Anna Endicott

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Gouer-1

Ann Gower or Gouer married John Endicott (Surgeon of Longdon) [1] [2] She had a daughter named Anne who was christened at St. Olave on Hart Street in London on October 13, 1689.[3] Anne Gower most likely died during childbirth or shortly thereafter.

Family Lore

The family tradition that the first wife of Governor John Endecott was Anne Gower is probably incorrect. Someone as early as 1847 or before had made a mistake and concluded that John who was the grandson was John the grandfather and that family lore continued for many years. Several published works perpetuated this family lore. We can also say that the name Anne Gower never does appear in the list of passengers for the Abigail but says “wife” of the Governor. Furthermore, in the work of the Mary and John Clearinghouse in their work on the passengers of the Abigail states, “Mrs. Anne Endicott, wife". Finally, however, we can say that Anne Gower Endecott did make it to New England through her only daughter and lives on today through the descendant families of her surviving children.[4]

Disambiguation

From Michelle Hartley at https://www.geni.com/discussions/246779?msg=1549542

It's been proven that Ann Gower did not marry Gov. Endecott. NEGHS has published this recently. Ann Gower married Gov. Endecott's grandson named John Endecott who died in London. The marriage certificate proves this. Ann Gower didn't die in the winter of 1629.

Old notes

First wife of Gov. John Endecott. [NO]

Anne Gower* married ca1628 England John Endecott, she being a cousin of Governor Matthew Cradock.

Set forth 20 Jun 1628 from Weymouth aboard the ship "Abigail", arrived Naumkeag [later Salem] 5 Sept 1628

Estate of John Endecott (Endicott) of Salem and Boston Essex Probate Docket # 9053 - The last will & Testament of John Endecott Senior late of Salem now of Boston made the second day of the third moneth called May 1659

• Also found as "Gouer"

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In the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume I, 1847, there's a statement which identifies the wife “the Governor had married Anne Gower before leaving England and that she died in 1629.” These statements are also shown in the work of Sir Roper Lethbridge, The Devonshire Ancestry and Early Homes of the Family of John Endecott, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, 1629. These accounts provide insufficient evidence of the presence of Anne Gower on the voyage and her marriage to the Governor.

The marriage bond for John Endecott and Anne Gower at St. Katherine by the Tower in London, but the date of the marriage was August 28, 1688 [5] 60 years after the sailing of the Abigail in 1628. Close examination of the original record at the London Archives confirmed the marriage year as 1688.

Furthermore, the signature of John Endecott of London on his marriage allegation does not match the well known signature of John Endecott, Governor in the Massachusetts Bay.

Sources

1. John Endecott and Ann Gover Marriage, August 20, 1688. London and Surrey, England Marriage Bonds and Allegations 1597-1921. London Metropolitan Archives.
2. Name John ENDECOTT, Marriage 1688, Location London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom, Original Text Saint Katherine By The Tower,London,London,England, Spouse Anne Gover Spouse's Age 20, Film No. 942 B4HA V. 75, 942 B4HA V. 76, 942 B4HA V. 77, 942 B4HA V. 78-79, Date of Marriage 28 Aug 1688, Page:35567587, England: Marriages, 1538-1973. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Original index: England Marriages, 1538-1973. FamilySearch, 2014.) AmericanAncestors.org
3. Church of England. Anne Endecott christening, 13 Oct 1689 at St. Olave Church Parish Records, Hart Street, London
4. Teddy Hollis Sanford, Jr. Family Legends and the Search for Anne Gower (Gouer), THE ESSEX GENEALOGIST, Volume34, No 2
5. John Endecott and Ann Gover Marriage, August 20, 1688. London and Surrey, England Marriage Bonds and Allegations 1597-1921. London Metropolitan Archives.
6. Endicott, Charles Moses, Esq. of Salem. The Endicott Family. (Frankfort, Penna: Martin and Allardyce, 1911). 1.
7. Endicott, Charles M. Esq., of Salem. The Endicott Family, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1847) Vol. 1, Page 335