James Olmsted1

M, b. before 4 December 1580, d. circa October 1640
FatherJames Olmsted b. c 1550
MotherJane Bristow
     James was born before 4 December 1580 in Great Leighs, County Essex, England. On 4 December 1580, he was christened in Great Leighs, County Essex, England.2 James married Joyce Cornish on 26 October 1605 in Great Leighs, County Essex, England.3 James's wife, Joyce, died before 21 April 1621 in Fairsted, County Essex, England, leaving him a widower.3 On 22 June 1632, James left from London aboard the ship, "Lion", mastered by Captain Mason, bound for New England. They disembarked at Boston Harbor.4 James made his will on 28 September 1640 at Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.

This is my wyll, to give my Estate betweene my two sons, that is to say, the on halfe to my sonn Nicholas, and the other halfe to my sonne Nehemiah, equally devyded betweene the both, with this reservation, that if my brother Lumus doe make his word good to make my sonne Nicholis wifes portion as good as any child he hath, for so I understand his promise is, but if he shall refuse so to doe, I shall then refuse to give my sonn any part of my movable goods, cattell or debts but my will is to leave the thing with Richard Webband Willaim Wodsworth to see my Brother Lumus doe performe his promise, and as the said Richard Webb and Will Wodsworth shall doe I shall be content. And if my Brother Lumis doe performe ythis promise, then my will is their portions shall be like, only Nicholis shall give out his portion ten pound to my Cossen Rebeca Olmsted that now dwelleth with me, and he shall pay yt her within three yeares after my dicease, and I leave her to be disposed by Richard Webb an Will Wadworth, and as shee shall carry herself, yt fro her. I do give my servant Will Corby five pound, to be when his tyme coms forth, and I doe will my sonne Nehemya to pay him out of his own portion: And I do will that Will Corby doe serve his tyme with my sonne Nehemiah. And I leave my sonne Nehemiah with Richard Webb and Will Wodsworth intreating them to have the oversite of him and the disposing of him as their owne child. But if my sonne Nehemiah shall goe contrary in bestowing himself and way contrary to the judgement of my two friends, Richard Webb and Will Wodsworth, then yt shall be in their power to comaund and take a hundred pound of his Estate, and dispose of yt as they think fit. I give to my two fryends Richard Webb and Will Wodswrth which I put in trust, six pounds and a marke to be paid equally betwixt them and my two sonnes shall pay theem, the one pay the one halfe and the other pay the othere halfe.
Witnesse, the 28th of September, 1640 Signed: James Olmsted
Richard Webb
William Wodsworth

Wee whose names are hereunder written, the frynds intrusted by the deceased within named, having litell acquaintance with things of tis nature, and being by him suddenly called hereunto, in a sore stresse and pang of his sickness, wherein he expected a present departing, he being senceble of his owne weakenes, hasted to an issue of this business, did severall tymes desire us to advise him what he should doe, and many tymes did wishe us to doe what we thought meet ourselves.
Now we having since his disease, together with his two sonns, Nicholas & Nehemiah, to who he hath bequeathed his estate, taken into more serious consideration what is done, and observing some things to be overpast, of which are persuaded that if either they had com to his wone mynd, or otherwise had then bine suggested by us, he would redily and cheerfully have attended thereunto: Wee therefore togather with the reddy and free consent of his sonns abovesaid, (will knowing out of long and good experience, the disposition and constant practice of their father) hath mutually agreed, as desierus to fulfil that which we conceave to be his mynd, to ad to those bequeathed which are specified within, these legases following:
That is to say, to his Kynsmen Richard Olmsted five pound, and to his Kynsman John Olmsted five pound, to be paid unto them within three years after his dicease. And unto the Church of Christ in Harford, Twenty pounds, to be paid at the same tyme of three yeres after the decease of there said father. In witness whereof we have sett to our hands.
William Wadsworth, Nicholas Olmsted, Nehemiah Olmsted.5

He died shortly after the writing of his will.

Family

Joyce Cornish d. b 21 Apr 1621

Citations

  1. [S100] Henry King Olmsted, A.M. revised & completed by George K. Ward and Right Rev. Charles T. Olmsted, Mrs. Henry S. Stearns, Prof. Everett Ward Olmsted, Ex-off. Advisory Committee: John Bartow Olmsted, Genealogy of the Olmsted Family In America - Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmsted and covering a period of nearly Three Centuries 1632-1912, pages 5-.
  2. [S100] Henry King Olmsted, A.M. revised & completed by George K. Ward and Right Rev. Charles T. Olmsted, Mrs. Henry S. Stearns, Prof. Everett Ward Olmsted, Ex-off. Advisory Committee: John Bartow Olmsted, Genealogy of the Olmsted Family In America - Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmsted and covering a period of nearly Three Centuries 1632-1912, pages 5.
  3. [S100] Henry King Olmsted, A.M. revised & completed by George K. Ward and Right Rev. Charles T. Olmsted, Mrs. Henry S. Stearns, Prof. Everett Ward Olmsted, Ex-off. Advisory Committee: John Bartow Olmsted, Genealogy of the Olmsted Family In America - Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmsted and covering a period of nearly Three Centuries 1632-1912, page 5.
  4. [S739] Peter Wilson Coldham, The Complete Book of Immigrants, Section 2, Chapter 27, page 33 - 22 June 1632 - no ship name listed, ship master: Captain Mason who took the certificates of oath; passendger: James Olmsted.
  5. [S100] Henry King Olmsted, A.M. revised & completed by George K. Ward and Right Rev. Charles T. Olmsted, Mrs. Henry S. Stearns, Prof. Everett Ward Olmsted, Ex-off. Advisory Committee: John Bartow Olmsted, Genealogy of the Olmsted Family In America - Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmsted and covering a period of nearly Three Centuries 1632-1912, pages 7-8.