William Lumpkin was born about
1604 in England. I have found a good deal of conflicting information on
William, so please consider this sketch a work in progress!
I have not found William’s
hometown or parents. It seems he emigrated in 1637 from London on the Rose at age 33 with his wife Elizabeth,
whose maiden name is unknown, their daughter Ann, and their servant Thomas Howe(s)
(whom I also descend from). His name is
Ludken on passenger list, so some difference of opinion on whether this is
actually William Lumpkin. At any rate, he is my 10th
great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family.
William was one of the first
comers to Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, one of ten men allowed by
the 7 Jan 1639 court to “take up freedom at Yarmouth.” He settled in an area
that became the town of Dennis. He lived on a brook later called Eldred’s Brook,
northwest of Whig and Beach Streets (CCGS “Dennis First Comers” map). He was a
locksmith in England and prospered in Yarmouth as a weaver. William was on the
1643 list of Yarmouth men able to bear arms. He served his community as
constable, grand juryman, surveyor of highways, and deputy to the Colony Court.
In 1667 he was foreman of a coroner’s jury to investigate the death of Nicholas
Nickerson’s son who choked on a piece of pumpkin shell (Nicholas is also an
ancestor of mine).
 |
| from CCGS Bulletin |
As with most mere mortals
living in Plymouth Colony, William did see a bit of trouble. In 1667, he and
Peter Worden (another ancestor of mine) were talking quietly during meeting and
were both fined 10 shillings for disturbance of public worship.
William owned a boat with Hugh
Tilley and Gabriel Whelden (Gabriel is my ancestor) that they used for fishing.
William and Hugh were ordered by the court to pay 15 shillings to Gabriel for
his third part of the boat they owned in partnership.
In the 1648 division of land at
Yarmouth, William received fourscore acres of upland and 20 acres of meadow.
After the death of his wife Elizabeth,
William married Tamisin/Tamesin, maiden name unknown. Some people give her the
maiden name Constable but I haven’t seen a source for that. No marriage record
is found, but William names Tamasin in his will.
William and Elizabeth had a
daughter Ann who married William Eldred/Eldredge. I descend from this couple
and wrote about them here..
William and Tamisin had two
daughters:
Tamsin who married Samuel Mayo
and John Sunderland
Hannah who married John Gray
I’ve also seen a daughter Mary
attributed to William, but I’m not sure about this.
William wrote a will dated
Yarmouth, 20 July 1668. He mentions being weak but of perfect sense and
memory. He names his “now wife” Tamasin
Lumpkin” as sole executrix. She was to have his house, land, cattle and goods
during her lifetime. After her decease, half of the estate, both land, cattle,
housing and goods to go to daughter Tamasin the wife of John Sunderling, with
the caveat that she should pay his grandchild Bethyah Eldred five pounds when she reaches age 20. The
other half of his estate was to go to grandchild William Gray. William Gray expected to pay five pounds to
grandchild Elisha Eldred when he turns 21. Grandchild Elisha Eldred was also to
receive his loom and all other equipment for the weaving trade. He appoints
beloved friends Mr. Edmond Hawes and John Thacher as “Friends in trust” to see
his wishes are carried out.
An inventory of William
Lumpkin’s estate was taken 29 January 1670, amounting to over 93 pounds, not
including real estate. It included a gold ring, a drinking cup edged with
silver, brass candlesticks, 3 Bibles and another book, weaving supplies, a beer
barrel, farming supplies, sheep wool, saddle and bridle, a musket, a sword, 3
oxen, six cows, two calves, one horse.
I have read that he died 29 Oct
1671 at Yarmouth, but this is after his inventory was taken.
Sources:`
Charles Swift, History of Old Yarmouth, 1884
Nancy Thacher Reid, Dennis, Cape Cod: From Firstcomers to
Newcomers, 1639-1993, 1996
Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, Its History and People, 1986
Cape Cod Genealogical Society Bulletin,
Spring 2001, page 8-10
