Ancestral Glimpses » Bernard Capen (± 1562-1638)

Persönliche Daten Bernard Capen 

• Er wurde geboren rund 1562 in Dorchester, Dorsetshire, ENGLAND.
• Er ist verstorben am 8. November 1638.
• Diese Information wurde zuletzt aktualisiert am 25. Januar 2015.

Familie von Bernard Capen

Er ist verheiratet mit Joan Purchase.

Sie haben geheiratet am 31. Mai 1596 in ENGLAND.

Monday of Whitsum week

Notizen bei Bernard Capen

BERNARD CAPEN (1562-1638)
JOAN PURCHASE (1578-1653)

SHIP:          “Mary and John”
YEAR CAME TO AMERICA:          1633
FAMILY MEMBERS ON SHIP:
          Bernard, Joan, Dorothy, John,      Honor, Elizabeth, Susanna, James,        Ruth, Hannah

Bernard Capen was born in 1562 in Dorchester, Dorset, England to John Capen of Dorchester.  Joan Purchase was born 25 Mar 1578 at Dorchester, Dorset, England to Oliver Purchase and Thomazine Harris.

Bernard and Joan married 31 May 1596, Monday of Whitsum week.[1]

Bernard and Joan had children (1) Bernard, born 1597 (2) Ruth, born 7 Aug 1600, (3) Susanna born 11 Apr 1602[2] and died 30 Nov 1666 married 1st William Rockwell, and 2nd Matthew Grant. (4) Dorothy born 1603 and died 18 Sep 1675 and is buried at Copps Hill BG Boston, Massachusetss.  She married Nicolas Millard Upsall 18 Apr 1624 in England (5) Hannah, born 1607 and married Robert Gifford 4 Aug 1629 and 2nd married Matthew Grant 19 May 1645, (6) John born 26 Jan 1612 married 1st Redegon, Clap and 2nd Mary Bass and died 6 Apr 1692. (7) Honor born 1616, married William Nicholas Hannum in 1634 at Dorchester, MA and died 1679 at Westfield Hapden, Massachusetts. (8) Elizabeth born 29 Oct 1614, married Thomas swift 18 Oct 1634 in Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset, England and died 26 Jan 1677/8 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.

Bernard and Joan with their children came from Dorchester, England about 26 Feb 1632 to America settling at Dorchester.[3] Bernard was a proprietor 5 Aug 1633 and listed as a freeman in 25 May 1636. He settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts.

In Whiteway’s Diary (Dorchester, Dorchester, England) April 1630. “The beginning of this month many of this town (Dorchester) went to plant in New England among the rest mrs. Sanford.”

3 Feb 1632/3. “This day Christopher Gould married Rachel Beaker and shortly after, when Aquila Purchase, Bernard Capen and others went for New England he was by Mr. White chosen clerke of Trinity Parish and by the town he was made schoolmaster of Trinity School.” (Edgerton MSS., Brit, Mus. 784)[4]

The name of Barnard Capen first appears on the Dorchester, Mass Town Records in connection with land grants, as we now have them page 6 thus 5 Aug 1633- “nicho: Upsall, Bernard Capen, Phillip Randall, James Parker, 4 acres a pecce.”

He is last mentioned in the allotment of lands at “the necke,” now South Boston, March 18, 1637, with the Cowes pasture and other land, when portions were assigned Him, as also to his son John, who according to the record, was “Born ye 26 of January, in the ye yeer of the Lord, 1612,” and died in Dorchester, the 4th of April 1692, aged 80 years, having had nine children, by his two wives, whose maiden names were Redgon Clap and Mary Bass.  This John, who was the only son of Barnard in this country, of whom we have any record, was a prominent man in Dorchester, during his long life, having been captain, deacon of the church deputy to the General Court, and town recorder.

Bernard’s will is dated 9 Oct 1638 and probated 19 Nov 1652.

Oct. 9th 1638.  Sonne John five acres of land out of my great lott, next adioyning to his lott ye which he is to possess immediately after my decease.  Wch is to fulfill a promise made at his marriage.  To wife all such lands and goods as I now possess during her life.  And when it shall appear he days draw to an end, that she with ye rest of my friends whom I put in trust, to divide theis lands and goods to my children equally.  If she change her name by marriage with another man, then she shall, with ye aduise of those my fridns give porcons equally to my children.
New theirs my friends wch I put in trust, to see theis things done according to my will are Mr. Minit the elder, by brother Dyer & William suner, & George Dyer & Will Sunmer deposed beford County Court, 19th November, 1652, that this was the last will of Bernard Capen. Edward Rawson, Record.

John Capen deposed before ye County Court, 19th November, 1652 that the tyme when his father made the will was in ye yere 1638. Per Edward Rawson, Recd.[5]

He bequeathed to wife and son John and makes his “brother dyer” one of the overseers of the estate.  George Dyer deposed.

Bernard died 8 Nov 1638 age 76 and the widow Joanna died 26 March 1653 age 75 years.[6]

A fragment of the original grave-stone of Barnard and Joan Capen was found a few years ago, in the old cemetery at Dorchester. It is in possession of the new-England historic Genealogical Society, a copy of which is here appended, as, also, a copy from the renewed stone, as it now stands, in the ancient burial-ground.  This is probably, “The oldest Inscription to be found on any grave stone in New England,” so far as the date of death of Barnard Capen is concerned.

BODY OF                                                               Here
PEN    AGED                         lies the Bodies of
IED      Ye                                          Mr/ Barmard Ca[em
ER      1638                             & Mrs. Joan Capen his
Wife;  He died Nov 8
JOAN                             1638     Aged 76 years
AGED                       & She died March 26 1653 Aged 75 years

[1] Sons & Daughters of Pilgrims, Vol I, Sons and Daughters of The Pilgrims, Page 549
[2] In http://hippeesandee.bravepages.com/surcd/capen.htm it says she was born 5 Apr 1602 and died 14th of Nov 1602 probably taking into account the calendar changes.
[3] Diary of Wm. Whitway in Dorchs. Pope Family p. 13
[4] Series 1, Volume 3, Genealogical Gleanings in England, Page 35 genealogy.com
[5] Suffolk County Wills, Abstracts of the Earliest Wills Upon Record, Page 42
[6] Pioneers of Massachusetts, Surnames C-D, Page 88

----------------------------
About Bernard Capen
Bernard came from Dorcester, England. His wife and Joan came to America with some of their children and settled in Dorchester Mass. The house was built on Washington Street - near? melvile ave or? wheatland st.His name first appeared with land bought on Aug. 4, 1633. He died on this property in 1638 at age 76. His house was still in existence in 1928 although it was moved at to Milton in 1909 set up on a hill. His gravestone in pieces was later kept at New England Historic Genealogy Room in Boston. The old "North Burying Ground" in Dorchester has what is referred to as "Capen Row" with Bernard and many of his children and descendants buried there.
--------------------
Barnard was born in 1562 and was 76 years old when he was granted land in Dorchester, Mass. His gravestone in the New England Geneological and Historical Society in Boston is believed to be the oldest in this country. His house is still standing after having been moved from Dorchester to Milton in the 1920's.
--------------------
Arrived in America on July 24, 1633 aboard the "Mary and John"
His house was relocated from Dorchester to Milton in 1909 and dismantled in 2007 -------------------- Bernard Capen was b. circa 1552-1553 purportedly at Dorchester in Dorset, England and d. at Dorchester, Mass. on Nov. 8, 1638, Æ 76.
Bernard is the spelling of his given name throughout the Dorchester, Mass. records; the more normal spelling of Barnard is found on his gravestone and subsequent namesake descendants are called Barnard. However, for consistency with the records the name Bernard is used for the immigrant ancestor.
There is no current knowledge regarding the name of Bernard's parents or his actual place of birth. The benchmark knowledge of the immigrant family is from the published bible fly-leaf cited below, which gives specific dates of birth for some of the children, but not where they were born. While the inference is that the children were born at Dorchester in Dorset, England, no descendant apparently has spent the effort in a search of the Dorchester parish records. The Dorset Record Office has parish records for the only Church of England that existed at Dorchester prior to 1653 - Holy Trinity [baptisms 1559-1974, marriages 1560-1975, burials 1569-1874]. The quoted cost of one hour's research, after currency conversion to U.S. dollars, is $40.00, should any descendant be willing to take on the effort. In the meantime, the following has been uncovered by the memorialist.
In "The Municipal Records of the Borough of Dorchester, Dorset," edited in 1908 by Charles Herbert Mayo, M.A., are two references to Bernard Capen:
• In a list of those that forfeited money for non-appearance at the Autumn 1610 (8 James 1st, 1610) court of Assizes, the name "Barnard Calpyn" is included.
• In "Admission of Freeman of the Company of Freeman of the Borough, Minute Book C.6," on Mar. 31, 1631, "Barnard Cawpin, shoomaker," paid 3 shillings for the privilege of being a freeman of Dorchester.
Aquila Purchis, Bernard's brother-in-law, is mentioned in the same work as the first Master (April 1625-March 1632) of the Trinity School, established in 1623 at the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church. Aquila and his wife Ann sailed with Bernard and wife Joan on the unnamed ship from Weymouth in 1633 for Dorchester, Mass. Unfortunately, Aquila died during the voyage.
According to the fly-leaf of a bible printed in 1615 once owned by a descendant [NEHGR 2:80]:
• Barnard Capen maryed Joan ye dafter of Oliuer Purchis, ye yeer of or Lord, 1596, on munday, in whitson week...
Whitsun is the contraction for White Sunday, the 7th day after Easter in the Christian calendar. The following day is called Whit Monday, a name coined to supersede the form "Monday in Whitsun-week." In the year 1596, Apr. 14th was Easter day, thus they married on Monday, Apr. 22, 1596, not May 31, 1596, a Friday, as claimed by Anderson in "The Great Migration Begins" series.
Bernard and Joan had seven known children, five of whom settled in New England initially at Dorchester, Mass. It is believed Bernard and Joan arrived on the unnamed ship that sailed from Weymouth, England and reached Boston, Mass. on July 24, 1633. (One recent author suggests the ship may have been the "Elizabeth Bonaventure" with 80 passengers after a 12 week passage.) With them may have been son John and certainly youngest dau. Honour, who were both minors in 1633. They may have been accompanied by their married daughter Dorothy Upshall. The older children who married in England likely arrived prior to July 1633. This was certainly the case with son-in-law and dau. William and Susanna (Capen) Rockwell, who are believed to have arrived on May 30, 1630 at present-day Hull, Mass. aboard the celebrated "Mary and John".
The first mention of Bernard in the Dorchester records is a grant of four acres of land to both he and son-in-law Upshall on Aug. 5, 1633. Bernard's former gravestone, in pieces, was found buried below ground and was later kept in storage at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. The existing gravestone at the 'Old North Burying Ground' is a replica based on the above cited bible leaf published in the January 1848 issue of the NEHGS Register.
The claim that Bernard's house, built circa 1638, was still in existence in 1909 has since been proved incorrect. The house was actually built in 1675 either by Bernard's son Capt. John Capen or by Capt. John's eldest son John (See Capt. John Capen and photo captions for further detail.)
The children of Bernard Capen and Joan Purchase, all b. in England presumably at Dorchester in Dorset, are:
• i. James Capen, b. circa 1598, d. testate on or after Sept. 3, 1628 presumably at Holborn, a parish just outside the western limits of the City of London, England. See his memorial for more detail.
• ii. Ruth Capen, b. Aug. 7, 1600; no further record.
• iii. Susanna Capen, b. Apr. 11, 1602, d. Nov. 14, 1666 at Windsor, Conn., Æ 65; m. 1) Apr. 14, 1624 at Dorchester, England, William Rockwell, s. of John Rockwell & Honour Newton, bapt. Feb. 6, 1589/90 at Fitzhead in Somerset, England. William was one of the founding settlers of Windsor, Conn. where he was buried on May 15, 1640, Æ 51. They had five children, of whom dau. Ruth and husband Christopher Huntington are ancestors of one branch of the prominent Huntington family of Conn. and are ancestors of Civil War Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant, later President of the United States. On May 29, 1645 at Windsor, Susanna m. 2) as his 2nd wife, Matthew Grant, formerly of Dorchester, Mass., b. Oct. 27, 1601 in England and d. at Windsor, Conn. on Dec. 16, 1681. There were no children of this second marriage. Matthew Grant and first wife Priscilla are also the ancestors of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (Matthew's great gr.son Noah Grant m. Susanna (Capen) Rockwell's great gr.dau. Martha Huntington). Matthew Grant's dau., Priscilla (Grant) Humphrey, is a separate ancestor of the memorialist.
• iv. Dorothy Capen, b. circa 1603-1604, d. Sept. 18, 1675 at Boston, Mass., Æ 73; m. Jan. 17, 1629/30 at Dorchester, England, Nicholas Upshall b. circa 1597 and d. Aug. 20, 1666, Æ 70, while confined in lieu of prison by the Mass. Court to the Dorchester residence of his brother-in-law, Capt. John Capen. Considerable turmoil was involved with this family due to Nicholas' favorable views toward Quakers in early New England. Dorothy and husband Nicholas Upshall had five known children; two died in their youth while a third child probably died young.
• v. Elizabeth Capen, b. circa 1611-1612, d. Jan 26, 1677/8 at Dorchester, Mass., Æ 67; m. Oct. 18, 1630 at Dorchester, England, Thomas Swift, b. circa 1599-1600 and d. at Dorchester, Mass. on May 4, 1675, Æ 76. Nine children of the family.
• vi. Capt. & Dea. John Capen, b. Jan. 26, 1612/3, d. Apr. 4, 1692, Æ 80; m. 1) Oct. 20, 1637 Redegon Clap , dau. of Nicholas Clap & wife Elizabeth, bapt. May 7, 1609 at Sidbury in Devonshire, England and d. at Dorchester, Mass. on Dec. 10, 1645, Æ 37. They had two known children. He m. 2) Sept. 20, 1647 at Braintree, Mass., Mary Bass, dau. of Dea. Samuel Bass & Ann Saville, b. circa 1632 and d. at Dorchester, Mass. on June 29, 1704, Æ 73. They had eight children and are the ancestors of U.S. President John Calvin Coolidge.
• vii. Honour Capen, b. circa 1616; m. circa 1635 at Dorchester, Mass., William Hannum, who d. at Northampton, Mass. on June 1, 1677. Honour is claimed to have d. at Westfield, on the west side of Springfield, Mass., in circa 1680. They resided first at Dorchester, then at Windsor, Conn. where Hannum was a founding settler of Windsor, and finally at Northampton, Mass. Five children of the family. -------------------- Bernard came from Dorcester, England. His wife and Joan came to America with some of their children and settled in Dorchester Mass. His name first appeared with land bought on Aug. 4, 1633. He died on this property in 1638 at age 76. His house was still in existence in 1928 although it was moved at to Milton in 1909 set up on a hill. His gravestone in pieces was later kept at New England Historic Genealogy Room in Boston. The old "North Burying Ground" in Dorchester has what is referred to as "Capen Row" with Bernard and many of his children and descendants buried there.
--------------------
Barnard was born in 1562 and was 76 years old when he was granted land in Dorchester, Mass. His gravestone in the New England Geneological and Historical Society in Boston is believed to be the oldest in this country. His house is still standing after having been moved from Dorchester to Milton in the 1920's.
--------------------
Arrived in America on July 24, 1633 aboard the "M... -------------------- 12/27/2014 Found these notes on findagrave.com on Barnard's page. CTC: Birth: 1563, England Death: Nov. 8, 1638 Dorchester Suffolk County Massachusetts, USA
Barnard Capen, b. circa 1562-1563 purportedly at Dorchester in Dorset, England. He d. Nov. 8, 1638 at Dorchester, Mass., Æ 76.
Bernard is the spelling of his given name throughout the Dorchester, Mass. records, but the name Barnard is found on his gravestone and subsequent descendants are called Barnard.
There is no current knowledge regarding the name of Barnard's parents or his actual place of birth. The benchmark knowledge of the immigrant family is from the published bible fly-leaf cited below, which gives specific dates of birth for some of the children, but not where the children were born. While the inference is the children were born at Dorchester in Dorset, England, no descendant apparently has made the effort to search the Dorchester parish records. The Dorset Record Office has parish records that existed at Dorchester prior to 1653 - Holy Trinity [baptisms 1559-1974, marriages 1560-1975, burials 1569-1874]- should any descendant be willing to take on the effort. In the meantime, the following has been uncovered by the memorialist.
In "The Municipal Records of the Borough of Dorchester, Dorset," edited in 1908 by Charles Herbert Mayo, M.A., are two apparent references to Barnard Capen:
• A "Barnard Calpyn" is included in a list of those that forfeited money for non-appearance at the Autumn 1610 (8 James 1st, 1610) court of Assizes. • In "Admission of Freeman of the Company of Freeman of the Borough, Minute Book C.6," on Mar. 31, 1631 "Barnard Cawpin, shoomaker," paid 3 shillings for the privilege of being a freeman of Dorchester.
Aquila Purchis, Barnard's brother-in-law, is mentioned in the same work as the first Master (April 1625-March 1632) of the Trinity School, established in 1623 at the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church at Dorchester, England. Aquila and his wife Ann sailed with Barnard and wife Joan on the unnamed ship from Weymouth in 1633 for Dorchester, Mass. Unfortunately, Aquila died during the voyage.
According to the fly-leaf of a bible printed in 1615 once owned by a descendant [NEHGR 2:80]:
• Barnard Capen maryed Joan ye dafter of Oliuer Purchis, ye yeer of or Lord, 1596, on munday, in whitson week...
Whitsun is the contraction for White Sunday, the 7th Sunday after Easter, or Pentecost in the Christian calendar. The following day is called Whit Monday, a name coined to supersede the form "Monday in Whitsun-week,"also known as Pentecost Monday. In Bernard and Joan's own time, Apr. 11th was Easter in the then utilized Julian calendar (Apr. 14th in the modern Gregorian calendar), thus they married in their own time on Monday May 31, 1596 in the Julian calendar (June 3, 1596 in the modern Gregorian calendar).
Barnard and wife Joan had seven known children, five who settled in New England initially at Dorchester, Mass. It is believed Barnard and Joan arrived on the unnamed ship that sailed from Weymouth, England and reached Boston, Mass. on July 24, 1633. (One recent author suggests the ship may have been the "Elizabeth Bonaventure" after a 12 week passage.) With them may have been son John and certainly youngest dau. Honour, who were both minors in 1633. They may have been accompanied by their married daughter Dorothy Upshall. The older children who married in England likely arrived prior to July 1633. This was certainly the case with son-in-law and dau. William and Susanna (Capen) Rockwell, who arrived May 30, 1630 at present-day Hull, Mass. aboard the celebrated "Mary and John."
The first mention of Barnard in the Dorchester records is Aug. 5, 1633 regarding a grant of four acres of land to both he and son-in-law Upshall. Barnard's former gravestone, in pieces, was found buried below ground and later kept in storage at the New England Historic Genealogical Society at Boston. The existing gravestone at the 'Old North Burying Ground' is a replica based on the above cited bible leaf published in the January 1848 issue of the NEHGS Register.
The claim that Barnard's house, built circa 1638, was still in existence in 1909 has since been proved incorrect. The house was actually built in 1675 either by Barnard's son Capt. John Capen or by Capt. John's eldest son John (See Capt. John Capen and photo captions for further detail.)
The children of Barnard Capen and Joan Purchase b. in England, presumably at Dorchester in Dorset, are:
• i. James Capen, b. circa 1598, d. testate on or after Sept. 3, 1628 presumably at Holborn, a parish just outside the western limits of the City of London, England. See his memorial for more detail.
• ii. Ruth Capen, b. Aug. 7, 1600; no further record.
• iii. Susanna Capen, b. Apr. 11, 1602, d. Nov. 14, 1666 at Windsor, Conn., Æ 65; m. 1) Apr. 14, 1624 at Dorchester, England, William Rockwell, s. of John Rockwell & Honour Newton, bapt. Feb. 6, 1589/90 at Fitzhead in Somerset, England. William was one of the founding settlers of Windsor, Conn. where he was buried May 15, 1640, Æ 51. They had five children, of whom dau. Ruth and husband Christopher Huntington are ancestors of one branch of the prominent Huntington family of Conn. and are also ancestors of Civil War Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant, later President of the United States. On May 29, 1645 at Windsor, Susanna m. 2) as his 2nd wife, Matthew Grant, formerly of Dorchester, Mass., b. Oct. 27, 1601 at England. He d. Dec. 16, 1681 at Windsor, Conn. There were no children of this second marriage. Matthew Grant and first wife Priscilla are also the ancestors of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (Matthew's great gr.son Noah Grant m. Susanna (Capen) Rockwell's great gr.dau. Martha Huntington). Matthew Grant's dau., Priscilla (Grant) Humphrey, is a separate ancestor of the memorialist.
• iv. Dorothy Capen, b. circa 1603-1604, d. Sept. 18, 1675 at Boston, Mass., Æ 73; m. Jan. 17, 1629/30 at Dorchester, England, Nicholas Upshall b. circa 1597. He d. Aug. 20, 1666, Æ 70, while confined (in lieu of prison) by the Mass. Court to the Dorchester residence of his brother-in-law, Capt. John Capen. Considerable turmoil was involved with this family due to Nicholas' favorable views toward Quakers in early New England. Dorothy and husband Nicholas Upshall had five known children; two died in their youth while a third child probably died young.
• v. Elizabeth Capen, b. circa 1611-1612, d. Jan 26, 1677/8 at Dorchester, Mass., Æ 67; m. Oct. 18, 1630 at Dorchester, England, Thomas Swift, b. circa 1599-1600. He d. May 4, 1675, Æ 76, at Dorchester, Mass. Nine children of the family.
• vi. Capt. & Dea. John Capen, b. Jan. 26, 1612/3, d. Apr. 4, 1692, Æ 80; m. 1) Oct. 20, 1637 Redegon Clap , dau. of Nicholas Clap & wife Elizabeth, bapt. May 7, 1609 at Sidbury in Devonshire, England. She d. Dec. 10, 1645, Æ 37, at Dorchester, Mass. They had two known children. He m. 2) Sept. 20, 1647 at Braintree, Mass., Mary Bass, dau. of Dea. Samuel Bass & Ann Saville, b. circa 1632. She d. June 29, 1704, Æ 73, at Dorchester, Mass. They had eight children and are the ancestors of U.S. President John Calvin Coolidge.
• vii. Honour Capen, b. circa 1616; m. circa 1635 at Dorchester, Mass., William Hannum, who d. June 1, 1677 at Northampton, Mass. Honour is claimed to have d. circa 1680 at Westfield, on the west side of Springfield, Mass. The more likely interpretation is that she d. at Northampton's 'westfield,' now the separate town of Westhampton, Mass. They resided first at Dorchester, then at Windsor, Conn. where Hannum was a founding settler, and finally at Northampton, Mass. Five children of the family. Honour's 4th gr.grandson Aaron Cushman Hannum (1799-1871) of Williamsburg and Adams, MA [Josiah,7-6 Aaron,5 William,4 John Hannum,3 Honour Capen,2] was the husb. of Parthena Robinson (1803-1865) [Joseph,7 Jacob,6-4 Isaac,3 Rev. John Robinson,2 late of Leiden, Holland].
Family links:
Spouse: Joan Purchase Capen (____ - 1653)Children: James Capen (1598 - 1628)* Susannah Capen Rockwell Grant (1602 - 1666)* Dorothy Capen Upshall (1603 - 1675)* Elizabeth Capen Swift (1611 - 1678)* John Capen (1613 - 1692)* Honor Capen Hannum (1616 - 1680)*
Calculated relationship
Inscription: Here lies the bodies of Mr Barnard Capen & Mrs Joan Capen his wife; He died Nov 8, 1638 Aged 76 years & She died March 26, 1653: Aged 75 years.
On the day Bernard died he was 75 years old and Ætatis (i.e., Æ, "Aged," in the XX year of his Age) 76.
Burial: Dorchester North Burying Ground Dorchester Suffolk County Massachusetts, USA
Maintained by: Don Blauvelt Originally Created by: Bonnie Weller Record added: Oct 04, 2001 Find A Grave Memorial# 5823815
12/29/2014 Did an Ancestry.com search and no search came up. Expanded my results to make it broader and only thing that came up was some other family having him in their tree. Listing them here just for cross reference purposes. CTC: Barnard Capen Swearingen Bauman Family Tree
1/10/2015 Found the following. CTC:
http://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10109/wikitree?itemId=5404494&action=showRecord&indId=externalindividual-b76ef94b885ad45353909f1e7ad2fbf5&mrid=2fd28c3f8f0a3c415d97b39141af62d6
Bernard Capen aka Capin
Born 1562 in Dorchester, Dorset, Englandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of Joan Purchase — married May 31, 1596 [location unknown]
Father of Honor (Capen) Hannum, Bernard Capen, James Capen, Ruth Capen, Susannah Capin, Dorothy Capen, Hannah (Capen) Gifford, Elizabeth (Capen) Swift, John Capen and Honor Capen
Died November 8, 1638 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusettsmap
Profile managers: Jillaine Smith private message [send private message], Loren Fay private message [send private message], Ann Borgers private message [send private message], Dennis Rockwell private message [send private message], and Rachel Russell private message [send private message]
Last profile change on 29 December 2014
11:21: G Gaffin edited the Death Place for Bernard Capen. [Thank G for this]
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Categories: Puritan Great Migration | English Immigrants to America | Dorchester, Massachusetts | Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Massachusetts.
The Puritan Great Migration. This person was part of the Puritan Great Migration.
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Contents [hide]•1 Biography •2 Last Will & Testament •3 Children •4 Notes •5 Sources •6 Footnotes •7 Contributors
Biography
Unless otherwise noted, information is from Great Migration Begins. He was born about 1562 based on age at death, but this may be an exaggeration, judging by date of marriage.
His origins might be in or near Trinity Parish.
He married 31 May 1596 Joan Purchase, daughter of Oliver Purchase;[1] born about 1578 based on age at death; admitted to second church of Dorchester, probably 1638; she died in Dorchester 26 Mar 1652, age 75.[2]
A "Barnard Calpyn" is included in a list of those that forfeited money for non-appearance at the Autumn 1610 (8 James 1st, 1610) court of Assizes.[citation needed]
He emigrated in 1633 possibly on the "Discovery of London" or the "Elizabeth Bonaventure" after a 12 week passage, but not on the ship "Mary and John" as part of the 1630 Winthrop Fleet. "With them may have been son John and certainly youngest daughter Honour, who were both minors in 1633. They may have been accompanied by their married daughter Dorothy Upshall. The older children who married in England likely arrived prior to July 1633. This was certainly the case with son-in-law and daughter William and Susanna (Capen) Rockwell, who arrived May 30, 1630 at present-day Hull, Mass. aboard the celebrated "Mary and John." Aquila Purchis, Barnard's brother-in-law and his wife Ann sailed with Barnard and wife Joan on the unnamed ship from Weymouth in 1633 for Dorchester, Mass. Unfortunately, Aquila died during the voyage. He was a shoemaker.
On Mar. 31, 1631 "Barnard Cawpin, shoomaker," paid 3 shillings for the privilege of being a freeman of Dorchester. England.[citation needed]
The first mention of Barnard in the Dorchester records is Aug. 5, 1633 regarding a grant of four acres of land to both he and son-in-law Nicholas Upsall. Then: •30 acre Great Lot granted to "Bernard Gapin and his son," 4 January 1635/6 [DTR 14]; •"Barnard and John Gapin shall have 2 acres in the
marsh next Goodman Grenwayes," 27 June 1636 [DTR 17]; •with others, granted "ground adjoining to their home lots," 2 January 1637/8 [DTR 25]; •granted two lots each of two acres and a fraction, 18 March 1637/8[DTR 31]; •granted lot #8, 6 acres, in Meadow beyond Naponset [DTR 321]. •(Two other small parcels of land granted on 2 January 1637/8 to "Good: Gapin" may be intended for Bernard [DTR 27, 28]).
His homestead was on what is now Washington Street, near Wheatland Avenue. The last land granted him was at South Boston in 1637.
He was admitted freeman 25 May 1636 in Dorchester.
He died in Dorchester 8 November 1638, aged 76.[3]
He was buried on 8 Nov 1638 in N Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts.[citation needed] Barnard's former gravestone, in pieces, was found buried below ground and later kept in storage at the New England Historic Genealogical Society at Boston. The existing gravestone at the 'Old North Burying Ground' is a replica based on the above cited bible leaf published in the January 1848 issue of the NEHGS Register.[4] His Memorial has photos, a biography and links to those of family members, includng that of his wife Joan.
Last Will & Testament
Dated 9 October 1638, probated 19 November 1652: “Barnard Capen” bequeathed to his son John five acres out of his great lot, the residue to his wife during her life, “and when it shall appear her days draw to an end, that she with the rest of my friends whom I put in trust, to divide these lands and goods to my children equally,” naming trustees “Mr. Minit the elder, my brother George Dyer & Will[ia]m Sumner” [ SPR 1:84]. Given the terms of the document, probate of the will was presumably delayed until the widow’s last illness, as she died just four months later - 26 Mar. 1653, aged 75.
That he refers to George Dyer indicates a kinship relation, probably by marriage.
Children
1. James, b say 1598; on 3 Sep 1628 "James Capen of Holborne in the County of Middlesex, scrivener," made his nuncupative will, bequeathing all to his mother "Joane Capen the wife of Barnard Capen of Dorchester in the County of Dorset, shoemaker," out of which she was to make payments of L4 apiece to his "four sisters unmarried"; witnesses were Barnard Capen the younger and Jerom[e] Wolverton [NEHGR 49:489, citing PCC 83 Barrington]. 2. Ruth, b 7 Aug 1600 [NEHGR 2:80]; no further record (unless she is one of the four unmarried sisters named in the will of her brother James Capen). 3. Susanna, b 11 Apr 1602 [NEHGR 2:80]; m1 Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorsetshire, 14 Apr 1625 William Rockwell [Dorset Marr. 7:9]; m2 Windsor 29 May 1645 Matthew Grant,as his second wife. 4. Dorothy, b say 1608; m oly Trinity, Dorchester, Dorsetshire, 17 Jan 1629/30 Nicholas Upsall [Dorset Marr. 7:10]. 5. Elizabeth, b say 1610; m Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorsetshire, 18 Oct 1630 Thomas Swift [Dorset Marr. 7:10]. 6. John, b 26 Jan 1612 [NEHGR 2:80]; freeman 14 May 1634 [MBCR 1:369]; m1 Dorchester 20 Oct 1637 Redegon Clap [NEHGR 2:80]; m2 20 Sept 1647 Mary Bass [NEHGR 2:80]; daughter of Samuel Bass. 7. Honor, b say 1616; married about 1636 William Hannum [the will of Dorothy (Capen) Upsall, widow of Nicholas Upsall, names, among others, sister Honor Hannum].
A possible additional child who might also be the 4th unmarried sister in James' 1628 will is Hannah who married 4 Aug 1629 Robert Guifford.[Dorset Marr 7:10].
Notes
1. The Youth's Companion New England Edition, March 11, 1909 Unless the descendants of Bernard Capen, the original owner and occupant, unite to save, that ancient worthy's former home in the Dorchester district of Boston, one of the oldest house, if not the oldest, in New England, is likely soon to be destroyed. The Nourse house at Danvers, Massachusetts, which was pictured some two years ago on a Companion cover, is supposed to have been built in 1635. The earlier part of the Dorchester structure, the subject of this week?s cover-page illustrations, dates from ?between 1630 and 1638.? Capen died in 1638, and many persons believe his grave, which is still marked and dated, to be ?the oldest recorded in the United States, with possibly one exception in James.? It was for his wisdom and integrity, it is said, that Bernard Capen was selected as one of the colonists who left England and settled Dorchester in 1630. Capen, however, was then sixty-eight years old, and survived the hardships of the new country but eight years. He built his home near what is now Washington Street, opposite Melville Avenue?a house of two rooms so low-studded that in one of them a tall man can scarcely stand upright, with hewn beams and timbers and clapboards, and with an immense fireplace that carried most of the heat up the chimney. This is the western end of the present structure. The eastern end was erected a hundred years later, when, it is recorded, the builders found in the woodwork a number of Indian arrows, suggestions of the difficulties that attended the founding of an early New England home. With the exception of one year, the house as always remained in the possession of the Capen family. Surrounding it are some eighty-seven thousand square feet of land, and the present owner of the property purposes to clear the land and cut it up in building-lots. Local historical societies which might have a disposition to preserve the house seem to lack the necessary funds; and it is not yet possible to predict the outcome of an attempt now making to rally the Capens to the rescue of their old homestead. Since the house is important in the history of not only Dorchester but New England, it would be greatly to be regretted should this effort fail.
1. 2008 Article from Dorchester Atheneum on-line: The Bernard Capen House, which stood on Washington opposite Melville Avenue, was probably built prior to 1637 . In 1909 Harvard professor Kenneth Grant Tremayne Webster rescued the house from demolition and moved it to 427 Hillside Street, Milton. This house is one of three surviving 17th century houses built in Dorchester along with the Blake House, now on Columbia Road and the Pierce House on Oakton Avenue. In 2006, the property in Milton was sold, and the developer planned to take the house apart to be stored for later sale to another owner who may erect the house elsewhere.
Sources
1. Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to N.E. 1620-1633, Vols. I-III, Boston, MA: NEHGS, p 309-310 2. Find A Grave Index, 1620-2011 3. Burton Spear, *Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1630", v 17, 1992, p 25 4. The Youth's Companion New England Edition, March 11, 1909 5. Capen Family Record. The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass.) Vol. 2, Page 80
Footnotes
1.↑ NEHGR 2:80 2.↑ NEHGR 2:80 3.↑ NEHGR 2:80 and 5:97 4.↑ NEHGR: Vol. 2 Page 80
Contributors
• Scott Smith, Brian McCullough, Rachel Russell, Dennis Rockwell, Tom Bredehoft, Smith-32867, Loren Fay.
1/10/2015 Looked further into the story on Barnard's notes and if you read # vi, there is reference to a relation to President CALVIN COOLIDGE. I tried to find Calvin Coolidge on findagrave.com so I could drill back, but initial search did not pan out. I did however find a site that traced the ancestry of famous people (famouskin.com) and it gave me Calvin Coolidge...if you drill down deep enough, sure enough, there is listed Joan Capen, wife of Barnard. See the following from that site:
Ancestry of Calvin Coolidge
30th U.S. President --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⇐ Prev Generation | ⇐ Calvin Coolidge
Joan Purchase 11th Generation — 8th Great-grandmother of Calvin Coolidge
Ahnentafel No:1465 Father: Oliver Purchase Mother: Thomasine Harris Birth Date:ABT 1578 Birth Location: Christening Date: Christening Location: Death Date:26 Mar 1653 Death Location:Dorchester (now Boston), Suffolk, Massachusetts Burial Date: Burial Location: Spouse Name: Bernard Capen of Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England Marriage Date:31 May 1596 Marriage Location: Child: Capt. John Capen
Sources for Joan Purchase 1 American Ancestors Magazine, 2013, Vol. 14.2, p. 19, New England Historic Genealogical Society (Online Database). 2 New England Historical and Genealogical Register, (New England Historic and Genealogical Society), 1848, Vol. 2, Page 80. 3 Anderson, Robert Charles, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Vol. 1, A-F, Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society (1995), 309. 4 Dillon, Arthur Orison, The Ancestors of Arthur Orison Dillon and his Poems, Pomona, California: Printed by the Progress Publishing Company (1927), 16, Heritage Quest (Digital Library).
1/18/2015 Reviewed email from Geni, then went and reviewed other managed profiles...Note: It appears there may be a conflict as THERE ARE TWO SETS OF PARENTS FOR BERNARD CAPEN. Further review is going to be needed and researches on this as there are many other managers of this profile and there could be further conflicts all the way down. I will try to research at a later date. CTC

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Bernard Capen
Occupation: Shoemaker (WFT V 5, #1662)
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WFT Vol.7, Pedigree #1648 Imported 25 Jun 1997
Inscription From The Old Burial Ground in Dorchester, MA. ( Communicated by Mr. W.B. Trask, of Dorchester.) Here lies the Bodies of Mr Barnard Capen & Mrs Joan Capen his wife; He died Nov 8 1638 Aged 76 Years & She died March 26,1653 Aged 75 years. ( This is probably the oldestInscription to be found on any gravestone in New England. The mostancient one in Plymouth bears date 1681.) The grave stone is now in theheadquarters of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Bernard and his wife Joan came to Dorchester, MA on an unnamed ship in 1633 with his wife, Joan, sons Bernard and John Capen, and daughter Honor Capen. They were preceeded to Dorchester, MA by two daughters Susanna Capen (with husband, William Rockwell) and Dorothy Capen (with husband, Nicholas Upsall), who came in 1630 on the "Mary & John". His house, built in Dorchester a. 1633 is still standing in Milton, MA where it was moved in 1909.
(See also: WFT V.7, Ed 1, Tree #2360,)
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From the book "The First Settlers Of New England" by James Savage, 1977.p-333
CAPEN, Bernard, Dorchester, came perhaps, after his son for he was not adm. freem. not until 16 May 1636, and died 8 Nov. 1638, aged 76, and hiswidow dau. of Oliver Purchis, m. on the Monday of Whitsun week, 1596, d.26 Mar. 1653 aged 75, acc. the grave stone inscript. thot. to be theearliest in New England. His will of 9 Oct. preced. his d. was not pro.before Nov. 1652. Abstr. of it is in Geneal. Reg. V. 240. Only 3 childrenare known. Ruth, born 7 Aug. 1600; Susanna, 11 Apr 1602; and John 26 Jan.1613. Susanna died 13 Nov. 1666. He was from Dorchester, in O. E. asappears from nuncup. will of Henry Russell, who left him a legacy there.
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From the book "New England Marriages Prior to 1700" by Clarence Almon Torrey, page 133, shows;
CAPEN, Barnard/Bernard (1568-1638) & Joan PURCHASE (1578-1653,
1652); Dorchester, Eng. 31, May 1596, Mar/Apr; Dorchester.
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From the book Founders of Early American Families, by Golket, page 59.
"CAPEN BERNARD, Dorchester,Mass. 1633, died 11-8-1638, SHOEMAKER, FREEMAN" "His is the oldest inscription to be found on any gravestone in New England"
Ref, Descendents of Bernard Capen 1929: Register 20:246 (Desc. 749:489 (clue)
Capen Bernard Dictionary of English Emigeants, Whiteeasy Diary.
CAPEN BERNARD born in England in the year 1552. Married on Monday in Whitsun week 1576, Joan daughter of Oliver Purchase (Purchie). Children born in England Ruth 8/7/1600; Susanna 4/11/1602, died 11/30/1666. (believed by Stiles and others to have married #1 Wm Rockwell, & #2 Matthew Grant. Some discrepency in dates.) John born 1/26/1612; (hecame to this country with his parents. Marriage #1 Redegon, daughter of Nicholas Clap of Venn Ottery, 10/20/1637. Marriage #2 Mary daughter of Samuel Bass of Braintree). The family came from Dorchester, England, about 2/28/1632. (See quotation from the diary of Wm Whitway in Dorchester, Pope family page 13) (see old family record in Reg. II, 80) Settled at Dorchester, Ma.; proper., 8/5/1633 from 5/25/1636. He died 11/8/1638, at age 76. Will date 10/9/1638, probate 11/19/1652. beget to wife & son John. Makes his brother dyer (?) one of the overseers of th eestate. Geo. Dryer deposed. The widow Joanna died 3/26/1653, at age 75years. (see Upsall.) Sun City Lib. 3/90.
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ABERDEEN SD. 5/90 BOOK "THE ABRIDGED COMPENDIUM OF AMERICAN GENEALOGY";VOL 2, page 979
Capen Bernard, (1562-1638) from England in the "Mary & John" 1636, atMilford, CT. 1646, married 1596 daughter of Oliver Purchis (she died 1653)
In May of 1990 AMP purchased a Book "The Capen Family History, Descendents of Bernard Capen, of Dorchester, Mass" Compiled by Rev.Charles Albert Hayden, and revised by Jessie Hale Tuttle of Minneapolis, MN. in 1929. This book 310 pages, lists all of the known Capens in the Adams Thompson, Charity Capen Lineage. From Bernard, to John, to Samuel, to Samuel, to Josiah, to Lemuel, to Charity Capen, Adam Thompson's wife, and my gg grandmother.
"THE CAPEN FAMILY"
The origin of the name CAPEN and the early history of the family is shrouded in mystery. Several spellings of the name are found in England; but nothing definite is known of the original spelling or meaning of the name. Bernard Capen was the eldest of the name who came to America. He came probably from Dorchester, in old England, as appears from the will of his son James who died in England before the family came to America. The exact date of his arrival in this country is not known. His wife Joan and three children are said to have come with him. Some of the other children may have preceded him and one at least must have come later. He is named amoung the first settlers of Dorchester, Mass. He was granted land in Dorchester 5 Aug.1633, which is the date of the first appearance of his name on the records of Dorchester. He died there 8 d. 9 mo. 1638 aged 76, which makes his birth about 1562. He built a house, which was still in existance (1928) and considered by many the oldest house in New England. The original house, which was built probably in 1633, had a large addition made to it about a hundred years later, and for upwards of three hundred years, stood on the original site. In 1909 it was moved to Milton and setup on a hill in what is much like its original setting.
His grave is in the old "North Burying Ground" in Dorchester, MA. and the gravestone is said to have the oldest date of any known gravestone in New England. The original stone, which is now preserved, although in many pieces, in the rooms of the New Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, has this inscription: "Body of |--pen aged |--ied ye|--er 1638|--Joan |--aged |."
The stone in the "North Burying Ground," which replaces the original one reads: "Here | lies the Bodies of | Mr. Barnard Capen | & Mrs. Joan Capen his | wife. He died Nov. 8 | 1638 aged 76 years | & she died March | 26 1653 | aged 75 years |." His given name was often written, as on his gravestone, and doubtlessly pronounced Barnard.
The next oldest stones in the "North Burying Ground" are for children of Thomas Clarke of Dorchester, Abel who died in 1644, and Submit who died in 1648. On the little stone for Submit are the words: "Submit submitted."In 1914 a stone was unearthed in this graveyard marked "N. C. 1682" and placed in the "Capen Row." If it was a stone for a Capen, it must have been for Nathaniel Capen (John, John, Bernard). This Nathaniel was born or died in 1682.There are over Fourty graves in the "CAPEN ROW."
An extract of Bernard Capen's will, which is on file in Suffolk Co. reads:
"Octo 9th 1638. Sonne John five acres of land out of my great lott, nextto adjoining his lott ye which he is to possess immediately after my decease wch is to fulfill a promise made at his marriage. To wife all such lands and goods as I now possess during her life. And when it shall appear her dayes drawe to an end that she wth the rest of my friends whom I put in trust, to divide theis lands and goods to my children equally. If she change her name by marriage with another man then she shall with the advise of those of my friends give porcons equally to my children. Now theis my friends wch I put in trust to see theis things done according to my will are Mr. Minit the elder, my brother Dyer, & William Sumner."
"George Dyer and Will Sumner deposed before County Court 19 November 1652 that this was the last will of Bernard Capen.
Edwd Rawson, Record."
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11/90 from the DAR lineage book page 125;
Barnard Capen was born in England and came to America in 1630 on the ship "Mary and John." He was a proprietor and one of the original grantees of Dorchester, Mass. 1633. Freeman 1636. Land granted to him was at South Boston, 1637.
Joan Purchase
Spelled Purchase or Purchis, on various records, see husband (Bernard Capen) for full data.

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