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Person Sheet


Name Richard Waters
Birth bef 3 Mar 1604125,133
Christen 3 Mar 1604, St. Botolph, Aldersgate, London, England125,133
Death bef 28 Sep 1677, Salem, MA
Father James Waters (1572-<1617)
Mother Phebe Manning (1571-~1642)
Spouses
1 Joyce (Rejoice) Plass163,131
Death aft 1687, Salem, MA125
Father William Plasse (-1646)
Mother Marjerie Smith
Children James
? (<1640-)
John (1640-)
Elizabeth (<1642-1662)
Abigaile (<1645-)
Ezekiel (<1647-)
Susanna (<1649-)
Hannah (<1652-)
Sarah
Phebe (-1674)
Mary
Martha
William
Notes for Richard Waters
"The genealogical value of the will of John Webb (1624-1625) can hardly be overestimated, mentioning, as he does, wife Dorothy and brethren in law Thomas Manning and William Plasse. It is just this mention of William Plasse which settles the problem of the maternal ancestry of our Richard Waters of Salem. In the Manning pedigree (Harl. MS. 1548) we see thaat two of the daughers of George Manning of Downe were Dorathea ux. Joh'is Webb and Phebe us. jacobi Wates. now James Waters of London left a widow Phebe and a son Richard. William Plasse, a gunsmith, married this widow Phebe. A William Plasee, gunsmith, came to Salem and also a richard Waters. At the death of William Plasse this richard Waters called himself son in law (i.e. stepson) of the deceased. In 1879 I found the will of James Waters on London and published a very meagre abstract of it (Gleanings &c. by Emmerton and Waters, Essex Institute, Salem, mass., pp. 121-3). A larger abstract here follows."132

According to "Pioneers of MA" by Pope, he came to Salem, N.E. where he had his home from about 1636. He was a gunsmith. He became a Freeman (citizen) 22 May 1639. He was a proprietor. He deeded land to his daughter Mary and her husband, Clement English, in 1673. He signed his will 16 July 1676 and it was probated 28 Sept 1677.

It has also been said that Phebe (Waters) Plasse and William Plasse came to Salem, MA in 1637 and that her son Richard probably came to New England with them at that time.164

Records of the marriage of Richard Waters to Joyce Plasse have not been found but it is believed that Richard married Joyce (or Rejoice) Plasse, the daughter of William Plasse, Richard's step-father.163

In New England Marriages Prior to 1700 by Torrey it states:
"Waters, Richard (1604-1677) & Joyce?/Rejoice? [Plasse?] (-1687+); b 1630; Salem" 165

At the death of William PLASSE, Richard Waters calls himself a son-in-law of the deceased.166 The document where he calls himself a son-in-law of the deceased is now extant in the Court House at Salem, MA.164 However, in the usage of the time, the term son-in-law often was used to mean step-son, so this might not be any indication that Richard Waters was married to the daughter of William PLASSE.

On 26 april 1626 he was admitted into the freedom of the Ironmongers Company by patrimony and took his oath.163

In 1637, he had 10 acres of land granted him. He seems first to have lived near the head of Broad Street, but must early have removed to Salem Neck near Cat Cove, where he conveyed building lots to several of his children, forming a hamlet afterwards known as Watertown, and which remained among his descendants until the middle of the last century.164

A copy of the text of his will and an inventory of his estate are on file.164

Details to be entered from "Ancestry of the Waters Family of Marietta, Ohio". 131

William Plasse was a gunsmith to whom the town of Salem granted, in 1637, for him and his wife the house formerly Mr. Conant's, with a half acre of land attached, etc. - and in 1643 appointed a committee to provide for him a convenient room to work in and to set a forge, etc. He died in 1646 and his estate was administered by Thomas Wickes or Weeks, whose wife Alice (afterwards wife of Nicholas Potter) and two children, Hannah, wife of John Pickman, and Bethia wife of John Archer, are afterwards found in occupancy of the real estate. The gunsmith's tools were said to be in the possession of Richard Waters, who calls himself a son-in-law of the deceased. Mr. Waters seems first to have lived near the head of Broad street, but much very early have removed to the neck near Cat Cove, where he conveyed building lots to two or three of his children, forming a hamlet afterwards known as Watertown and which remained among his descendants until the middle of the last century. His will, written with his own hand (a beautiful specimen of penmanship) was made 16 July, 1676, and proved 28-9 mo 1677. He mentions wife Joyce, sons James, John, Ezekiel and William, and daughters Abigail Punchard, Mary English, Susanna Pulcifer and Hannah Striker. 167

"I am indebted to the Revd Charles H. Pope for the following extracts taken by him last year from the Parish Registers of St. Botolph's: - . . .
Richard, son, bapt. March 3, 1604." 132

The marriage between Hugh Manning and a daughter of William Brandon would lead to a royal ancestry for "Richard Waters (1604) & Joyce Plasse (Mass.)* [An asterisk (*) means that the line is considered by scholars to be possibly or probably correct but not proven. . . .Note: #5 [Margaret Brandon] is likely but unproven as the mother of #4 [John Manning]. this link is based on the visitation pedigree of the Manning family. Gary Boyd Roberts accepts this line. " 168

"Richard Waters of Salem, whose remarkable English ancestry includes almost certainly a sister of the poet Chaucer." 169

"One of Whitfield's second cousins, moreover, was the immigrant Richard Waters of Salem, also a Chaucer and Arden descendant, and ancestor of the presidential Talfts of Cincinnati (twice over, via Waterses, Holmans, and Torreys), of President Coolidge, and (via Pulsiphers, Stevenses, and Osgoods) President Erskine Hamilton Childers of Ireland (see chapter 11), plus Endicotts, Peabodys and Eliots (see chapter 9)." 170

"Waters, Watters, Richard, bapt. at St. Botolph Aldersgate, London, Eng., March 3, 1604, son of James Waters, citizen and ironmonger, and his wife. Phebe, dau. of Mr. George Manning, gent. of Downe, Kent. James W. was bur. Feb. 2, 1617, and the widow m. 2, Feb. 23, 1618, William Plasse, gunmaker; they came to Salem, N.E. where Richard had his home from about 1636. He was a gunsmith. Frm. 22 May, 1639. Propr. He deeded land to dau. Mary and her husband, Clement English, in 1673. His wife Joyce, was adm. chh. 23 (3) 1641." 133

"He signed his will 16 July, 1676; it was prob. 28 (9) 1677; he beq. to wife Joyce and ch. William, Ezekiel, John, James, Martha, Abigail Punchard, Mary English, Susanna PUlsifer and Hannah Striker." 133

"Richard Waters, bpt. St. Botolph Aldersgate, London, Engl., 3 Mar 1604, s/o James Water, citizen and ironmonger, and his wife Phebe, d/o Mr. George Manning, gent. of Downe, Kent. Richard d. Salem, Mass., summer of 1677; m. in England Joyce/Rejoice ?Plasse, who d. Salem after 1687 (Torrey sv Richard WAters; Pope, p. 481)." 125

"James Waters, father of Richard, was bur. 2 Feb 1617, and his widow m/2 23 Feb 1618/19 William Plasse, gunmaker, who d. Salem 15 Apr. 1646. They came to Salem, Mass., wehre Richard had his home from about 1636. Like his step-father, Richard was a gunsmith; he was freeman 22 May 1639. He deeded land to daughter Mary and her husband, Clemet English, in 1673. His wife Joyce was admitted to the church 23 (3) 1641 [23 May 1641].
Richard Waters made his will 16 Jul 1676; it was probatd 28 (9) 1677 [28 Nov 1677]. He bequeathed to wife Joyce and children: William, Ezekiel, John, James, Martha, Abigail Punchard, Mary English, Susanna Pulsifer and Hannah Striker. The inventory of his estate was taken 25:7:1677 [25 Sept 1677] and amounted to £132.08.05 after debts were substracted." [Full text of will to be entered] 125

" ' I Richard Waters being ancient and allso weak of body yet of good & pfect memory blessed be God do make this my last Will & Testament the 16 Day of July 1676 Impr after all my real Debts be truly paid out of my estate with what charge doth arise about my Funerall, I do will & Bequeath my whole Estate that God hath giue me in this world to say House & Lands chattels, goods, Debts or what ever Estate I haue or of right belongs to mee, movable and unmovable, To Joyce my beloued Wife for her to haue and to hold after my decease during the time of her naturall Life for her necessary use & Comfort, and for that end whilst she remaine a widow to haue Liberty for her necessity to sell any pt of the sd Estate first of the movable and afterward to ye house & land is need require (provided it be with the aduise and assistance of my ouerseers hereafter named,) but in case she be married then to hsue n power to sell allinate or dispose of any of ye sd estate but to keep the housing in tenantable repair and the movables from damage to be disposed of as followeth. . . . I appoynt Joyce my sd beloued Wife to be my sole Executris.
Richard Walters (SEAL)
Witness: Hilliard veren, sr. John Swinnerton.
Proved in Dalem court 28:9:1677 [28 Nov 1677].
(The Probate Records of Essex County, pp. 183-4) " 125

"John Talby to Walter Price - (1:55) John Talby of Salem has sold unto Walter Price for 6 pounds, a 10-acre lot in the South field, which was formerly Richard walters'. " 137

"Richard Waters to Walter Price - (1:62) Richard Waters of Salem (gunsmith) sold to Walter Price for 6 punds, one 10-acre lot in the South field in Salem, lying between lands of said Walter and Richard Moore, as by deed dated the 25th of the 11th month 1653 appeareth. Recorded: the 13th of the 7th month 1654." 137

"Richard & Joyce waters to George Jacobs - (2:25) On the 25th of the 9th month 1658, Richard Waters and (wife) Joyce of Salem granted to George Jacobs of Salem for 16 pounds fully paid, a house and a 10-acre lot with the orchard & alla trees & fence now standing upon it, and hath lying W of it, the 5-acre lot of JOhn Tomkins & on the E side th end of Henry Cook's lot, next to the water side, & another end of a lot of Thomas Gardener's & another end of a lot that was lately the lot of George Williams, deceased, & so runs straight up to the end of John Small's lot and so had the S end butting upon the said John Small's lot & Ralph Tomkins lot & N to the river. Signed: Richard Waters & Joyce Waters [by mark]; Acknowledged: Richard Waters and his wife, 25; 9ber: 1658; Witnesses: William Hathorne & Henry Skerry; Recorded: 18: 12 mo: 1660." 137

"Richard Waters to William Punchard - (3:427) On 4:7:1671, Richard waters, Sr. of Salem, with consent of wife Joyce Waters, granted to Abigail, daughter, wife of William Punchard, as her jointure with him during her life, land and par of the hill toward the NW side of the hill of their grant, as it is now partly fenced & partly staked out unto them, beginning at a stake at the upper end of the cross fence between the said Richard Waters' to the said William Punchard running upon a straight line 3 1/2 poles unto a stake that stands 13 feet from the S corner of the house of said William Punchard and SE and from the stake SW by W, to an old stump of a tree under the stone wale, which is about 3 pole & 4 feet from the last aforesaid stake & from the aforesaid olf stump of a tree roud about the fence NW next the common & of Humfry Woodbery's ground yet unfences which is about 9 poles by 7 foot until ti comes to the lower part of the cross fence betwen the said Richard Waters & William Punchard, being the NW end & so to run up to the stake where it began . . 'as her younture unto her husband William Punchard & they both jointly to have forever libert to fetch & draw water at our well, so long as they or any of them shall contribute to the charges of the well as other os our children provided that whensoever any fence shall be set up from my garden at the furthmost end of my brew house to the waterside, that themn they shall come in at such a gate or stile & place as shall be athought most convenient for all out of that highway that we have granted unto them all, & so to return the same wa again without doing any damage & if any damage be done by neglect of leaving open any such gate or breaking any such stile where the coming in or going out shall be, they that are the cause of the neglect shall make good the damage to said Richard Waters . . . ' Signed: Richard water and Joyce Waters [by mark]: Witness: John Cromwell: Acknowledged: 4:9:1671." 137

"Richard Waters to Ezekiel Waters (3:430) On 24 October 1671, Richard Waters of Salem, with consent of wife Joyce Waters, granted to son Ezekiel Waters of Salem, 'all the part of their house frame at the easternmost end, square fromt he back of our chimney and the ground it standeth on & adjoining o it, as is hereafter expressed, from the northernmost side of the highway next to water side entrance into our ground, to run to the end of the stone fence by the water side, which is 7 poles, 2 foot, and thence to turn and run one ple and a half to three foot westward by the rail fence and from thence back again to the outside of the chimney back of said Ricahrd Waters' bein gabout 4 1/2 poles in length to the said back, thence straight along through the house by the chimney back, straight before the part of the house of said Ezekiel waters, butting to the N side of the highway that I have laid out in my ground for cmmon use of myself and my children. Excepted Ezekiel Waters nor any under him shall neighter let or sell any part of the aforesaid . . .during the life of Richard or Joyce Waters without their consent . . . & liberty to draw and fetch water from the well as long as he contributes to the charges of the well . . . equally as other of our children, provided whenoever any fence shall be from my garden at the southernmost end of my brew house. Also, bellow belonging to the smith's trde, the anvil, the 3 vices and all the files and punches and hammers and all the smither tools I have with all the use for all of them as long as I shall live.' Signed: Richard Waters & Joyce Waters [by mark]; Witnesses: Edward Hiliard, Christopher Babidge." 137
Last Modified 19 Oct 2008 Created 18 Jan 2009 using Reunion for Macintosh

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