Descendants of Stephen and Alice (CONNOR) TERRY of England
Compiled by George J. Chambers<gjchambers@aol.com>

Stephen TERRY's will was dated 1 Nov 1606 and was proved 24 Jan 1606/7 (source: Kellogg, J.P., "A Supplement to Notes on Joseph Kellogg of Hadley," 1899. This source is located at the NYG&B Society Library). Stephen married Alice CONNOR and had five children: James, John, Thomas and three who have not been identified.

James, the first son of Stephen and Alice,

married Anne ______ . they had: James, William, John, Thomas, Robert, Richard, Nathan, Patience and Mary. James named his sons James and Richard, as executors of his will. He is buried in the churchyard of Burton Parish. According to his brother John's will, James was a pewterer of London.

    James and Anne's first and second sons were James and William respectively. No information has been found on them.

    John, the third son of James and Anne,

was a citizen and goldsmith of London. He was also a Church warden and Overseer of the Poor at St. Andrews, Totteridge. He is buried in St. Andrews. John's will is on file at the Prerogative Court at Canterbury (source: Terry, H.K., "The English Founders of the Terry Family," London: H.K. Terry & Co., Pub). He married Elizabeth GALE. They had: William, John Jr., Stephen, Susanna and Sarah.

    Thomas, the fourth son of James and Anne,

married Marie _____ . they had: Ruth, Elizabeth and Mary. Ruth married John TILLISON; no spouse of Elizabeth's has been identified and Mary married Thomas REEVE. Thomas is first mentioned in his brother John's will as being from "Longe Sutton," England. He originally settled at Braintree, MA and removed to Southold, Long Island, in 1646 (Helmes, F.R., "Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families: 1620-1700," Baltimore: Gen. Pub Co., 1964 (Orig. 1923). In Dec. 1638, Thomas was ordered by General Court Order to appear at the next Court Session (source: Savage, J., "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England," p. 269). According to Weyland Jefferson, Southold Official Town Historian (Jefferson, W., "A Short History of Southold, 1938), Thomas was an early settler at Southampton who came to Southold about 1655. Howell (Howell, G. R., "The Early History of Southampton, L.I., N.Y.", Albany: 1887, p. 439) stated that Thomas was an "undertaker" of Southampton but did not remain there very long, "if he came at all." In 1662, Thomas, of Southold, was accepted as a freeman of CT. Thomas' will was proved 2 July 1672. In his will Thomas mentioned his wife but did not name her. Thomas also neglected to appoint an executor so the Court of Session appointed his son Daniel on 5 June 1672 (for further information regarding Thomas, see his brother Richard).

    Robert, the fifth son of James and Anne,

arrived in America in 1635 on the ship "James". Also arriving on the "James" were his brothers Thomas TERRY and Richard TERRY. On 18 Dec 1640, a Robert Terry witnessed a deed (indenture) with the Indians on Long Island (Adams, J.T., "History of the Town of Southampton," Port Washington, NY: Ira J. Friedman, Inc., 1962 (original 1918); Moore, C.B., "Address delivered at the Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Formation of the Town and Church of Southhold, L.I., August 27, 1890"). Robert was one of the original patentees to the town of Flushing, NY. Gov. Nicholl confirmed this patent in February 1666 (Patents, I. 64,V, 222, 325, Sec. Office. Also: Mackenzie, G.N., "Colonial Families of the United States of America," Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., MCMXV (orig. 1908), Vol. VII, p. 6). Robert was also listed in the Dougan Patent of 1685 (source: "Historical Collections of the Borough of Queens, New York," NY: WPA, 1938, Vol. 6, p. 46). French did not identify this last entry. A Robert Terry (Robart Terry or Robart Tery) was a witness in a case in 1660 (source: "Transcripts of Early Town Records of New York: Minutes of the Town Courts of Newton 1656-1690," New York: The Historical Records Survey, August 1940, p. 18). In the will of Richard Bratnell of Rustdrop, dated 21 Feb 1663, a Robert Terry was to have his (Mr. Bratnell's) ""linin bedding, white hound and her calff" etc. One goodman Terry of Fflushing al his tobacco and swine and to pay Richard's debts. Robert Terry was named as executor (source: Frost, J.C., "Records of the Town of Jamaica, Long Island, New York, 1656-1751, pp. 95-96). A Robert O. Terry was a witness to the will of John Maston, of Flushing, dated 14 Feb 1670 at Flushing (NYG&BR, Vol. 20, No. 4, Oct. 1889, p. 171). This was also recorded in the "Collection of the New York Historical Society, 1892: Abstracts of Wills - Liber 1-2," p. 15. Also, on 23 Oct 1670, Robert was again a witness to a will (same reference, p. 13). The last known recorded mention of Robert was in the will of Edward Farrington which was entered at Flushing in 1673 (W. Z. Terry). Information regarding Robert's marriage and spouse is from Pope, C.H., "The Pioneers of Mass.," Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1900 (as referenced by Bower, A., "Terry Tales," Vol. 2, No. 4, August 1996).

    On 13 July 1635, Richard (age 17), fifth son of James, along with his brothers Robert (25) and Thomas (28), sailed from England in the ship "James" bound for America (Salem, MA). From Salem, Richard went to Springfield, MA, and then to Lyme, CT in the New Haven Colony (Quinnipioc) and with his brother Thomas, eventually arrived in Southold (originally known as "Yennicot") on Long Island. Robert went to Flushing in Queens Co.

    There are unproved stories that Richard was one of the "original thirteen settlers of Southold." He was also a recorder of Southold (1664-1672). Sources: Coldham, P.W., "The Complete Book of Immigrants: 1607-1660," Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987 (references Public Records Office (PRO) E157120); Case, J. W., "Southold Town Records;" Torrey, C. A., "New England Marriages Prior to 1700;" "Moore's Index;" W. Z. Terry, "Terry Family: Some Descendants of Richard Terry of Southold, Suffolk Co., N.Y.," 1951; Davis, A.H., "History of the Davis Family, N.Y., NY: T.A. Wright Pub. & Printer, 1888, p. 125.

    Richard was admitted a "freeman" of New Haven, CT while residing at Southold. After his "official" career was over (ca. 1672) Richard removed from Southold and settled on Corchaug (present Cutchogue), Suffolk Co. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant by Gov. Nicholls of NY on 8 Apr 1665 (DeForest, L.E., "List of Commissions Issued by Governor Richard Nicolls in 1665 and 1666 to Long Island Train Bands," NYG&BR, Vol. 70, Jan 1939, p. 60). His will was probated 13 May 1676 and proved in 1676.

    Nathan, was the sixth son of James and Anne.

    Patience, was the first daughter of James and Anne.

    Mary, was the second daughter of James and Anne.

John, the second son of Stephen and Alice,

married Mary WHITE. His surname has also been recorded as TIRRY. He was the Rector of Stockton, Wilts from 1589 until his death. John named his wife "Maria" as sole executor of his will (Stockton Wills, 1625: P.C.C. 73 Clark). John and Mary had: Stephanus (Stephen), John (Josiah), Samuell, Josiah, Nathaniel and Stephen.

   Stephanus, (Stephen) was the first son of John and Mary.

   John, the second son of John and Mary, married Naomi ____________ . He was called "Josiah" in his father's will

   Samuell was the third son of John and Mary.

   Josiah, the fourth son of John and Mary, married Margaret BLAKE, is buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Dorchester.

   Nathaniel, the fifth son of John and Mary, married ______ __________ .

   Stephen, the sixth son of John and Mary

married (1) Jane HARDEY and (2) Elizabeth ______ .. He came to New England aboard the ship "Mary & John" in 1630 settling in Dorchester, MA. Stephen was 21 years old at the time. On 19 Oct 1630 he applied for freemanship. Around 1633 he returned to England where he married his first wife. He returned to New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Recovery." About 1636 he removed to Windsor, CT and in 1660 to Hadley, MA. He was a member of the first cavalry troop established in New England. His will was dated 19 Sep 1668 and proved 29 Sep 1668.

The record of Stephen's baptism, recorded in the Parish Registers of Stockton, in Wilts, reads as follows: "Alter Stepanus Terry sextus fllius Johis Terry hujus Eccleslae Rectoris natus 25o Augusti, baptizatus fuit 31 codem August, cui nomen inditum est in memoria prioris Stephani optimae spei et studiosissimae indolis adolescentis qui obit Oxoniac hoc anno vzt 28o July Anno aetatis suac 16o paene completo" (sources: Kellogg, J.P., "Notes and Queries," HEH&G Register, Vol. 54, No. 1, Jan 1900, p. 103; Goodwin, N., "Genealogical Notes, Contributions to the Family History of some of the First Settlers of Connecticut and Massachusetts," Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1987 (orig. Hartford, 1856), p. 223; Roberts, G.B., "English Origins of New England Families from the New England Historical & Genealogical Record," Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1985, p. 899; Anderson, R.C., "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633," Boston: New England Historical & Genealogical Society, 1995, pp. 1804-1806; and Mackanzie, G.N., "Colonial Families of the United States of America," original Baltimore 1912, reprint Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1995; "Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John," Vols. 1, 3 & 9, Toledo, OH: The Mary & John Clearing House).

Thomas, the third son of Stephen and Alice, was resident in Longe Sutton, Co. Southampton, England at the time of his brother John's will (1625).

Stephen and Alice also had three other children who have not been identified.