The CROSS Family of Ipswich, Essex, MA

 

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Stephen Jordan
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ROBERT CROSS (abt 1612 - aft 1695) of Ipswich
Anna Jordan
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MARTHA CROSS (b. 1644), wife of William Durkee
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SARAH CROSS (d. bef 1703), wife of William Butler


Generation 1

ROBERT CROSS (abt 1612 - aft 1695) of Ipswich

Parents:

Robert Cross was born about 1612, based on a deposition that he was 70 in 1682. [Ref] He died after Apr 1695. [Ref] He married Anna Jordan on 20 Aug 1635. [Ref] She died on 29 Oct 1677 in Ipswich. [Ref] Her son Stephen refers to his grandfather Stephen Jordan in a 1 Apr 1671 deed. [Ref] Robert married second Mary Unknown. [Ref]

Robert was a soldier in the Pequot War. [Ref]

John Fuller sued Robert Cross at the 29 (1) 1642 court in Ipswich. [Ref] Robert was "admonished for words" at the 13 (9) 1649 court at Ipswich. [Ref]

Robert is on a 19 Dec 1648 list of taxpayers in Ipswich. [Ref]

The 29 Sep 1668 court at Ipswich heard the case of William Coggswell v. John Burnam. Coggswell sued Burnam for letting his swine trespass in his barley. Robert Cross, Sr, age about 55, and his son Robert deposed that Cogswell had asked them to see the damage. William Butler deposed that he had seen the hogs in the barley. [Ref]

The Chebacco church was established in 1683 on land donated by William Cogswell. William Butler and Robert Cross, Sr. signed the 1678 and 1679 petitions of inhabitants of Chebacco requesting a meeting house. [Ref]

Robert Cross sued John Burnam, Jr. for recovery of 30 acres in Ipswich. The case was tried in Jun 1693, with a verdict for the plaintiff. The defendant appealed to the court in Boston and in Apr 1695 the verdict of the lower court was upheld. Robert made a deposition on 5 Dec 1693. From his deposition it is learned that he married his wife Anna on 20 Aug 1635. His daughter Elizabeth was born on 4 Aug 1636; his daughter Mary was born on 14 Jun 1640; his daughter Martha was born on 15 Mar 1643. [Ref] In another deposition, Lieut. John Andrews called Robert, Sr. "my brother". [Ref]

The badly behaved Lawrence Clinton was an apprentice of Robert Cross.

Children of Robert Cross:

  1. Elizabeth Cross was born on 4 Aug 1636 [Ref] in Ipswich. [Ref] She married William Nelson. [Ref][Ref]
  2. Mary Cross was born on 14 Jun 1640 [Ref] in Ipswich. [Ref] She married Ephraim Herrick on 3 Jul 1661 in Salem. [Ref]
  3. Robert Cross was born about 1641. [Ref] He died about 1713 in Ipswich. [Ref] He married Martha Treadwell on 19 Feb 1664 in Ipswich. [Ref] Martha, the daughter of Thomas Treadwell, was born on 16 Mar 1642/3. [Ref] She died on 3 Mar 1738, age 95, in Ipswich. [Ref] Robert deposed that he was 52 in 1695. [Ref]
  4. Martha Cross was born on 15 Mar 1643/4 in Ipswich. She married William Durkee.
  5. Stephen Cross was born about 1647. He deposed that he was 48 in 1695. [Ref] He married Elizabeth, the daugher of John Cheney. [Ref]
  6. Anna Cross married Thomas Marshall, Jr. [Ref]
  7. Sarah Cross married William Butler.
  8. Ralph Cross was born on 15 Feb 1658/9 in Ipswich. [Ref]

Generation 2

MARTHA CROSS (b. 1644)

Parents: Robert Cross

Martha Cross was born on 15 Mar 1643/4 [Ref] in Ipswich. [Ref] She married William Durkee on 20 Dec 1664 in Ipswich. [Ref]

SARAH CROSS (d. bef 1703)

Parents: Robert Cross

Sarah Cross died before 2 Jul 1703, when her husband remarried. [Ref]She married William Butler [Ref] in 1675. [Ref] William Butler refers to his "father Cross" in a deed. [Ref]

References:

Anderson, Robert Charles, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Vol. 3, Boston, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001.

Ballou, Hosea Starr, "Dr. Thomas Starr, Surgeon in the Pequot War and his Family Connection," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 89, 1935, 172- .

Butler, Elmer Ellsworth, Butlers and Kinsfolk: Butlers of New England and Nova Scotia and related families of other names, including Durkees, descendants of Lieut. William and Sarah (Cross) Butler of Ipswich, Mass., and of Eleazer 1st and Lydia (Durkee) Butler of Ashford, Conn. and Yarmouth, N.S., Milford, NH, Cabinet Press, 1988.

Dow, George Francis, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Essex Institute, 1911.

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850. Online Database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2007.

Robbins, William A., "William Treadwell of Ipswich, Mass., and some of his descendants," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 60, 1906, 58-55.

Titus, Anson, "Robert Cross, Sr. of Ipswich, Mass.," Notes section, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 60, 1906, 48-55.

Wait, Luther, trans., "Ipswich Proceedings," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 2, 1848, 50-53.