New England immigrant. Further research into source material in Suffolk and Norfolk may reveal the parentage of the immigrant to New England who now has a lagre posterity in America, including the author of this article. Nevertheless, until documentation is forthcoming, the parentage of Anthony Colby of Amesbury must be regarded as unknown*, and the previously accepted connection with the son of Thomas and Beatrice (Felton) Coby must be discarded.

Sources
(1) Mary Lovering Holman, Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbry and John Sargent Pillsbury (Concord, N. H. , 1938), pp. 137 f.; David W. Hoyt, Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Mass. (Providence, R.I., 1897), 1:103 f.
(2) Norfolk County Quarterly Court files 1:33.
(3) Ibid. p. 24
(4) Donald Lines Jacobus, the Waterman Family (New Haven 1939), 1:8
(5) Holman, op. Cit.; Belle Preston, Bassett=Preston Ancestors (New Haven 1930), pp 66 f.
(6) Holman, op. Cit. Hoyt, op. Cit.
(7) Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., Visitaitons of Suffolk (Exeter 1882), p 127
(8) Prerogative Court fo Canterbury, Wills 1588 9 Leicester.
(9) Metcalfe, op. Cit. pp. 17 f., 127; Brundish Parish Register; Prerogative Court of Cnaterbury: Wills 1588 9 Leicester (will of Thomas Colby), 1599 94 Kidd (will of Francis Colby); Episcopal Consistory Court of Norwich, Wills 1642, f. 77 (will of Philip Colby; Boyd's Marriage Index: Suffolk, vols. 1, 4, 7; Visitations of Norfolk in the year 1563 (Norwich 1878-1895, 1:97, 2: 493 f.
(10) Metcalfe, op. Cit.
(11) Jacobus, op. Cit.
(12) Essex Institute Hist. Coll. 60 (1924) pp. 149 f:
(13) Hoyt, op. Cit.
(14) Probate Records of Essex County, Mass. (1916), 1, 1635-1664, pp 407-410.
(15) Espiscopal Consistory Court of Norwich, wills 1642, f. 77.
(16) Ibid. 1580.
(17) Banham Parish Registers.
(18) Archdeaconry of Norfolk, Wills 1622, f. 53.
(19) St. Nicholas, Ipswich, Parish Registers.

* the ancestry of Anthony has been found in recent years and he is from Horbling, Lincolnshire, England as first suspected by the Winthrop Society.

Comment # 4
Hi All;
all I can do is pass on the information printed in "The Great Migration Begins".

Pg. 416 states:
Association: His association with John Bosworth, Garrett Hoddon and Joseph Redding implies that he may have been a servant of Simon Bradstreet. Tis strongly supports the suggestion of John B. Threlfall that hte Anthony Colby baptized at Horbling, Lincolnshire, was the immigrant (GMC50 123).

Comments: Earlier writers erroneously placed anthony Colby;s origin n Beccles, Suffolkshire, but in 1975 Glade Ian Nelson showed that the Beccles Anthony was still in England long after the immigrant was settled in the Massahusetts Bay (TAG 51:65-71). More recently John B. Threlfall made what appears to be the correct identificaton in Horbling, Lincolnshire GMC50 123). Anthony Colby, was not at that time and in that area as rare a name as one might think, so the simple appearence of a baptism at about the right time is in itself not sufficient evidence. But the occurrence of a baptism in Horbling, the home of Simon Bradstreet, who seems to be indirectly connected with Colby, makes this very likely the correct solution to the problem. The identity of Susannah _____ is one of the peerennial mysteries of the period. Several authors have suggested that Susannah's maiden name was Hadden, given that Colby and Garrett Haddon were neighbors andassociates. Others have suggested that she was the daughter of William Sargent, and others that she was a Nutting, all without support. Her identity is currently unknown. Among other defects to be found in the literature regarding Colby and his family, there is no obvious reason why Savage said there were four children earlier thatn Isaac and no support had been found for Sarah's birthdate given by Waterman.

Anthony Colbby was ordered to build four rods of fence around the common lands in Cambridge in a list dated 2 January 1632/3 (but probably form a year or two later) (CaTR 5)

At Salem Court on 3 Oct 1637 "Anthony Colebie" of Ipswich sued John Hall of Saugus (EQC 1:6).

William Osgood and the other part-time owners of the old mill at Sallisbury were brought to task for failing to pay the twon its sharre of lumber agreed upon in return for allowing the mill to be built on Salisbury land. Osgood had to sue the heirs of the other owners, including "Susan Whitrige, administratrix of Anthony Colbye," to recover boards for Salisbury, which he did at court September immigration into Essex County, such as that of John Pressy "aged about fourty-four years, testified that the first summer he came into thiscountry, in 1651....I do well remember the saw mill at Salisbury was on thing that was accounted a rare thing and I did go see it and I did see it going and sawing boards that very summer" (EQC 8: 250, 373-75)

EQC=Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686, 9 volumes (Salem 1911-1975) GMC50=John Brooks Threlfall, Fifty Great Migration Colonist to New England & their Origins (Madison, Wisconsin, 1990)

User home page of Doris Clara Fox:
Notes; Colby is a place name deriving frim the parish of Coleby, which lies seventeen miles northwest of Semperingham, and six miles south of Lincoln. there is also a prish of Colby in Norfolk, net to Beccles, and it too seems to have been the source of a quite unrelated Coloby clan. There are also villages called Colby in Westmoreland, in Yorkshire, and one in Denmark.
The mane is of Viking origin and means coal place. There are a number of plaxes in England containing Cole, such as Coleridge, Colelough, and Cole briook. The by-suffix is the Viking word meaning homestead or farm. Thus, Coleby was probably a framstead where charcoal was made in ancient times by Viking settlers.

Anthony Colby, father of John, was the founder of the Colby family in New England. He was born about 1605 at Horbling, Lincolnshire, England. Horbling is next to Sempringham where his Colby ancestors had lived for several generatiions. He apparently named for his uncle Anthony Jackson.

More About Anthony Colby:
Christening: September 08, 1605, Horbling, Lincolnshire, England

Notes for Susanna Haddon (unsubstantiated):
Marriage Notes: Blaisdell Family Association
by 1633 to Anthony Colby, Susanna(- - - ) Waterman, widow of ____Waterman of Boston (land "at first was granted to (blank) Waterman who deceased, Anthony Colbye married his widow & they two sold the said land unto James Pennyman; she married (3) by 1663 William Whitride (petitions as Susanna "Whittredge formerly Colbie" to sell real estate 28 Mar 1682; she died 1689

Note: The identiy of Susannah ____ is one of the pernnial mysteries of the period. Several authors have suggested that Susannah's maiden name was Haddon, given that Colby and Garrett Haddon were neighbors and associates. Others have suggested that she was the daughter of William Sargent, and others that she was a Nutting, all without support. Her identity is currently unknown.

Children of Anthony Colby and Susanna (unsubstantiated) are:
i. John Colby, born September 08, 1633 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; died February 11, 1672/73 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; married Frances Hoyt January 14, 1654/55 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts; born Abt. 1636 in Massachusetts.
More About John Colby:
Christening: September 08, 1633, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts

1261 ii. Sarah Colby, born March 06, 1634/35 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died March 18, 1662/63 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married Orlando Bagley March 06, 1653/54 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts.
iii. child Colby, born Abt. 1637 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died 1637 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts.
iv. Samuel Colby, born Abt. 1639 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died July 05, 1716 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts.
v. Isaac Colby, born July 06, 1640 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died July 13, 1723 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts.
vi. Rebecca Colby, born March 11, 1642/43 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died June 10, 1672 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
vii. Mary Colby, born September 19, 1647 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died 1720 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts; married William Sargent September 23, 1668 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts; born January 02, 1644/45 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died May 31, 1712 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts.
Notes for William Sargent:
birth conflict: Nov 21, 1645 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts
Marriage place conflict: Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts

viii. Thomas Colby, born March 08, 1649/50 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died March 30, 1691 in Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts; married Hannah Rowell.
ix. Amos Colby, born 1654.
x. Anne Colby, born 1654.