Robert Mansfield, of Lynn

Robert Mansfield

Birth

   Nov 1590

   Blofield, Broadland District, Norfolk, England

Death

   16 Dec 1666 (aged 76)

   Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA

Burial

   Western Burial Ground

   Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA 

Memorial ID

   116548927 · Vi

The parents of Robert are not known at this time. New information says he was born in Blofield, Norwich, England, and baptised in St. Andrew and St. Peter's Church there on November 8, 1590. Robert married in England, about 1620, Elizabeth, possibly Elizabeth Townsend, the daughter of Henry Townsend and Margaret Forthe. Because the marriage record of Robert and Elizabeth has never been found, her maiden name is not known for certain, but it is thought to have been Townsend. The Townsend family came to Lynn in the same period as the Mansfields. Thomas Townsend (1595-1677) owned land next to the Mansfields, and it is known that he had a sister named Elizabeth. All of Robert & Elizabeth's children were born in England. Around 1640, Robert, his wife Elizabeth and their children Joseph & Elizabeth emigrated to New England and settled in Lynn, Mass. Their sons Andrew & John had preceeded them, as shown in recorded depositions made by Andrew. On November 30, 1662, before the Court at Ipswich, in the case of Brown v. Laughton, he stated that about 43 years before, in 1639, he and John had bought property in Lynn from Mr. Manton. The next summer, 1640, their father Robert came to Lynn and they transferred the property to him. Robert was known as a yeoman, or farmer, and he served as constable in Lynn.

Robert wrote his will on August 3, 1664 and died in Lynn on December 16, 1666. He mentions wife Elizabeth and sons Andrew, Joseph & John. The will was proved on April 30, 1667. The Old Western Burying Ground was the only cemetery in use by the whole town from its founding in 1635 until about 1720. No other place of burial, public or private, is know to have been used until the church in Lynnfield was established in 1720. His marker would be unreadable by now.
Family Members
Spouse

   Elizabeth Townsend Mansfield

1596–1673
Children

   Richard Mansfield

1611–1655

   Andrew Mansfield

1623–1683

   Joseph Mansfield

1627–1694
Flowers • 21

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Robert, his wife Elizabeth, and two children emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1640.

From The Mansfield Genealogy: Descendants of Robert and Elizabeth Mansfield who came to Lynn, 1639-1640, compiled by Geneva A. Daland and James S. Mansfield, 1980, quoted by cousin Nancy B. Edmands Allen.

"Where the Robert Mansfield family came from in England is not clear. According to some sources, they came from Exeter, Devonshire; according to others, they came from Norfolk County.

"Robert, with his wife Elizabeth, their sons Joseph and daughter Elizabeth came from England to Lynn, Massachusetts, about 1640. Their sons Andrew and John preceded them in Lynn....

"On 9 July 1644 Robert was sued by one John Poole, "for taking away his arms." On 5 July 1646 Robert was freed from paying a fine for not training, because of age.

"Robert was sworn constable of Lynn on 31 August 1647. On 20 May 1650 he bought 4 acres of salt marsh in Lynn from Samuel Bennett.

"By a deed dated 10 June 1650, Robert, with the consent of his wife, Elizabeth, "in consideration of their son Andrew living with them until the time of his marriage as a faithful and obedient child," gave him, as a child's portion, a house and house-lot and about 6 acres.

"On 16 June 1652 Robert gave to his son Joseph the homestead on condition that he should provide for his father and mother during their lives. Robert and Elizabeth doubtless lived and died on these premises, which remained in the possession of their descendants for many generations. The old house, which stood until about the 1890s, was said to have been built in 1666.

"On 20 Jan 1659 Robert and his son John bought of John Dekin a house, barn, orchard, and a half acre of land, which they sold to Benjamin Briscoe of Boston on 6 March 1660.

"Robert's will was dated 3 August 1664, and was proved in Ipswich Court, 26 March 1667. The inventory of his estate was attested in the same court, 30 April 1667, by his son John:

"'The last will & testament of Robert Mansfield of Lynn in the County of Essex being weake in body but of pfect memory; The third day of August Anno: Dom 1664 Imprimis I bequeath my Body to the dust my spirit to God that gave it

'2dly I bequeath to my sonn Joseph Mansfield my whole Acomadation in buildings lands & meddow, except 3 acres that I bought of John Deken wch lyeth in the neck by Jo. Ramsdell

'3dly I bequeath to my son John Mansfield att my death two cowes or two heifers to be payd by my sonn Joseph and foure pounds

'4ly I bequeath to my sonn Andrew Mansfield at mine and my wifes death, the bed I vsually lye upon with all the apptenaances and four pounds, to be payd him out of the three acres of land in the neck I bought of John Deken as abovesayd

'And whereas I give my sonn John and my sonn Andrew foure pounds a peace, to be payd them out of the three acres of land yt I bought of John Deken, as aforesayd my sonn Joseph, having soe payd them; then this three acres of land to remaine his for ever wch is to be after mine & my wifes decease

'5ly I will that my sonn Joseph pay vnto Mr. Laughton 23 shillings I owe vnto him out of the land I bought of John Dekin

'6ly I will that he paye 20s. out of that land yt I bought of John Dekin

'7ly I will that my wife Elizabeth shall have halfe the estate that we live in dureing the time of her life

'also I will yt my wife Elizabeth, have the command of the rest of my goods to her disposing after my death

'Also I will that I make my sonn John Mansfield my lawful executor & Henry Rhodes & Nathaniel Hanford my overseers.'

"INVENTORY: 'weareing clothes, 5 li.: six paire of sheetes, 6 li. 5s; one fetherbed, two greene ruggs one of them shaged, one blanket, one boulster, one bedsted, 3 pillows, 4 pillow beares & curtains & vallens, 13 li. 5s; more in Lyning, 13s; Iron & Brasse, 2 li.; pewter, 1 li. 2s; one close bedstead, one flockbed, one flock boulster and one rugg. 13 li. 15s; moneys, 14s; in corne, 4 li. 9s, 5 li. 3s; Three chests, one joyned table, six joyned stooles, 2 sheeles with sum lumber, 2 li. 13s; two bibles, one sword & bardleors, 1 li. 10s; mor Iron works, 12 s; hay & flax, 2 li. 10s; cattle, 15 li.; housing & orchard, 15 li.; eight acres & an halfe of upland within fence, 42 li. 10s; three acres and a halfe of upland without fence, 3 li. 10s; Ten acres & a quarter of salt marsh within fence, 5 li. 5s; one acre & quarter & half quarter of fresh meddow, 2 li.; a saw, 4s; total 173 li. 17s; Debts due from the estate about 43 li.'"

1. Robert Mansfield1

was born about 1594 in England2

and died 16 Dec 1666 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts3 about age 72.

General Notes: According to the Mansfield Genealogy, Robert and Elizabeth Mansfield and their children were all born in England. Robert, Elizabeth, and two of their children, Joseph and Elizabeth, came over to Massachusetts about 1640. John and Andrew had come over three to four years before that. The family eventually settled in Lynn.

Will: 3 Aug 1664, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts.4 Executor was sonn John Mansfeild

Robert married Elizabeth1 in England.2 Elizabeth was born about 22 Jun 1596 in England2 and died 8 Sep 1673 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts5 about age 77.

Noted events in her life were:

• Will: Essex County, Massachusetts, 30 Apr 1667.6,7
• Probate: Essex County, Massachusetts, 26 Nov 1673.7,8

Children from this marriage were:

• + 2 M i. Andrew Mansfield was born about 1620 in England9 and died in Nov 1683 in Massachusetts10 about age 63. Andrew married Bethiah (d. 2 Jul 1672). Andrew next married Mary Lawes11 (d. 27 Jun 1681) 4 Jun 1673 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts.12. Andrew next married Elizabeth Walton13 10 Jan 1681 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts.14
• 3 F ii. Elizabeth Mansfield was born in England.1. Married a Thomson.
• 4 M iii. John Mansfield was born about 1622 in England1 and died 16 Oct 1671 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts15 about age 49. General Notes: John Mansfield is said to have married Mary Morris.
• 5 M iv. Joseph Mansfield2 was born about 1628 in England2 and died 22 Apr 1694 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts16,17 about age 66. General Notes: Joseph Mansfield was possibly married to Elizabeth Needham about 1652. No record of their marriage has been found in Lynn.

Comments

https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/w/a/l/Patrick--L-Walton/WEBSITE-0001/...

From ancestry.com's Ancestry World Tree comes a larger list of children of Robert Mansfield & Elizabeth:

• - Elizabeth Mansfield
• - Andrew Mansfield
• - John Mansfield
• - Joseph Mansfield

The last 4 on the list are NOT included in "Mansfield Genealogy":

• - Robert Mansfield
• - Samuel Mansfield
• - Mathew Mansfield
• - James Mansfield
• - Eps Mansfield

References

• “Mansfield Genealogy: Descendants of Robert and Elizabeth Mansfield and Sons, Andrew and Joseph, who came to Lynn, 1639-1640,” by Geneva A. Daland and Mansfield, James S.Hampton, New Hampshire: Peter E. Randall, 1980. link to borrow book
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dowfam3&i...
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jan 18 2017, 17:37:39 UTC
• http://www.annefield.net/Robert%20Mansfield%203%20gen.pdf