John Merrick Bemis, Jr.

Somewhat speculative once we go back beyond Mary Bemis Hagar.

The following is the will of John Bemis of Dedham, 23 April 1604, proved 28

June 1604:

"To Anne, now my dutiful and loving wife, fifty pounds. To Isaac my son one hundred pounds. To Luke and James (our possible line), my sons, one hundred and forty pounds each. To my daughter Susan fifty and six pounds. To my daughter Mary fifty pounds. To my two youngest sons, Joseph and Abraham, to either of them fifty pounds when they and either of them shall accomplish the full age of one and twenty years. To my daughter Grymwood ten pounds and to her four children now living, to every one of them twenty shillings apiece. To Richard Smeeth of Bretneham, Suffolk, twenty shillings. To the poor of the same parish forty shillings. To my brother Thomas Beamis five pounds and to every one of his children twenty shillings apiece. To Jane Richmond of Beccles twenty shillings. To Robert Murton of Woodbridge twenty shillings. To William Murton of Hadley ten shillings. To the poor of Dedham forty shillings. All the rest of my goods unbequeathed shall be distributed equally between my wife and my two daughters Susan and Mary. I make Robert Ferman of Dedham and Edward Andrewes of Hadley my executors. And I appoint Mr. Richard Gooddaye of Ketle and Henry Sandford of Dedham supervisors and for their pains to be taken herein I give them twenty shillings apiece"

Proved by the oath of Humfrey Baldwin, notary public, attorney for Edward Andrewes one of the executors named in the will. Harte, 66

The above Will is registered again and following it comes a Sententia pro Valore dated 3 December 1604, the parties in the case being Edward Andrewes, the executor, on the one part and Anne Beamis als Spray, relict of the deceased, Isaac Beamis, Luke Beamis, James Beamis, Susanna Beamis als Cowper, Mary Beamis als Fowler, Abraham Beamis, and Joseph Beamis, children of the deceased, on the other part.

John Bemis was born in Dedham, Essex county, England, as early as 1550. The will of John Bemis was proved June 28, 1604. His children were Isaac, Luke, Mary, James, Susan, Joseph, and Abraham. Joseph and his sister Mary came together to Watertown. (Note: This Mary would seem to have been born too early to be our line. So I am going with our Mary being the daughter of this James son of John.)

Info from HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS AND GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF WORCESTER COUNTY MASSACHUSETTS

WITH A HISTORY OF WORCESTER SOCIETY OF ANTIQUITY PREPARED UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF ELLERY BICKNELL iCRANE