John Garnzey (1660-1722) and Elizabeth (abt 1651-1714)
Research by Josh Machovsky
John Garnzey was born in Dorchester about April 16481, the oldest son of Henry and Hannah Munnings Garnzey. John’s
uncles, Mahalaleel and Return Munnings, lived in Boston with their families4. On 29 April 1660, one week after his mother was admitted to the First Church of Dorchester, John and his
younger brother, Joseph, were baptized. The church record said John was "about 12 years w/his brother Joseph aged about 1 ½ years younger."1 In 1662, Milton was established from the part of Dorchester south of the Neponset River.5 About 1672, John married Elizabeth, whose maiden name is unknown. Their first child, Mehitabel, was born 2 November 1673 in Milton.2 Their next five children, Hannah, Henry, Elizabeth, John, and Sarah, were born in Dorchester from 1676
to 1686.1
John assented to the Church Covenant in Dorchester, 4 March 1677, but was never in full communion there.4 There are some indications that the Garnsey/Munnings family may have had Anabaptist leanings. In 1679, John, along with his father, Henry, took the Oath of Allegiance to become a freeman (Suffolk Co. Court Rec. 2:971).4
On 15 December 1682, John and Elizabeth, along with John’s parents Henry and Hannah Garnzey, "deeded to James Barber of Dorchester, tailor, a dwelling house and barn on Duncoms Hill, 8 acres. Land bo’t by John Garnsey of John Minott." (Suffolk Co. Rec 35:42)4
From 1687 to 1694, the births of John and Elizabeth’s children, Ebenezer, Joseph, Mary, and Waitstill, are recorded in Milton.
In addition to his property in the Dorchester/Milton area, John and Elizabeth apparently had property in Rehoboth, because on 1 March 1696, they "granted a homestead farm on the east side of Palmer River Rehoboth, to James Wheeler, blacksmith of Swansea. Wit. Joshua Smith and John Horton." (Taunton Deed 8k 15:226 )4
John’s father, Henry, died in 1692, and in 1696, the Garnsey family made the move to Swansea/Rehoboth, where their last two children were born, John on 16 June 1696, and Ezekiel's ancestor, Seth on 15 February 1697/98. On 9 July 1712, after the death of their step-mother, Elizabeth Lane Rider Garnzey, John and his brother Joseph sold to John Danforth their father’s lands in Dorchester. In a 1712 indenture, John identifies himself as a carpenter and husbandman of Rehoboth.4
John’s wife, Elizabeth Garnzey, died 11 April 1714 in Rehoboth. On 14 October 1714, John married Judith Ormsbee,3 the daughter of Thomas and Mary Fitch Ormsby of Taunton, Bristol Massachusetts4. She died in Rehoboth on 27 August 1715, eight days after the birth of their son, Beriah.3 On 16 August 1716, John was married for a third time to Sarah Millard,3 daughter of John and Elizabeth Baugh Millard of Rehoboth, and widow of John Titus.4 Her son, Timothy Titus, married John’s daughter, Waitstill, and her daughter, Elizabeth, married John’s son John.4
On 31 March 1722, 74-year-old John Garnzey died intestate in Rehoboth. The court appointed his son, Seth Garnsey, and James Bowen, who had married John’s daughter Elizabeth Garnsey, as administrators.
Those appointed to divide the estate reported that it could not be divided without prejudice, and a 9 October note written to the Probate Court says,
"Whereas our Father, Mr. John Garnsey, who died intestate" left a small estate, we "the eldest, 2nd, 3rd and 4th sons of our above-said-Father request that the est be divided. ss/ Hennery (sic), Ebenezer, Joseph and John Garnsey. (ibid IV:131)
2 Nov. Mr. Francis Wilson, Edw. Salisbury, and Mr. John Thompson of Rehoboth and Swansea were appointed to appraise the the estate, particularly the housing and land, left by John Garnsey. (Orig. Files).
9 Nov. Bond of Seth Garnsey of Rehoboth, husbandman. w/Nathll Millerd of Rehoboth and William Salsbury of Swansea, husbandman, as surities for L220 to Nath. Pain, judge of probate for Bristol Co. on estate of John Garnsey, late of Rehoboth, husbandman, dec’d, division appraised at L110, and "the above bounden Seth Garnsey, fifth of the deceased accepting the sum accordingly and to pay to his brothers and sisters their ratable part of the apprized value: Viz. to Hennery (sic), ye eldest son 12-4-4 ½, and to Ebenezer, Joseph, John, Beriah, Mehitable the wife of John Horton, Hannah the wife of Thom. Horton, Elizabeth, wife of James Bowen, Mary, wife of Samuel Hix, Waitstill, wife of Timothy Titus, being ten in number amounting to the sum of L6-2-2-1T each." (Orig. Files)
1723-4 Apr thru 22 May 1734. The ten children of John Garnsey receipted to Seth for their parts in their father’s estate. (ProRec 8:432)
1731- 11 Apr) Widow Sarah Garnsey acknowledges receipt "of my husband’s estate which the said Seth hires yearly."
Sources
- Dorchester Massachusetts Vital Records
- Milton Massachusetts Vital Records
- Rehoboth Vital Records
- The 2005 Garnsey Guernsey Gurnsey Genealogical Dictionary by Judith Young-Thayer pp 134-135
- Wikipedia – Milton, Massachusetts