Edward Kibbe's Ancestors |
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Researchers say that Rachell Cooke Kibbe died in Enfield on September or December 10, 1740, a bit more than five years after her husband’s death, but this researcher has not found a death record for her in the Enfield records. It is not known where she is buried, but she is probably buried with her husband. |
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Edward Kibbe is said to have been born on May 11, 1611, in Exeter, Devon England, the son of Edward Kibbe Sr. and Deborah Kibbe. If he is their son, it is unfortunate that his father died the same month as his birth, so he never knew him. Most researchers agree that Edward came to America into Plymouth, met and married Mary Partridge in Duxbury, Plymouth in June of 1639, and moved to Boston in 1640. Some say they married in England and arrived in America together. Still others say Edward had a previous wife and with her had a daughter named Lydia in 1637 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts. It should be noted that there was another Edward Kibby with a daughter named Lydia living in the area at this time. Without documented proof his ancestry, possible first marriage, and his wife, Mary’s surname will remain a mystery.
Edward Kibbe died on November 1, 1694, in Brookline (Muddy River), and was buried 20 miles north in the Old Burying Ground located on Church Street, at the Congregational Church in Wakefield, Massachusetts, with his wife. This cemetery is also known as the First Congregational Churchyard. His death was recorded in both the Wakefield and Reading registers. Wakefield was originally a part of Old Redding. (Mouse over photo left to read inscription.) |
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Mary Partridge is said to have been born about 1615-1618 in Navestock, County Essex, England, to parents John Partridge and Jane Hogg. Being that records show that John and Jane were married in 1619, it is unlikely that these are her parents. Some researchers say her father’s name was Ralph, others say James, both with unnamed wives. Some say her last name was Partradge and she was born in Salem, Massachusetts. Some say she came to America in 1636 to the Plymouth Colony. She married Edward Kibbe in June 1639 or 1640, some say in England, while others say in Plymouth. Having no documents to support any of this leaves her ancestry and surname a mystery.
It is believed that Mary Partridge Kibbe died in 1683 in Brookline (Muddy River) and is buried in the Old Burying Ground, which is also known as the First Congregational Churchyard in Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, pictured right. After her death, her husband and daughters Hannah and Mary were buried near her. |
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Henry Cooke’s ancestry is somewhat unclear. There were several distinct branches of the Cook or Cooke family in England in the 1600's all of whom could trace the family lineage to the earliest ancestor, Gilbert Cocus or Cook (Cooke) who lived during the eleventh century, in the time of William the Conqueror. Most researchers believe that our Henry was born on June 2, 1615, in County Kent, England, to Edmund or Edward Cook and Elizabeth Nicholls. Henry, a Puritan in his religious beliefs, came to America probably in 1638, as so many others did, for religious freedom and settled in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. On Christmas Day, 1638, the quarterly Court in Salem, granted Henry Cook six acres of land. He married Judith Birdsall in Salem on June 29, 1639, and they had eleven children, five sons and six daughters. See Judith for details. Henry was a butcher or as some called him, a provider of meat and lived on Washington Street, on the south easterly corner. He bought the house and land of Edmond Thompson on January 17, 1645, and later his widow, Judith, sold the property to Walter Price on January 13, 1663. An undocumented story has survived about him and reads as follows: “Henry appointed to keep the swine for six sh. for each animal. As he walked through the town on his way to the pasture in the morning, he blew his horn and the owners of the swine brought them out to the drove, which was thus constantly increased in numbers. They returned at sunset. Henry surveyed fences in 1645/6, in 1649 he was granted 40 acres beyond the river ‘or on this side of Henerie Batholmew’, 27 Nov. 1658 the town ordered that the forty acres granted to Henry Cook be laid out in common land above the house of Thomas James. Forest and Peabody now runs threw this lot, which is just west of Summit St. When the town of Salem was laid out Henry Cook was granted Lot 68.” On October 10, 1649, “Henry Cook of Salem, butcher, for ten pounds mortgaged his house, shop and one acre adjoining in Salem, to Henry Birdsall.”
He was obviously a successful farmer and active in the political atmosphere of the colony. His name is mentioned on several occasions in the records of the proceedings of the Common Council and the Salem Town Records. At a town meeting of the Selectmen on January 14, 1659/60 the records state that “Henry Cook and Samuel Ebourne appointed to be surveyors for the north neck and all fields about the Glass House, and for about Though. Goidwaight field and VP to Michele Slaffin.” Later in the records, his wife is mentioned as the Widow Cooke (Judith) at a General Town meeting held after her husband’s death. At 46 years old, Henry Cooke died without a will in Salem on December 25, 1661, leaving his wife with seven children at home, the youngest being only four years old. Although in a very weaken state,a few hours before he died Henry dictated his wishes to two male friends, but unfortunately because of his condition, he could not give them all the details. It reads as printed in volume 1 of The Probate Records of Essex County: “beinge wth Henery Cooke about 3 or 4 houres before his decease perceiuinge he was in perfect memory spake to him about the settinge of his house in order, for the peace of his famely after his dicease: and that if be had done it when be had had more strenght, It would haue ben more comfortable for himselfe, his answer was, that he had some reason for it and that he would leaue al to his wiues disposinge, then after some tyme of respite he sayd that his wil wat that his son Isacke should haue his Dwellinge house with the land thereunto belonginge, then beinge demanded when, he sayd after the decease of his wife, & then he sayd that his daughter Judith should baue the Cowpen land and more he would haue spoken concerninge the rest of his children but was not able.” The inventory was taken on January 14, 1661/2 (January 1661 being the 11th month at that time, came after December 1661). There were more than 90 acres of land in multiple locations, 3 houses, 10 animals, various tools, furniture and general house furnishings and utensils. The total value was more than 260 pounds. The court records for June 24, 1662 state: “Henry Cooke, dying intestate, Judeth, his wife, and Isaack, his eldest son, were appointed administrators, and an inventory was allowed. It was ordered that the whole estate remain in the hands of the widow until the children become of age, except that Isaack was to have 5li. in hand, and, after his mother's decease, to have the house and land adjoining valued in the inventory at 601i. The other children were to have 10li. each at age or time of marriage. ‘Ye ordering of this estate is null and refers to what ye court have further ordered as apeers in ye records of ye second session of this court.’ . . . John Burton and Samuel (his mark) Eburne certified, Jan. 10, 1661, that ‘beinge wth Henery Cooke about 3 or 4 houers before his decease perceiuinge he was in perfect memory spake to him about the settinge of his house in order, for the peace of his famely after his dicease: and that if he had done it when he had had more strenght, It would haue ben more comfortable for himselfe, his answer was, that he had some reason for it and that he would leaue al to his wiues disposinge, then after some tyme of respite he sayd that his wil was that his son Isacke should haue his Dwellinge house with the land thereunto belonginge, then beinge demanded when, he sayd after the decease of his wife, & then he sayd that his daughter Judith should haue the Cowpen land and more he would haue spoken concerninge the rest of his children but was not able.’” Two weeks later on July 7, 1662, the court decreed “Upon further consideration about ordering the estate of Henry Cooke, deceased, it was ordered that Isaack, the eldest son, have 24li., and the other children, John, Henry, Judith, Rachell, Mary and Hanna, 12li . each, payable at age or time of marriage, and the widow was appointed administratrix.” Unfortunately, it is not known where he is buried. |
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After her husband’s death in 1661, Judith, as administrator of his will, carried on managing the land and was called Widow Cooke in the town records. In 1663, she gave to her son Isaac, her father’s land, who her brother Nathan sold to her husband Henry Cooke in 1654 (yellow area on map). She was living here, in Northfields, Salem, in 1667. Judith Birdsall Cooke died a widow on September 11, 1689, in Salem, 28 years after her husband’s death. It is not known where she is buried. |
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Very little is known about Edward Kibbe and his wife Deborah. Much research has been done, but documentation does not exist for them at all. Researchers believe Edward was born about 1585 to parents Edward Kibbe and Elizabeth Goffe in Devon, County Exeter, England, which is in the southwest corner near the coast. About 1610, Edward married Deborah, last name unknown, who is believed to have been born in 1587 in Exeter County. They had at least one child together, ancestor Edward. Edward Sr. died in Exeter in the same month, May of 1611, that his son Edward was born. Some researchers say another son named Henry was born prior to Edward Jr., but this doesn’t seem plausible if you look at the dates, unless Edward Sr. had a prior wife. It is believed Deborah died in 1695 in England. It is not known if Deborah married again; who was the father figure for her son Edward Jr., or where Edward Sr. or Deborah are buried. A word about Edward’s parents Edward Kibbe and Elizabeth Goffe: Most researchers say they were both born in England about 1567. Current research has uncovered two baptismal records for two different Elizabeth Goffes. The first was on January 18, 1568, in the parish of St. John at Hackney, located just northeast of London in Hackney, Middlesex County, England, and the second took place on April 5, 1573, in Steyning, County Sussex, England. Without more information, it is impossible to know which one is our Elizabeth Goffe. To confuse matters even more, a marriage record has been found for an Edward Kibbe marrying an Ellen Goffe on December 15, 1556, at the St Peter Upon Cornhill Church in London. This could be our Edward’s grandparents, as his father died when he was very young and he may have been raised by his grandparents. Without better documentation, we will never know who raised Edward. |
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Edmund/Edward Cooke’s ancestry is uncertain. Most researchers say he was born about 1568 in DeNorthclay, County Kent England, but others say he was born in 1561 in Romford, County Essex. The latter believe he was born, died and was buried at Gidea Hall in Romford. But all the researchers agree that his parents were Henry Cooke and Anne Goodere. Current research has shown there were many Edmund and Edward Cooke’s in England at this time. Documentation of his birth has not been found. According to the England Marriages, 1538-1973 collection an Edmond Cooke married an Eliz. Nicolson on July 8, 1596 in Howden, County York, England. But all researchers say he married Elizabeth Nicholls or Nichols. So a transcription error may have occurred or the record is of another Cooke family. In the Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900 collection, an Edmund Cooke who was from Pusey, County Berks was admitted to King's College at age 15, a scholar from Eton, on August 25, 1600. What is interesting is that this Edmund, according to Harwood, “Became distracted; died on a sea voyage, 1619.” This does not seem to be our Cooke family, but it is interesting to note that all the researchers agree that our Edmund or Edward died in 1619. Some say he died in North Kent, others say it was in Romford and he is buried at Gidea Hall there. There is also a will on file in the Wills Proved in The Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1605-1619 collection for an Edmund Cooke, “yeoman, from Congresbury, Somerset” who died in 1619. It could be that all these Edmunds have been mixed up, so this line is truly a mystery.. |
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Elizabeth Nicholls’ ancestry is just as uncertain as her husband's. Some researchers give the spelling of her last name as Nichols. Her birth is said to be anywhere from 1569 in Ipswich, County Suffolk, England, to 1573 in Northclay, County Kent, England. But all researchers agree her parents were John Nicholls, who was born about 1547 and Cheuarian Thompson. Unfortunately, no other information is known about them and there isn’t documentation to support what is reported here. She married Edward or Edmund Cooke and had ancestor Henry. A few say there was another child named Theodora. Even fewer say she was the mother of Francis Cooke, who was an original Mayflower passenger. Most researchers discount this claiming wishful thinking because birth dates just don’t work out. Her death is another uncertainty. Some say she came to America and died in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, but this is very unlikely. Most researchers believe she lived at Gidea Hall and was buried there with her husband Edward. |
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The family left Norwich in 1628 to travel to America. It is believed that along the journey, his wife and some of his children died before leaving England. According to the book The Second Boat, Volumes 12-13, Henry arrived in Boston in 1632 on the Anne, a widower with two children; Nathan aged 13 and Judith age 21.
Henry Birdsall died in Salem, prior to November 17, 1651, the date the inventory for his will was taken. At the November 28, 1651, of the Salem Quarterly Court, the will was proved. Unfortunately his will has not survived, but the inventory has. It reads as printed in volume 1 of The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts: “ESTATE OF HENEY BIBDSALL OF SALEM. |
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Agnes married Henry Birdsall in Saint Stephen’s Church in Norwich, County Norfolk on April 9, 1610. (Mouse ove image right for more on this church.) They had several children there – ancestor Judith; Isaac baptized at St. Peter Mancroft on April 4, 1613; Anne baptized at Saint John the Baptist Timberhill on May 24, 1616; and Nathan baptized at Saint Andrew’s on September 3, 1620. All three parishes are within four or five blocks of each other in the heart of Norwich. Some researchers claim there were two other sons Samuel and Stephen, but they are undocumented. Only Nathan and Judith came to America, so it is believed the other children either died in England or married and stayed there. Researchers say that Agnes Kempe Birdsall died between 1630 and 1632 in England. Although no records exist to confirm this, it seems plausible, as her husband arrived in America in 1632, listed as a widow with two children. Unfortunately her date of death and burial is unknown. Not much is known about Agnes's probable parents William Kempe and Agnes Jies. It is believed William was born about 1563 in England and his wife Agnes about 1567. It is also believed that they married on July 9, 1583, in St. Stephen's, in Norwich, with a Papal Dispensation. Unfortunately, documentation has not been found for any of this information. There is a record in the U.K. Parish Register for a marriage on October 9, 1584 at the All Saints Church in Warham in Norfolk County for a William Kempe and Agnes Barrye. The other possible parents of Agnes were Stephen Kempe and Agnes Alexandar who lived in Carleton-Rode, Norfolk, which is 12.4 miles southwest of the center of Norwich. They were married in the parish church there on July 25, 1591. Stephen’s parents were William Kempe and Margaret Britwin, who were married in the same church on April 25, 1562. Although these marriage records were found in the Norfolk Parish Registers, Marriages at Carleton Rode, no birth records for Agnes as the daughter of Stephen and Agnes has been found. |
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Elisha Kibbe was born on January 20, 1644/45, in Boston, Massachusetts, the third or fourth child of Edward Kibbe and Mary Partridge. He was baptized on November 30, 1645, at the First Church of Boston, being “aged about 10 mo 10 d.”. In 1663 at the age of nineteen he moved to Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, where he was married to Rachell Cooke, on December 12, 1667. He worked as a joiner and in about 1680-1682 he moved his family to Enfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, where they were among the first settlers there. They lived near the center of town and he became one of the largest land owners in Enfield. In Francis Olcott Allen’s book The History of Enfield, his and Rachell’s name are recorded many times in sales and purchases of land, as well as witnessing land deals, and also his name being used as boundary lines in land descriptions. In some instances he is called husbandman, and in others he is referred to as deceased. In the early 1700’s he and his wife deeded much of their land to their sons. Elisha was active in civic affairs, holding the offices of Selectman and Constable among others. He apparently was a man who lived life on his own terms. In volume three of The History of Enfield Connecticut, under the Springfield County Court Records section, it states: “Elisha Kebby presented for Sabath breaking by bringing home a deere upon his horse out of ye woods upon ye Sahath in the middle of ye afternoon-witnesses Jonathan Bush, Israel Meacham & Benjamin Pees-all parties ordered to appear at next term of court. Done at County Court held at Northampton March 29th 1692.” 
In 1645 Edward set up a sawmill on the Muddy River, which is now known as Brookline, Massachusetts, just southwest of Boston. They had at least ten children together - see Mary’s bio below for details. Research into the early records indicates that Edward was active in the business of growing the Boston area. In 1662 he was appointed Clerk of Market, a position apparently created to give the Muddy River area representation in the Boston Markets. From 1666 to 1683 he served as Surveyor of Highways and both he and Mary were listed as contributors to a fund to erect the second meetinghouse in Roxbury (see sketch in Mary's bio), which is southeast of Brookline.
Mary Kibbe joined the First Church of Boston (pictured above in Elisha's bio) in November of 1645, probably on the same day of the baptisms of her first three children. The files on the ten births, baptisms, and deaths of children born to the couple are found in the Roxbury and Boston records. Some are documented in the book Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, 1630-1699; some are also found in the Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915 collection; and others are found in the book A Report of the Record Commissioners, Containing the Roxbury Land and Church Records. Most of the children were baptized in the First Church of Boston, but two were baptized in the First Church of Roxbury (mouse over picture left). The children are as follows – Mary was born on April 16, 1640 in Roxbury and baptized on November 30, 1645, in Boston “aged about of 5yr. 7mo 2wks”; James was born in May of 1642, and baptized on November 30, 1645, in Boston “aged about 3yr 6mo”; ancestor Elisha; 
Deborah baptized on November 7, 1647, in Boston; John baptized in Boston on July 27, 1650, and died at age 2 and was buried on December 20, 1652; Reuben was baptized on January 25, 1651/52, in Roxbury, and died soon after and was buried there at 14 days old on February 8, 1651/52; Elizabeth born on January 27, 1654/55, and baptized in Roxbury on February 27, 1654/55; Rebecca, whose May 1, 1657, Boston birth record states that her parents were of Muddy River; Joshua baptized on March 31, 1661, in Boston; and Hannah born on May 24, 1663, and baptized on June 14, 1663, in Boston, who died unmarried at the age of 31, on April 27, 1695, about six months after her father died. Doreen Potter Hanna in her book A Potter-Richardson Memorial, adds an additional child – Edward born in 1662 without documentation. (Roxbury was annexed into Boston in the mid-1800’s.)
In volume two of the Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts: 1656-1662 it states that on November 28, 1656 “Henry Cooke of Salem and his son Isaac, presented for beating and kicking Sam Abourn and Moses Aborne, sons of Sam. Abourn, on the Lord's day. Discharged.” Then on November 26, 1661, just prior to his death it states “Henry Cooke deposed that he, being at the north field pound, had discourse with Farmer Porter about the earmarks, etc. MrGardner also went into the pound with him. The colt had been burnt in the mouth for the lam per s, etc. Sworn in court.”
Judith on September 15, 1643; ancestor Rachell on September 25, 1645; John on September 6, 1647; Henry in September 1648, who died very young; twins Martha and Mary on September 15, 1650. Martha died prior to age 11; another Henry on December 30, 1652; Elizabeth who was born and died in September of 1654; and Hana on September 9, 1658. It is interesting to note that nine of her children were born in September. Both Henry and Judith remained in Salem, but Henry Jr. moved to Wallingford, Connecticut at an early date, the other children all remained in Massachusetts.
In 1638, Henry was admitted into the membership of The First Church of Salem pictured left. On May 2 of that same year, he was selected as a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. On January 25, 1639, he was selected as a juryman at the Quarter Court. Josephine C. Frost writes in her book The Frost Genealogy “Henry Burtsell was chosen to keep the Meeting House, to sweep it and keep it clean upon all occasions of public meetings and to have yearly 15 Ibs. and 15 shilings and on the 12 of March, 1647, he received payment of 3 Ibs. and 17 shillings.” Later in life he became known as “Good Birdsall,” perhaps because his son Nathan, with whom he lived, was a troublemaker. Some researches say that in 1643 he moved to New Haven, Connecticut, but there isn’t documentation to support this.
Agnes Kempe was born about 1589-92 in England probably to William Kemp and Agnes Jies. Some researchers believe she was born in Norwich or in nearby Carleton-Rode, others say it was in Egham, Surrey County. There is an England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 record which has an Agnes Kempe being born on December 26, 1590, in Egham, Surrey, to a William Kempe. Other researchers say her parents were Stephen Kempe and Agnes Alexandar, but again there isn’t documentation to confirm this. Without more documentation, we may never know Agnes Kempe’s true ancestry.