Thomas Butler, of Kent Island

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Thomas Butler, of Kent Island

Also Known As: "Boteler"
Birthdate:
Birthplace: Thobie, Little Bursted, Essex, England
Death: circa 1645 (31-48)
Kent Island, Kent County, Province of Maryland
Immediate Family:

Son of John Boteler, II, of Littell Birchall and Jane Boteler
Husband of Joan Thompson
Father of Thomas Butler, II; John Butler; Nathaniel Butler; William Butler; Christopher Butler and 1 other
Brother of Capt. John Butler; Elizabeth Claiborne; Cressitt Grey; Martha Boteler; Ursula Boteler and 2 others

Occupation: Merchant
Managed by: Private User
Last Updated:

About Thomas Butler, of Kent Island

1. Thomas BUTLER (John BUTLER15, John BOTELER14, George BUTLER13, William BUTLER12, William of Droitwich BUTLER11, William of Droitwich BOTELER10, Nicholas of Yatton BUTLER9, John BOTELER8, John BOTELER7, Robert Le BOTELER6, Robert Pincerna Le BOTELER5, Thomas PINCERNA4, Sir William Pincerna le BOTELER3, Sir Richard Pincerna le BOTELER2, Robert le Pincerna BOTELER1) was born ABT 1603 in Roxwell, Essex, England, United Kingdom, and died 1646 in Kent Island, Maryland. He married Joan Mount-Stephen CHRISTOPHER 16 JAN 1625 in Middlesex, London, England, United Kingdom. She was born ABT 1605 in Roxwell, Essex, England, United Kingdom.

Children of Thomas BUTLER and Joan Mount-Stephen CHRISTOPHER include

Thomas II BUTLER was born ABT 1635 in Middlesex, London, England, United Kingdom, and died ABT 1676 in Westmoreland, Virginia, United States.



Died between 1644 lawsuit when alive and wife's 3rd marriage Feb 10, 1646

notes

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Butler-2128

Thomas Butler was a Virginia colonist.

This profile is part of the Butler Name Study. According to Magna Carta Ancestry, Thomas Butler, second son of John Butler (or Boteler), Esq., and Jane Elliott (or Eliot), was probably born about 1606/7 because he was 27 years old in 1633/4[1][2] (he claimed to be 27 years of age in a 1633 deposition taken in Maryland). It is thought that he was born in Newland Hall, near Writtle, or in the Village of Birch, both in Essex.[3]

As Thomas was a second son, he had to learn a trade to support himself and his family. He did this by becoming a haberdasher,[1] or a men's clothier.[3] He may have sold notions for sewing men's clothing such as buttons, ribbons and zippers as well as fabric.[4]

In 1625/6, Thomas Butler married Joan (___) Mountstephen, the widow of Nicholas Mountstephen.[1][3] Nicholas' will was proved 27 August 1625[1] and Joane inherited half of her late husband's estate. Thomas not only benefited from Joane's money, but he met another haberdasher through Nicholas and Joane, the adventurer William Claiborne.[3]

In 1631, Thomas and his family immigrated to the American colonies (later Maryland/Virginia).[1] They may have sailed with Claiborne to the colonies aboard the ship Africa, which departed London on 28 May 1631.[3] Claiborne founded Kent Island, a small stretch of land 15 miles long in the Colony of Virginia, presumably naming the settlement after his home in England. In 1634, Claiborne paid the Native Americans 12 pounds sterling to formally acquire the property.[3] During the early years of the American colonies, the governance of Kent Island was disputed between Maryland and Virginia.

Claiborne built Fort Kent and established a town on the Bay of Accomack. He also constructed boats. Thomas Butler was appointed Captain of the ship "Firefly" by Claiborne and Thomas ran expeditions up and down Chesapeake Bay from 1633 to 1634.[3]

In 1634/5 Thomas' wife, Joane, got herself in a bit of trouble in a feud with another woman, Marie Drew, the wife of Edward Drew. Joan called Marie a "whore". Joan was sentenced to be ducked if she did not publicly apologize. Marie turned around and called Thomas an adulterer. Not much was known about what went on after that but on 15 September 1634/5 Marie publicly apologized to Thomas and Joane Butler in court. Immediately after, Thomas went back to England to conduct business without Joane.[3]

Tedfre1added this on 24 May 2008

http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/ViewStory.aspx?tid=6597177&pid=-126363...

Thomas Butler was born a "Boteler", which became Butler after he and his brother, John, came to Chesapeake Bay. Thomas had become a merchant in London and joined the Merchant Adventurers in partnership with his brother, Captain John Boteler and their brother-in-law, Col. William Claiborne (who had married their sister, Elizabeth Boteler). One story says they traveled to the new world on the "George", possessing a 1637 Kent Island charter to establish a trading post with the indians, which they were very successful in doing. But then Lord Calvert challenged the Botelers and Col. Claiborne for possession which resulted in the first "at sea" conflict in America. During the on-going feud Captain John Boteler died in 1642 and left his shares to his brother Thomas, who moved his family to Kent Island and died there (apparently of natural causes) in 1646). Under pressure from the Calverts, Col. Claiborne and his family and Joan Mount-Stephens Christopher Boteler (widow of Thomas), escaped to West Moreland County, Virginia.

Joan and her five young sons were assisted by her husband's friend, Edward Thompson, whom she later married.

In Virginia the name Boteler became Butler and the five young sons of Thomas I grew up in Washington Parrish, Westmoreland County, Virginia.

They were:

  • Thomas II,
  • William (married Joanna Ward),
  • Christopher (m.1 Margery_____m.2 Sarah),
  • Nathaniel (m.1 Mary Adger, m. 2 Sarah_____),
  • John (d.1684) (m.1 Ellen Burwell,m.2 Martha,m.3 Sarah). (John and Ellen had Caleb who married Mary Foxhall. Their daughter Jane Butler married Augustine Washington and they had Augustine and Lawrence Washington).

Thomas Butler II had been born in London,England (likewise as a Boteler) in 1625 and brought as a child to Kent Island, then later to Washington Parrish, Westmoreland County, Virginia, where he grew up, married and died (Will probated there in 1678). Other records say Thomas II married Jane Baldridge and had 2 sons: Joshua 1667-1725, m. Grace Paige; and Thomas III. (Obviously more reseach needed). The space in time between these five brothers and the marriage of Elias Butler to Deborah Simmons in Westmoreland Co., VA spans 100 years and more info will be added as it is gathered.


Notes from http://www.southern-style.com/butler.htm

THOMAS13 BUTLER (JOHN IV12, JOHN III11, GEORGE10, WILLIAM9, WILLIAM8, WILLIAM7, NICHOLAS6, JOHN II5, JOHN4, ROBERT LE3 BOTELER, ROBERTUS2 PINCERNA, THOMAS1) was born 1602 in Roxwell, Essex, England, and died 1646 in Kent Island, , Md. He married JOAN (MOUNT STEPHEN) CHRISTOPHER January 16, 1624/25 in London, Middlesex, England.

Notes for THOMAS BUTLER:

BIOGRAPHY:Thomas Butler I, who began as a haberdasher in London, is our immigrant ancestor of the American Butlers. He married Jan. 16, 1625/26 in St. Magnus Martyr Church, London , a widow named Joan Mt. Stephen. When William Claiborn, who had married his sister, Elizabeth Butler, was granted land on Kent Island, Thomas Butler with his brother John joined Claiborn there. Thomas held 100 acres and paid a yearly rent of two barrels of corn and two capons . They soon found themselves in a hornet's nest. Kent Island was between the new colonies of Maryland and Viriginia, and both claimed it. The dispute was not only one of land, but o f religion, since Maryland was a Catholic Colony and VA Protestant. John Butler was arrested by Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, for treason and threatened with hanging in 1638. In 164 4 Thomas Butler, along with many other Maryland Protestants, refused to pay taxes to the Catholic government and was declared an enemy of the state. Soon after, Thomas Butler died, apparently of natural causes. His widow married a merchant, Edward Thompson, and they, along with the Butler children "escaped" south to the VA colony about 1650.Note: Edward Thompson was the son of Edward Thompson (d. 1657), the son of Thomas Thompson o f Essex, England. Edward the younger first appears on a list of persons transported from England (port of London, but probably from Essex) to St. Christopher on the ship 'Matthew' under captain R. Goodland , 1635. He was 18 at the time, hence born about 1617. Edward, along with Thomas Butler's orphans settled in Westmoreland County, Virginia.


Thomas BUTLER

Suffix: I

Sex: M

Birth: ABT 1603 in "Thobie", Little Bursted, Roxwel, Essex, England 1

Death: 1646 in Kent Island, , MD 1

Occupation: Merchant

Note: 1

1. First of the line in America.

2. Thomas became a merchant in London, joined the "Merchant

Adventurers," as a partner with his brother, Capt. John

Boteler, and their brother-in-law, Col. William Claiborne,

(who had married their sister Elizabeth Boteler) in his Kent

Island, now in Maryland, with Col. Claiborne and his wife in

1637; they had secured a charter to establish a trading post

on the Island for business with the Indians. Lord Calvert

claimed Kent Island on his later Charter for Maryland, and

challenged Col. Claiborne and the Botelers for possession.

Captain John Boteler died during the feud, in 1642, and left

his Kent Island shares to Thomas his brother who moved out to

the Island with his family, dying there in 1646. Under

persecution from the Calverts, Claiborne was driven out, and

Joan, the widow Boteler, escaped with her five young Boteler

sons to Westmoreland County Va., assisted by her husband's

friend Edward Thompson, whom she later married. In Virginia,

the name Boteler became Butler, and the five young sons of

Thomas I grew up in Washington Parish, Westmoreland County

Va.

Change Date: 20 OCT 2003

Father: John BOTELER b: 1585 in Burch Hall, Roxwell Parish, Essex Co, England

Mother: Jane ELLIOTT b: 22 JUN 1576 in Newlands Hall, Roxwell Parish, Essex, England

Marriage 1 Joan Mount-Stephen CHRISTOPHER b: ABT 1605

Married: 16 JAN 1625 in London, Middlesex, England 1

Children

Thomas BUTLER b: 1625 in Essex, England
William BUTLER
Christopher BUTLER b: ABT 1641 in Kent Island, MD
Nathaniel BUTLER
John BUTLER b: 1637 in Kent Island, MD

Sources:

Type: E-Mail Message

Text: SIN 109. E-mail from Alan Butler, , Subj: "Butl er Family Tree 1500-Present". contains information from Alan an d others on his web site, viewed 28 Nov 1999.

Virginia historical genealogies By John Bennett Boddie

Thomas BUTLER 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 was born 1602 in Roxwell, Essex, England.

Among those settlers who came to the Island and acted as mariners and traders for Claiborne were Captains Thomas Smith and John Butler, (or Boteler), also Thomas Butler, brother of the last named. Claiborne is referred to in the records as a brother-in-law of Captain John Butler. Claiborne married Elizabeth Butler, sister of the two Butler brothers.

Thomas Butler (also "Boteler", name spelled in various ways both in England and Maryland) married Joan Mount Stephen, widow. The records of the Draper's Company of London give the following information; "Thomas Butler, Haberdasher, son of John Butler and Jane Elliott, of the Parish of Roxwell, Essex. Jane Elliott, daughter of Edward Elliott. Thomas Butler married 16, January 625/6 at St. Magnus the Martyr London, Joan Mount Stephen the widow of Nicholas Mount Stephen, citizen of St. Martin Ludgate". (Will P. C. C. 93 Clarke) (56 V -459).

Thomas Butler, brother of the redoubtable Captain John had a small plantation and a family but had lived a less exciting life. In March 1637, Thomas Butler, together with Edward Thompson, who later married his widow, signed the election returns in Kent Island, at which time Richard Thompson was elected Burgess. Richard Thompson represented the Island in the first General Assembly of Maryland in 1637, and continued in office until his death. (Proceedings of the Assembly, Vol. 1, p. 31). In 1642, Thomas Butler and Edward Thompson were levied upon to pay the charged of Richard Thompson's election to the House of Burgesses. In September 1642, they are shown in the lists as inhabitants of Kent Island (Proceedings of the Assembly, Vol. 1, pp. 143, 168, 169). Thomas Butler's name is also spelled "Boteler" in the records. In 1640 Thomas Butler of Kent Island demanded 600 acres due him for transporting himself, wife, and two children, and Capt. John Butler payed to have confirmed to him lands he holds by grant of Capt. Wm. Claiborne. (Burns, "Early Settlers of Maryland", p. 21).

Butler was dead before January 16, 1646-47, for on that day it was alleged in court that 100 acres of land late in the tenure of Thomas Butler, deceased, was delinquent in rent to the Lord of the Manor, (the Governor) for the past three years at a yearly rental of two barrels of corn and two capons. (Md. Archives, Vol. 4, p. 43).

By February 10, 1646, Joan Butler, widow of Thomas Butler, had married her neighbor, Edward Thompson, for on that date Leonard Calvert, the Governor, bound himself "to deliver unto Mrs. Jone Thompson for the use of Thomas Butler, deceased, his children, two cows, and two calves three months old some time in June". (Md. Archives, Vol. 5, p. 15). While this record in itself does not prove a marriage yet sixteen years later in Westmoreland County, Virginia, the records recite that Edward Thompson had previously married the widow of Thomas Butler. (West. Orders, 1, p. 79).

The Thompsons soon moved to what is now Westmoreland County, Virginia, taking with them the orphans of Thomas Butler.

Children of Joan and Thomas Butler:

I. Thomas, m. Jane, widow of Captain Alexander Baynham and daughter of James and Dorothy Baldridge. (See later).

II. John Butler, d. 1684, m. (1) Ellen, widow of

Francis Burwell; (2) Martha, before 1643; (3)

Sarah, executor of his will, 1684.

III. William, m. Joanna Ward, relict of John Ward.

IV. Christopher, m. Margery, moved to Stafford

County. As "Christopher Butler of Westmoreland"

he was granted 339 acres on the branches of Pope's

Creek in Rappahannock County, north side of Rap-

pahannock River, bounded by land of John Payne,

William Underwood, and others for the transporta-

tion of 7 persons. (Rappahannock Bk. 671-76,



First of the line in America. Thomas became a merchant in London, joined the "Merchant Adventurers," as a partner with his brother, Capt. John Boteler, and their brother-in-law, Col. William Claiborne, who had married their sister Elizabeth Boteler) in his Kent Island, now in Maryland, with Col. Claiborne and his wife in 1637; they had secured a charter to establish a trading postion the Island for business with the Indians.

Lord Calvert claimed Kent Island on his later Charter for Maryland, and challenged Col. Claiborne and the Botelers for possession. Captain John Boteler died during the feud, in 1642, and left his Kent Island shares to Thomas his brother who moved out to the Island with his family, dying there in 1646.

Under persecution from the Calverts, Claiborne was driven out, and Joan, the widow Boteler, escaped with her five young Boteler sons to Westmoreland County Va., assisted by her husband's| riend Edward Thompson, whom she later married.

In Virginia, the name Boteler became Butler, and the five young sons of Thomas grew up in Washington Parish, Westmoreland County, Va.


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Thomas Butler, of Kent Island's Timeline

1602
1602
Willingale Doe, Essex, England
1605
1605
Thobie, Little Bursted, Essex, England
1624
1624
Essex, England (United Kingdom)
1629
1629
London, London, , England
1632
1632
Kent Island, MD
1635
1635
Kent Island, Maryland
1638
1638
Kent Island, Maryland
1641
1641
Kent Island, Accomack, Maryland, USA
1645
1645
Age 40
Kent Island, Kent County, Province of Maryland