Francis Godfrey, of Bridgewater

Francis Godfrey

Born in Bath, Somerset, England about 1600, Francis married 1621 Elizabeth (perhaps surnamed Hall). He had a grant of land in 1638 in Duxbury, Plymouth, MA where he signed his will 29 Oct 1666, dying in 1669. Francis was a carpenter and bridge builder. Francis served in a company commanded by Captain Myles Standish. It is believed that Francis is descended from the Duke of Boullon, a Crusader.

Francis Godfrey was a carpenter and bridge builder, and in August 1643, we find his name on the muster roll of the Duxbury Company commanded by Capt. Myles Standish: he removed to Bridgewater where he died in 1669; it is thought that the name Godfrey comes from the Duke of Bouillion, the Crusader.

- from "John Cary: The Plymouth Pilgim" by Seth Cooley

FRANCIS GODFREY

ORIGIN: Unknown

MIGRATION: 1638

FIRST RESIDENCE: Duxbury

REMOVES: Marshfield by 1650, Bridgewater by 1657

OCCUPATION: Carpenter [ PCR 12:163, 206].

FREEMAN: In 1657 Bridgewater list of those who took the oath of fidelity [PCR 8:185].

EDUCATION: Signed his deed of 1650 and his will by mark. Included in the Providence portion of his inventory were "1 Bible" valued at 8s. and "3 small books" valued at 1s. 6d.

OFFICES: In Duxbury section of 1643 Plymouth Colony list of men able to bear arms [PCR 8:189].

ESTATE: On 3 September 1638, "Francis Godfrey is granted twenty acres of lands lying on the norwest side of Greene's Harbour River, and a garden place at Stony River, near Edward Bumpasse, to be viewed & laid forth for him by Mr. Collier, Jonathan Brewster, & W[illia]m Basset (which land was, the 28th October, 1640, by them laid forth as aforesaid ...)" [PCR 1:95, 135].

  On the "last of February 1644" (probably 28 February 1644/5), "Roger Chaundler of Duxborrow" sold to "Francis Godfrey of the same" twenty-five acres "lying on the northern side of the freshet that runneth into Greene's Harbour" [PCR 12:109].

On 26 February 1648[/9?], "Constant Sowthworth of Duxbery and Thomas Sowthworth of Plymouth his brother" sold to "Francis Godfray of the town of Duxbery ... carpenter ... a certain parcel of upland ground containing an hundred acres or thereabouts be it more or less lying at the North River" [PCR 121:163]. On 10 December 1650, "Francis Godfry of Marshfield ... carpenter" sold to "Anthony Eames and Mark Eames the son of the said Anthony both of them of Hingham ... a certain parcel of land containing one hundred acres be it more or less together with one dwelling house upon it with all the appurtenances belonging thereunto lying upon the North River" [PCR 12:206].
In his will, dated 26 February 1666[/7] and proved 29 October 1669, "Francis Godfrey, aged inhabitant of the town of Bridgwater," made "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey my sole executrix, and Mr. James Browne of Rehoboth and Samuell Edson of Bridgwater my overseers," and bequeathed to "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey my whole complete purchase of lands, both already laid out and to be laid out, with all the immunities and privileges belonging thereunto, with my dwelling house and outhouses ..., my lands laid out lying and situate as followeth: forty acres of upland lying at a place ususally called Salsbury Plain running cross the way ususally called the Bay Path, and twenty-four acres of of upland lying upon the river usually called John's River ..., twenty acres of upland lying upon the Town's River ..., ten acres of upland more joining to my meadow land upon the Town's River, two acres of meadow land more or less lying in the meadow called Flaggy Meadow, two acres and an half more ... joining on the one side to Arthur Harris his meadow and on the other side to John Carye Senior, and one share more at the north end of the plain called Salsbury Plain"; to "my grandchild John Carye a complete purchase of lands both upland and meadows both already laid out or to be laid out, only I have exchanged six acres of upland with him lying to the lands at my house for six acres lying next to his land at John's River ... the six acres of land at my house belonging now to my house being given the my wife Elizabeth aforesaid"; to "my daughter Elizabeth Cary," two cows, two canvas sheets and "my great Bible"; to "my grandchild Elizabeth Cary," one heifer; to "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey, one broad and one narrow axe, one handsaw, one hatchet, one square, one drawing knife, one adze, one hammer, one pair of chisels, two augers, one mortising auger, one smaller auger, three plains, one jointer, one smoothing plain, one rabbeting plain, all the best I have"; to "my servant John Pitcher one broad axe"; to "my grandchild John Carye," livestock, clothing and "all my working tools not disposed of as abovesaid"; to "my son-in-law John Carye Senior all the rest of my wearing clothes"; residue to "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey"; to "my servant Richard Ginings if he live with my wife Elizabeth Godfrey and carry himself as he ought until he be twenty years of age, ten pounds" [ MD 17:155-56, citing PCPR 2:2:57-58].
The inventory of the "movable goods and cattle of Francis Godfrey lately deceased being an ancient inhabitant of Bridgwater," taken 30 July 1669, totalled £117 17s. 5d.; included in this total were the "particulars prized at Providence appertaining to the estate of Francis Godfrey," taken 27 July 1669 and totalling £54 4s. 6d. [PCPR 2:2:58].
BIRTH: By about 1599 (based on estimated date of marriage).

DEATH: After 29 October 1666 (date of will) and before 30 July 1669 (probate of will) (and probably closer to the latter date).

MARRIAGE: By about 1624 Elizabeth _____. She was named in her husband's will on 26 February 1666[/7].

CHILD:

  i   ELIZABETH, b. say 1624; m. [blank] June 1644 John Cary ("John Carew and Elizabeth [blank]" [PCR 2:79]) [Seth C. Cary, John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim (Boston 1911), pp. 19-24, 62-63].

COMMENTS: Even thought a third of his estate was located at Providence, Francis Godfrey has not been found in published Providence or Rhode Island records.The Great Migration Begins

Sketches

PRESERVED PURITAN

FREEMAN: In 1657 Bridgewater list of those who took the oath of fidelity.

EDUCATION: Signed his deed of 1650 and his will by mark. Included in the Providence portion of his inventory were "1 Bible" valued at 8s. and "3 small books" valued at 1s. 6d.

ESTATE: On 3 September 1638, "Francis Godfrey is granted twenty acres of lands lying on the norwest side of Greene's Harbour River, and a garden place at Stony River, near Edward Bumpasse, to be viewed & laid forth for him by Mr. Collier, Jonathan Brewster, & W[illia]m Basset (which land was, the 28th October, 1640, by them laid forth as aforesaid ...)"

On the "last of February 1644" (probably 28 February 1644/5), "Roger Chaundler of Duxborrow" sold to "Francis Godfrey of the same" twenty-five acres "lying on the northern side of the freshet that runneth into Greene's Harbour." On 26 February 1648[/9?], "Constant Sowthworth of Duxbery and Thomas Sowthworth of Plymouth his brother" sold to "Francis Godfray of the town of Duxbery ... carpenter ... a certain parcel of upland ground containing an hundred acres or thereabouts be it more or less lying at the North River." On 10 December 1650, "Francis Godfry of Marshfield ... carpenter" sold to "Anthony Eames and Mark Eames the son of the said Anthony both of them of Hingham ... a certain parcel of land containing one hundred acres be it more or less together with one dwelling house upon it with all the appurtenances belonging thereunto lying upon the North River."

BIRTH: By about 1599 (based on estimated date of marriage).

DEATH: After 29 October 1666 (date of will) and before 30 July 1669 (probate of will) (and probably closer to the latter date).

MARRIAGE: By about 1624 Elizabeth _____. She was named in her husband's will on 26 February 1666[/7].

CHILD: ELIZABETH, b. say 1624; m. [blank] June 1644 John Cary ("John Carew and Elizabeth [blank]" [Seth C. Cary, John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim (Boston 1911), pp. 19-24, 62-63].

Even thought a third of his estate was located at Providence, Francis Godfrey has not been found in published Providence or Rhode Island records.

Three immigrants by the name of Godfrey came to Massachusetts around 1638.. Francis Godfrey settled at Duxbury, where he had a grant of land in 1638; he removed to Marshfield by 1650 and finally to Bridgewater by 1657.

Francis appears on the muster roll in 8/1643 of the Duxbury Company commanded by Capt. Miles Standish. He removed to Bridgewater where he died in 1669. It is thought that the name Godfrey comes from the Duke of Bouillon, the Crusader [John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim, p. 61].

It also appears that in 1646, according to the records of Marshfield: "At the Town meeting it was agreed that Edward Winsloe (afterward Governor) should agree with F. Godfrey for making a bridge over South River and what he shall agree the town are ready to affirm."

In his will, dated 26 February 1666[/7] and proved 29 October 1669, "Francis Godfrey, aged inhabitant of the town of Bridgwater," made "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey my sole executrix, and Mr. James Browne of Rehoboth and Samuell Edson of Bridgwater my overseers," and bequeathed to "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey my whole complete purchase of lands, both already laid out and to be laid out, with all the immunities and privileges belonging thereunto, with my dwelling house and outhouses ..., my lands laid out lying and situate as followeth: forty acres of upland lying at a place ususally called Salsbury Plain running cross the way ususally called the Bay Path, and twenty-four acres of of upland lying upon the river usually called John's River ..., twenty acres of upland lying upon the Town's River ..., ten acres of upland more joining to my meadow land upon the Town's River, two acres of meadow land more or less lying in the meadow called Flaggy Meadow, two acres and an half more ... joining on the one side to Arthur Harris his meadow and on the other side to John Carye Senior, and one share more at the north end of the plain called Salsbury Plain"; to "my grandchild John Carye a complete purchase of lands both upland and meadows both already laid out or to be laid out, only I have exchanged six acres of upland with him lying to the lands at my house for six acres lying next to his land at John's River ... the six acres of land at my house belonging now to my house being given the my wife Elizabeth aforesaid"; to "my daughter Elizabeth Cary," two cows, two canvas sheets and "my great Bible"; to "my grandchild Elizabeth Cary," one heifer; to "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey, one broad and one narrow axe, one handsaw, one hatchet, one square, one drawing knife, one adze, one hammer, one pair of chisels, two augers, one mortising auger, one smaller auger, three plains, one jointer, one smoothing plain, one rabbeting plain, all the best I have"; to "my servant John Pitcher one broad axe"; to "my grandchild John Carye," livestock, clothing and "all my working tools not disposed of as abovesaid"; to "my son-in-law John Carye Senior all the rest of my wearing clothes"; residue to "my wife Elizabeth Godfrey"; to "my servant Richard Ginings if he live with my wife Elizabeth Godfrey and carry himself as he ought until he be twenty years of age, ten pounds."

The inventory of the "movable goods and cattle of Francis Godfrey lately deceased being an ancient inhabitant of Bridgwater," taken 30 July 1669, totalled £117 17s. 5d.; included in this total were the "particulars prized at Providence appertaining to the estate of Francis Godfrey," taken 27 July 1669 and totalling £54 4s. 6d.

It is believed that the Cape Cod family at Chatham and elsewhere is descended from Francis Godfrey.

[New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume III, p. 1224- ].

Francis Godfrey, of Marshfield, sold to Anthony Eames and his son, Mark Eames, one hundred acres of land and dwelling-house on North River, near Mr. Vassells, "for four-score pounds," December 10, 1650 [John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim, p. 20].