unknown Locke

unknown Locke

• Husband of wife of unknown Locke
• Father of Capt. John Locke and Nathaniel Locke, of Portsmouth
• not the same as Thomas Locke, of London

Origins of the Locke Family of New Hampshire

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hermins-7

In 1853 John Goodwin Locke published "Book of the Lockes" a fairly flawed Genealogy of the Locke family of New Hampshire. He proposed that John Locke and Nathaniel Locke were identical to the two men of the same names baptized in London to Thomas Locke and Christena French. That couple conveniently has a long pedigree. But he offers no evidence that this is the case. He hedges by saying “perhaps were the sons of John Locke, of London, who m. Christian French…”[6] Then 1916 Arthur Horton Locke published "A History and Genealogy of Captain John Lock" which just repeats what John Goodwin Locke wrote calling it "circumstantial."[7] It is a circumstantial proposition indeed! In 1938, Mary Holman published the Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbury and John Sargent Pillsbury. In a footnote regarding the William Marston's wife Sabina she proposed the idea that Sabina Locke was a widow of Nathaniel Locke. She married second to William Marston and third to John Redman. She pointed to two of her probable daughters Judith Locke who married William Berry and Sabina Locke who married William Berry, Abraham Lewis and John Philbrick. In an 1810 deposition Jonathan and David Locke state That their ancestor Locke came to this country with a wife whose maiden name was Hermins and that she brought with her a coat of arms with the name John Hermins. John Locke witnessed the will of William Marston which gave most of his estate to "Trifana" Marston. Clearly John Locke was related to Trifana via her mother Sabina. She was the daughter of William and Sabina Locke.[8] In 1950 Robert Harry McIntire published Ancestry of Robert Harry McIntire and of Helen Annette McIntire, His Wife. In his treatment of the Knight family he writes that Margaret Knight married John Redman a blacksmith of Hampton and John Redman married second to Sabina (Hermins) Marston. She had married 1) Nathaniel Locke, 2) Captain William Marston, 3) John Redman.[9]

Noyes, Sybil, Charles T. Libby, and Walter Goodwin Davis, published the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire in 1972. If we attempt to parse their treatment of the Locke and Berry family things start to fall into place. Nathaniel Locke (elder) was father to four children

• Captain John Locke
• Nathaniel Lock
• Judith Locke
• Sabina Locke

His wife Sabina being "young" when she arrived and the two sons being much older than the two daughters would imply that Sabina was the second wife of the elder Nathaniel Locke and mother of his two daughters. An unknown first wife was mother to the two older sons. So we have Nathaniel Locke (the elder) marries to an unknown first wife in England and has two sons with her: John and Nathaniel. John came to New England first by Jan 1656/7. Nathaniel Jr came over later (before 1672). Nathaniel Sr remains behind in England and remarries to Sabina Hermins in England. As noted she was described as "young" and she must have been to have remarried twice and had another daughter Tryphena Marston in addition to the two younger daughters Judith Locke and Sabina Locke born in England. This family of four, Nathaniel Locke the elder, Sabina (Hermins) Locke and their two daughters Judith and Sabina Locke arrive in 1660. Nathaniel Sr promptly dies within weeks of arrival leaving his widow Sabina who marries second William Marston and third John Redman.

This happens to match the family tradition that a Nathaniel Locke came with a wife Sabina and was father to the Locke family in New Hampshire. I don't usually look at family tradition but it seems to be supported in large part by evidence. Whereas the proposition that Thomas Locke and Christena French of London happen to be the parents of the New England immigrants seems to be based on fairy dust.

In 1810, May 10, Jonathan and David Locke made the following deposition, which is preserved at Rye:[6]

"This may certify to whom it may concern, that the following genealogy of the ancestors, in substance as followeth, hath been told unto us by our forefathers, the truth to which we attest to, viz. :"

1st, "We say that Jonathan Palmer, deceased, was the son and lawful heir to Christopher Palmer and Elizabeth Palmer." 2d. "Christopher Palmer's wife Elizabeth, was daughter and lawful heir to William and Judith Berry." 3d. "William Berry's wife Judith was daughter and lawful heir to the Locke and his wife who came from England, said Locke's wife's name before marriage was Hermins, and she brought with her into New England a coat of arms, so called, which referred to John Hermins. William Berry's wife Judith was daughter and lawful heir to Nathaniel Locke and his wife, whose name previous to marriage was Hermins."[6][10] The records of Rye show that Christopher Palmer m. Elizabeth Locke, July 24, 1705.

Who were David Locke and Jonathan Locke? They were brothers and the great grandchildren of Captain John Locke:

Generation 1: Capt John Lock stated dead 26 Aug 1696 m Elizabeth Berry (Book of Locke # 1 p 326)[6] Generation 2: Deacon William Locke d 22 Jan 1768 m Hannah Knowles (Book of Locke # 5 p 328)[6] Generation 3: Jonathan Locke b 1702 d 2 Jan 1774 age 72 m Sarah Haines (Book of Locke # 15 p 331) had sons including:[6] Deacon David Locke b 24 Aug 1735 d 7 Jun 1810 m Hannah Lovering, lived in Rye (Book of Locke # 98/32 p 331, 337)[6] Jonathan Locke b 29 Jan 1732 d 13 Sep 1813 m Abigail Towle, lived in Rye (Book of Locke # 96/32 p 331, 336)[6] Both were old enough to have known their grandfather William Locke son of Captain John Locke. So their deposition seems fairly credible. In this case they are authorities on the Locke who came from England and whose wife's maiden name was Hermins. That would therefore not only be the father of their ancestor Captain John Locke but also of Judith Locke who was daughter of his second wife Sabina (Hermins) Locke.

Here we have evidence for the brother of John Locke named Nathaniel Locke whose widow was a teacher at Great Island:

"The records of Portsmouth give evidence that there was a Nathaniel Locke there in 1672. "Mh. 4 & 5, 1672, Nathaniel Locke did two days work on Highways at Great Island" (New Castle) and Sep. 30, 1672, a note was drawn on Henry Dering for Nathaniel Locke for six shillings." Another record is "At a meeting of the Selectmen this 5th March 1674-5, upon motion made by Widow Locke to live in the school house on the Great Island in order to the teaching of children to read and sew, have granted her desire." Tradition says that the this Nathaniel Locke left no sons and John and this Nathaniel were probably brothers."[6] Could that widow of Nathaniel been Sabina (Hermins) Locke as is sometimes posited? No it could not because widow Sabina (Hermins) Locke had already married Captain William Marston by 1662. Captain Marston died in 1672 leaving most of his estate to their daughter Tryphena Marston and names his wife Sabina. We now see why Captain John Locke was wittness to the Will of Captain Marston. Tryphena Marston was his step-sister and Sabina his step-mother. Sabina had already married to John Redman by 1673 so she would hardley be described as widow of Nathaniel Locke on 5 March 1674 at the Selectman's meeting. Her third husband didn't die until 16 Feb 1700. This shows that Sabina Locke must have been the woman whose maiden name was Hermins and was step-mother to Captain John Locke and his brother Nathaniel and mother to Judith Locke and Sabina Locke. Note Captain John Locke also had a daughter named Tryphena Locke. Tryphena Marston married Joseph Philbrook. When Sabina (Hermins) [Locke][Marston] Redman died Joseph Philbrook demanded the rights of his wife's mother proving Sabina Redman was indeed the same Sabina who was the wife of Captain William Marston and mother of Tryphena Marston.

That Sabina Hermins is the matriarch of this whole family there can be little doubt. However, no contemporary evidence exists to prove the name of her husband was indeed Nathaniel as is usually supposed. Therefore we may wish to consider wring this genealogy with widow Sabina (Hermins) Locke and her husband (_____) Locke.

Sources

• ↑ Langdon B. Parsons, History of the town of Rye, New Hampshire : from its discovery and settlement to December 31, 1903 (Concord, N.H.: Rumford Print. Co., 1905)
• ↑ Clarance Almon Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, April 2011) Vol 2 p 958 ("Torrey 2:957 LOCKE, John (?1626-1696) & Elizabeth [BERRY]; ca 1652; Hampton, NH/Rye, NH {Kittery 34; Locke 11; Lincoln (1923) 25; GDMNH 90, 441; Sv. 1:171; Pillsbury Anc. 356; Robie (1956) 54; Hampton 822}")
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Noyes, Sybil, Charles Thornton Libby and Walter Goodwin David, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, (Baltimore: Gen. Publ. Co., 1990),