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Isaac's Parents By David Butler Cummings Isaac Cummings was baptized 5 April 1601 at Easthorpe, Essex, England, the son of John and Amy (Green) Cummings. This is a major conclusion of the research detailed below. In June I posted a retraction of false information on the Cummings family in Copford, Essex, England that had been supplied by an English genealogist. At that time I stated that Mrs. Jane Bedford, of the Colchester Branch of the Essex County Records Office, had found the correct baptismal records for Isaac and his siblings. These were in the parish of Easthorpe, Essex, which is contiguous to Copford on the southwest. My wife and I agreed with her transcription of the original record under ultra violet light. Those records have also been transcribed by Peter C. Nutt, of Wickford, Essex, England, Genealogist and Record Researcher, who has worked with Abbott Lowell Cummings. The results fit well with other research done by Abbott Lowell Cummings and Peter C. Nutt, and John Plummer. The material in this posting was presented at the Isaac Cummings Family Association reunion on August 14 in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Easthorpe Parish Register, Original in Essex Record Office, Colchester, D/P386/1/1 Salt Lake Family History Library Microfilm 0853320 Baptisms Copford Parish Register, Original in Essex Record Office, Colchester, D/P186/1/1 Salt Lake Family History Library Microfilm 1472221 Baptisms Burials NOTE: Entries above and below this have the day after the month but prior entries have the day first. A mark like a 1 before Novemb may be the day. The meaning of .1.2.3 is not clear. Suggestions are 1) triplets, 2) the first three of their children, or 3) they are buried on top of each other. We do not know which children were buried. There are gaps in the birth sequence in which 3 or 4 children could have been born. 1612 The wife of John Comens Noveb 3 (This is presumably Amy). Marriages Matrimony was solemnised the [Blank] Daie of [Blank] Between [Blank] Commins and Amy Greene Daughter of John Grene of much-birch. [also known as Great Birch] Considering: 1) the proximity of Copford and Easthorpe, 2) no other marriage for John has been found, 3) the children of John began after this marriage, and 4) John owned land in Copford (see below), this is probably the marriage of John Commin, the father of children in both parishes. Land Survey Uncatalogued survey of the manor of Copford 13 January 3 James I [1606], Essex Records Office accession C891 [will be catalogued as part of D/DV 161/ ] John Cumyne claims to hold by virtue of the surrender by Robert Noothe and Marger[y] his wifeand Thurston Noothe, one tenement and one virgate of heriotable [land] containing XXX ta [?30] acres called from ancient times Goreland alias Hedghouse and now Fullers and one croft containing five [?] acres of land called Hedgland, parcel of Hedgeland tenement. The information above leads to the following family group: John Commin, born about 1565, of Copford and Easthorpe. Married 1590/1594 at Copford. Amy Greene, born about 1569, daughter of John Greene of Much (Great)Birch. Died 3 Nov 1612 at Copford.
Isaac Cummings served as constable in Topsfield,Massachusetts, and as such gave depositions in 1666 and 1673 in which his age would yield a birth in 1600/1601. This fits precisely with the birth of Izahk above. The following data come from an article by Abbott Lowell Cummings in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 163, January 1999, especially pages 64 through 66. A court record in 1631 in Mistley recorded the theft of goats belonging to Isaac Cummyn and Abr. Cummyn, in a "cote" or pen. Their having livestock in the same pen would suggest a relationship between Isaac and Abraham. In addition, he quotes from the will of Abraham Comin, yeoman, then of Much Tey, Essex, dated 10 January 1656. In it he named his son John Comyns executor, and a brother, John Comyn of "Tolson Darcey" in Essex, as one of the "supervisors". From the dates of their first children below, the ages of John, Abraham, and Isaac would be in the order of the baptisms above. In addition, all three names were given to children of Abraham. John had only one son, John. Isaac named his sons Isaac and John. All three appear in the family of Isaac's son John. Although the proof is not positive, these three appear to be sons of John and Amy. John Commin Using the data of Abbott Lowell Cummings the family of John of Tolleshunt D'Arcy can be assembled as follows using the Easthorpe baptism for the first John and estimated dates for Rebecca and their marriage. The children were all baptized at Tolleshunt D'Arcy. NOTE: Although it is not common, sometimes there were two or more living children of the same Christian name, especially when the name was John. Peter C. Nutt cited an example of a family with three Johns that were called "Young John," Middle John," and "Old John." Therefore, though more common, having two sons named John does not necessarily mean that the first John died and the name was used again. This is important because the second John would have been too young to have been John of Tolleshunt D'Arcy. John1 Comyn, baptized 17 Jun 1595 at Easthorpe, about 7 miles from Tolleshunt D'Arcy. Married about 1624.
Abraham Commin Abraham, baptized 11 Nov 1599 at Easthorpe
Isaac Commen
The three most authoritative books on Isaac's family are:
All three books stated the name of Isaac Cummings' wife was not known. However, various family collections have given her name as Mary, Marie,Margaret or Elizabeth. Since no evidence for a second marriage has been published, let us hope that Anne will be accepted as Isaac's wife. Summary David Butler Cummings - 20 August 1999 |