John Bush, of Cape Porpoise

Not a known child of Reynold Bush, of Feering & Isabella Bush (Hall)

John Bush

• Born about 1620 in England
• Died before 23 Aug 1670 before about age 50 in Cape Porpoise, York County, Massachusetts Bay Colony
• Husband of Grace (Saunders) Palmer — married before 12 Feb 1661 in Cape Porpoise, York, Massachusetts Bay Colony

  ---

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bush-302

Disputed Origins

No sources have been presented to suggest that Reynold Bush (1567-abt.1602) and Isabella (Hall) Bush (1571-aft.1612) are the parents of John Bush.

This profile originally stated that from his death in 1670 through the next 50 years is "original properties found new ownership" citing a collection of early Maine Wills and Deeds.[1] However, no such deeds or claims are found and the wills of John Bush and Grace Saunders Bush Palmer have not been found so why this statement was made is unclear. This collection does include wills of John Saunders and Peter Turbutt (who also married a daughter of John Saunders).

A birth or christening date of 20 Jan 1593 at Messing, Essex, England was originally asserted without source. A search for Bush christening records from 1580-1600 at that location has so far come up empty. There is nothing to associate this early immigrant to Maine with a particular family, birth date or location in England.

Biography

Birth

The origins of John Bush of Maine are unknown. His birth year of "about 1620" is shown because is first documented marriage to Grace Saunders was asserted as "by 1653" (although this date is far from certain) and it was apparently not his first marriage. He referred to his wife Grace Saunders as his "now wife" in a land deed, a phrase which usually means a second or subsequent wife.

Immigration

Nothing is known about his immigration except that he was in Cape Porpoise, York, Maine by 1647 (see Colonial Life). A few unsourced books such as "The History of Wells and Kennebunk..." by Edward Bourne make assertions such as a 1635 immigration but with no proof.[2]

Marriage

According to Anderson (Great Migration) citing MPCR 218 and 424[3] and Barbara Brett Sanders (Maine Genealogist Vol 29) [4] John Bush and Grace Saunders were married by about 1652. However, the Maine Province Court Records cited by Anderson only address her second marriage to Richard Palmer, not her first to John Bush. Ms. Sanders made an even more curious mistake; the land deed she cites in which John Bush describes John Saunders (Grace's father) as "my father in law" is NOT dated 1652, it is dated 12 Feb 1660/61.[5] The double year was not stated but the deed was attested by a participant in April 1661 and transcribed in May 1661 so 1660/61 seems more likely than 1659/60.

Thus these two authors have no proof of a "by 1652/3" marriage and it may be based simply on her estimated birth year plus 20.

Torrey (New England Marriages to 1700) sticks with what can be proven and says the date is "by 1660" noting again that the land deed states 1660 but as discussed above is more likely to be 1661.

Torrey said this:

BUSH, John (-1670) & Grace [SANDERS], m/2 Richard PALMER 1670, 1671; by 1660; Cape Porpus?, ME[6]

No Children

John Bush and his wife, Grace had no known children.[7] All sources found about him so far show no record of children. He apparently died intestate so there is no will to review and a will of Grace (Saunders) Bush Palmer has not been found so no children should be attached to him without primary sources.

Colonial Life

The first documented appearance of John Bush in New England is on 20 Sep 1647 when he bought 400 acres of land from George Cleave, agent for Col. Rigby, Esquire.[5] (Part 1, Folio 37 of the source). He did not appear in Volume 1 of "Province and Court Records of Maine" and his only appearance in Volume 2 was when his widow Grace presented his inventory on 23 Aug 1670, the same day her mother Anne presented the inventory of her own deceased husband, John Saunders.

John took the oath of allegiance to Massachusetts Bay Colony on July 5, 1653.[7]

Grace was described as "my wife that is now, viz. Grace" in a 18 Dec 1663 land deed[5] (Part 1, Folio 145,146 of the source).

He was a constable in 1654 and in 1662 public worship was sometimes held at his house before a meeting house was built.[7].[8]

Death & Estate

John Bush passed away before 23 Aug 1670 when his widow Grace presented his inventory in court.[9] Given that an inventory was usually presented within a few weeks or a month of death, he likely died in July or August. No will or additional probate has been found.

His widow went onto marry Richard Palmer some time between 1671 and 1674, details are on their profiles.[7]

Disputed Children

The following list of children were attached; all were completely unsourced gedcom imports and most are clearly impossible due to Grace's estimated birth year of 1633. There is also no proof that they were children of John Bush, her husband. They have been severed.

1. George Bush (this profile is an unsourced gedcom import supposedly born about 1642, clearly not her child
2. John Bush (this profile is an unsourced gedcom import supposedly born about 1655)
3. James Bush (this profile is an unsourced gedcom import supposedly born about 1646, clearly not her child)
4. John Bush (this profile is an unsourced gedcom import supposedly born about 1646, clearly not her child)
5. Samuel Bush (this profile is an unsourced gedcom import supposedly born about 1637, clearly not her child)
6. Deborah Bush born about 1636, married John MacCoone in 1656 at Cambridge, Mass. Clearly not Grace's daughter as Grace would have been about 3 and no reason to conflate her with a John Bush of Cape Porpoise, Maine with no recorded children

.

Sources

1. Maine: Early Wills and Deeds, 1640-1760. CD-ROM. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) $subscription
2. The history of Wells and Kennebunk from the earliest settlement to the year 1820, at which time Kennebunk was set off, and incorporated by Bourne, Edward Emerson, 1797-1873; Bourne, Edward Emerson, 1831- Publication date 1875 p. 81
3. Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. Reference page 169, "John Saunders" via American Ancestors $Subscription
4. Sanders, Barbara Brett. John (1) Sanders of Ipswich Massachusetts; Hampton and Exeter, New Hampshire; Wells and Cape Porpoise, Maine: Part 2 in: The Maine Genealogist, Volume 29, The Maine Genealogical Society, Farminton, Maine, 2007, p. 89 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014.) AmericanAncestors.org (by subscription)
5. York Deeds, Volume 1 William Mitchell Sargent; Brown Thurston & Company, 1888Part 1 Folio 108
6. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol 1. p. 269
7. Charles Henry Pope. The pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623 to 1660; a descriptive list, drawn from records of the colonies, towns, churches, courts and other contemporary sources 1908, Boston, Mass. : C.H. Pope, page 30
8. Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1862) Reference volume 1, page 317
9. Province and Court Records of Maine, Vol. 2 York County court records, 1653-1679 by Maine Historical Society (Portland, Maine)Vol 2. p. 476
10. A [1] blog about searching for Bush records in Messing, Essex
11. Libby, Charles Thornton. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire (Southward Press, Portland, Maine, 1928) Vol 2, Page 123 p. 123 which gives details of his life in Maine but makes no claims about his origins.
12. Sons of the Utah Pioneers (ancestry.com subscription required): Biography Files (A-G): Name: John Bush; Birth Date: 20 Jan 1593; Birth Place: Messing, Essex, England; Death Date: 1670; Marriage Information: Grace Sanders. Note that this is an unsourced hagiography-style publication and should absolutely not be relied upon without actual sources.

• Updated from WikiTree Genealogy via son Samuel Bush by SmartCopy: Apr 5 2015, 7:00:36 UTC
• John Bush (1590 - 11/1/1663) b. in London, England to Reynold Bush and Isabella Hall. D. in Cambridge, MA
• Grace Saunders (1613 - 1662) b. in England to John Sanders and Ann. d. Cambridge, MA