Rev. William Skepper, of Lynn

1. William Skepper (Rev) was christened 27 Nov 1597 in Boston, Lincoln, England, died between 1640 and 1650 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, intestate. He was the son of 2. Edward Skepper , Gent, and 3. Mary Robinson.

The name is rather consistently spelled "Skipper" in New England although in England the spelling was "Skepper."

Skepper is one of several hundred 17th century English immigrant families who have proven royalty in their ancestry. His ancestors included most of the royalty of England and elsewhere in the Middle Ages as well as many historic persons of the time. And in 1739 his descendant Josiah Dodge (d. 1805) married Susannah Knowlton, a descendant of Mayflower Passenger Richard More.

President Calvin Coolidge, Sen. John Kerry and Alice Hathaway Lee, first wife of Teddy Roosevelt, are descendants.

family

Married

1. a woman whose name we do not know. She died before 1638/1639.
2. Sarah Fisher 17 Jan 1638/1639 in Boston, Lincoln, England. She was born 11 May 1617 Boston, Lincolnshire and probably came to New England with husband, Wm. Skepper. She died in Essex County, Massachusetts and may have predeceased her husband or remarried after his death. Her father was Richard Fisher, born 1573, and mother was Ann White, born 1576. Both were born in Boston, Lincolnshire.

The name is rather consistently spelled "Skipper" in New England although in England the spelling was "Skepper."

Children of William Skepper (d between 1640/1640) and his 1st wife (d before 1638), her name unknown:

1. Elizabeth Skipper b: ABT 1626. Married Zachariah Phillips.
2. John Skepper c: 25 Oct 1631 in Thorp-in-the-Marsh, Lincoln, England. Died young.
3. Mary Skepper c: 19 Jul 1629 in Thorp-in-the-Marsh, Lincoln, England. Died young.
4. Theophilus Skepper c: 25 Oct 1631 in Thorp-in-the-Marsh, Lincoln, England. Died young.
5. Theophilus Skipper c: 9 Jan 1632/1633 in Thorp-in-the-Marsh, Lincoln, England. Living in 1646, no further record. He may have died or possibly returned to England.
6. Jane Skipper c: 9 Jan 1634/1635 in Thorp-in-the-Marsh, Lincoln, England. Married Abraham Brown(e).
7. Katherine Skipper b: ABT 1638. Married 1) John Maverick 2) John Johnson.

Children of William Skepper (d between 1640/1640) and his 2nd wife, Sarah Fisher (b 1617, d unknown)

1. Sarah Skipper b: ABT 1640. Married Walter Fairfield

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supporting data

From Richardson, Douglas (2011) Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 2nd Ed., Vol. III, p. 217 Line18.

[Rev.] WILLIAM SKEPPER (or SKIPPER), younger son by his father's 2nd marriage, baptized at Boston, Lincolnshire 27 Nov. 1597. He obtained a B.A. degree at Sidney College, Cambridge University, 1617-8. He served a Rector of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh, Lincolnshire, 1630-8. He married (1st) _____. They had three sons, John, Theophilus (1st of name), and Theophilus (2nd of name), and four daughters, Elizabeth (wife of Zachariah Phillips), Mary, Jane (wife of Abraham Brown), Katherine (wife of John Maverick and John Johnson). He married (2nd) at Boston, Lincolnshire 17 Jan. 1638/9 SARAH FISHER. They had one daughter, Sarah (wife of Walter Fairfield). He and his family immigrated to New England in 1639, where he died intestate sometime before 1646.

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"It is quite possible that Rev. William Skepper went to Lynn where he may have assisted Rev. Thomas Cobbett in his pastoral duties. It is possible that Sarah his wife predeceased him and that her daughter was cared for by friends or kin in Lynn or Reading which was established from Lynn in 1644. From the records found it is evident that William Skepper settled on his four elder children £50 each. Or it may be that Sarah (Fisher) Skepper married after her husband's death and that Sarah Skepper, her daughter, remained with her mother and step-father until she married at the age of fifteen years."

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FROM ALTON ROGERS:

Milestones in the life of Rev. William Skepper from TAG # 78 (The Skepper Family):

• - 8 July 1612 - admitted as a pensioner at Sidney College, Cambridge.
• - 1614 - matriculated at Sidney College.
• - 1617-18 - B.A. from Sidney College.
• - 1628 - signed Transcripts of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh parish, Lincoln.
• - 1629 - signed Transcripts of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh as William Skepper, "curate".
• - 1630 - signed Transcripts of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh as William Skepper "rector" - Thorpe by Wainfleete (Thorpe-in-the-Marsh), Lincolnshire.
• Ten years after his graduation, William was a curate in Thorpe-in-the-Marsh, otherwise known as Thorpe by Wainfleet, evidently a contiguous parish to Wainfleet All Saints where his elder sister Mary had married the rector in 1622; possibly he went there as curate soon after his ordination. His mother had the presentation of the Vicarage of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh and later installed him as vicar.
• "Presentation, dated 12 April 1630, by Mary Skepper of East Kirkbye, widow (by reason of a grant of the advowson for a term of years made to her by Samuel Smyth, gentleman) of William Skepper, B.A., to the vicarage of Thorpe in Marisco (sic), vacant by the death of Gilbert Dighton.
• Instituted at Westminster, 24 April 1630, by John, bishop of Lincoln, in the presence of Edward Lake, LL.B., notary."
• - 1631, 1632 and 1633 - signed the Transcripts of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh as WilliamSkepper, "minister".
• - 1634 - signed the Transcripts of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh as William Skepper, "rector".
• The village in modem times is known as Wainfleet-All-Saints. http://www.wainfleet.info/
• - before Dec. 1638 - he had left Thorpe-in-the-Marsh and went to Boston, Lincoln. His second marriage is found in Boston.
• - sometime in 1639 - he arrived in New England. Records show that four children came with him and were his son Theophilus and daughters Katherine, Jane and Elizabeth.

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William SKEPPER or SKIPPER in the Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900

• Name: William SKEPPER or SKIPPER
• College: SIDNEY
• Entered: 1614
• More Information: Adm. pens. at SIDNEY, July 8, 1612. Probably s. of Edward, of East Kirkby, Lincs., gent. Matric. 1614; B.A. 1617-8. R. of Thorpe-by-Wain-fleet, Lincs., 1630. (Lincs. Pedigrees, 884.)

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From Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 8 2017, 22:51:19 UTC

Christened on November 27, 1597 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. He died intestate between 1640 and 1646.

William's parents were Edward and Mary Robinson Skepper with a well documented line of Royal ancestry including King Edward III.

William is mention by Douglas Richardson in his book, "Plantagenet Ancestry". Richardson believes that William and his family came to America in 1639 shortly after his marriage to Sarah Fisher.

From "The Pioneers Of Massachusetts, A Descriptive List, Drawn From Records Of The Colonies, Towns And Churches And Other Contemporaneous Documents". 2017. Archive.Org. Accessed April 8 2017. https://archive.org/stream/pioneersofmassac00pope#page/417/mode/1up

SKIPPER, SKEPPAR, Mr. William, [Lynn,] had writings made 14 (3) 1640 for his 4 children. [L.] He d. and admin, was gr. to Mr. Cotton and Mr. Cobbett by Gen. Court 16 Oct. 1650, at request of Zaehary Phillips and his wife who was a daughter. Perhaps Theophilus, an apprentice to Benjamin Keayne, Jr., of Lynn, whose rights were guarded by Gen. Court 4 Nov. 1646, and Jane, spinster, Boston, a creditor of Valentine Hill. 18 (11) 1651, were also children of William.

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Do not see Thorp in the Marsh listed here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_in_Lincolnshire#T

Richardson, Douglas (2004) Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, p. 657

REV. WILLIAM SKEPPER (or SKIPPER), baptized at Boston, Lincolnshire 27 Nov. 1597, B.A. degree, 1617-8 at Sidney College, Cambridge University, Rector of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh, Lincolnshire, 1630-1638. He married (1st) _____. They had three sons, John, Theophilus, Theophilus (2nd of name), and four daughters, Elizabeth (wife of Zachariah Phillips), Mary, Jane (wife of Abraham Brown), Katherine (wife of John Maverick and John Johnson). He married (2nd) at Boston, Lincolnshire 17 Jan. 1638/9 SARAH FISHER. They had one daughter, Sarah (wife of Walter Fairfield). He and his family immigrated to New England in 1639, where he died intestate sometime before 1646.

Richardson, Douglas (2011) Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 2nd Ed., Vol. III, p. 217

18. [Rev.] WILLIAM SKEPPER (or SKIPPER), younger son by his father's 2nd marriage, baptized at Boston, Lincolnshire 27 Nov. 1597. He obtained a B.A. degree at Sidney College, Cambridge University, 1617-8. He served a Rector of Thorpe-in-the-Marsh, Lincolnshire, 1630-8. He married (1st) _____. They had three sons, John, Theophilus (1st of name), and Theophilus (2nd of name), and four daughters, Elizabeth (wife of Zachariah Phillips), Mary, Jane (wife of Abraham Brown), Katherine (wife of John Maverick and John Johnson). He married (2nd) at Boston, Lincolnshire 17 Jan. 1638/9 SARAH FISHER. They had one daughter, Sarah (wife of Walter Fairfield). He and his family immigrated to New England in 1639, where he died intestate sometime before 1646.

• Chase (1861) Hist. of Haverhill, Massachusetts, pp. 634-635
• Titcomb (1882) Earl New England People p. 252
• Lincolnshire Peds. (Harleian Society Publications 52) (1904) 3:882-884 (Skepper ped.)
• TAG 20:81-85

Reverend William Skepper, son of Edward, Esq. (Richard, Richard) and Mary (Robinson) Skepper, baptised in Boston, England, 27 Nov. 1597, died in New England, about 1640-1650. He married first

William Skepper was called her "godson" ny Mistress Frances Cheney in her will in 1604.

William Skepper was admitted a pensioner at Sidney College, Cambridge, 8 July 1612, "probably" son of Edward Skepper of East Kirkby, gentleman. He matriculated 1614, B.A., 1617-18. Rector of Thorpe by Wainfleete (Thorpe-in-the-Marsh) 1630. (Alumni Cantabrigiensis.)

Ten years after his graduation, William was a curate in Thorpe-in-the-Marsh otherwise known as Thorpe by Wainfleet, evidently a contiguous parish to Wainfleet All Saints where his elder sister Mary had married the rector in 1622; possibly he went there as curate soon after his ordination. His mother had the presentation of the Vicarage of Thorpe in the Marsh and later installed him as vicar.

"Presentation, dated 12 April, 1630, by Mary Skepper of East Kirkbye, widow, (by reason of a grant of the advowson for a term of years made to her by Samuel Smyth, gentleman) of William Skepper, B.A., to the vicarage of Thorpe in Marisco, vacant by the death of Gilbert Dighton.

Instituted at Westminster, 24 April, 1630, by John, bishop of Lincoln, in the presence of Edward Lake, LL.B., notary." (Presentation Deed, no. 29: Bishops' Certificates.)

Two other entries regarding this parish are of interest.

"John Watts compounded for the first fruits on 9 Feb. 1638-39." (Compositions for First Fruits, Public Record Office.)

:John Watts, clerk, instituted to the vicarage of Thorpe by Waynfleet, 13 Dec. 1638. Patron: - Francis Coningsby, esquire." (Bishops' Certificates, Canterbury.)

It is seen from this that before Dec. 1638, Rev. William Skipper had left Thorpe-in-the-Marsh. Whether his mother had died or whether the term of years in which she owned the right of presentation there had expired and so the living was granted to some one else or whether he chose to resign his post, he left there and went to Boston, Lincoln. His second marriage is found in Boston. There is no doubt that this was the second marriage of Reverend William Skepper, for an exhausttive search for the records of this small Lincolnshire family shows no other William living at the time and of age to marry her. It is possible that he intended to emigrate to New England and that was the reason for leaving Thorpe, there being at the time a strong tide of emigration from in and near Boston. It is not known just when he arrived in New England, but apparently sometime in 1639. He did not live long but before he died arranged for certain monies for his four older children. Possibly they had been left a legacy by some one of their mother's people. An item in Lechford's Note Book tells of this but unfortunately his record on this point is very scanty.

"Foure writings for foure children of Mr William Skipper, 3.14.1640." (Lechford's Note Book, 244.) Other records show these children to have been, Theophilus, his son, and Katherine, Jane, and Elizabeth. It is probable that Lechford would not have said four children if there had not been more. It is not known just when the Rev. William Skepper died, but it was before 1650. He left no will and no administration was taken of his estate, until in 1650 one of his sons-in-law petitioned that the estate be divided.

1650. "In answer to the petition of Zachary Phillips for his portion in the right of his wife (being the daughter of William Skipper, deceased) in her father's estate who dyed intestate, this Court doth order that power of administrat he graunted to Mr Cotten & Mr Cobbet for the disposing of the Estate aboue mentioned." (Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, 3:218.)

It is quite possible that Rev. William Skepper went to Lynn where he may have assisted Rev. Thomas Cobbett in his pastoral duties. It is possible that Sarah his wife predeceased him and that her daughter was cared for by friends or kin in Lynn or Reading which was established from Lynn in 1644. From the records found it is evident that William Skepper settled on his four elder children £50 each. Or it may be that Sarah (Fisher) Skepper married after her husband's death and that Sarah Skepper, her daughter, remained with her mother and step-father until she married at the age of fifteen years.

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