Elias Irish

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 172

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 2785

Notes:

On 20 April 1629 John Irish “of the Parish of Clisdon, County of Summerset” signed a five year indenture agreement with Timothy Hatherly. This was common to do in that era in order to pay for passage to the new world. This indenture agreement was not recorded in the new world until 12 July 1697 at Taunton, Massachusetts.

At first glance this would appear to be our best document to establish the origin of John Irish. However, the County of Somerset does not have a Parish of Clisdon. Perhaps this was a misspelling of Clevedon, Somerset, which is now called Avon. Perhaps this was meant to refer to Clisdon in the County of Hampshire. No parish records have been found in either place which refer to this John Irish. The origin of John Irish therefore is still open to conjecture.

His birth year is commonly referred to as “by 1611” which is assuming that he was 18 at the date on indenture. 18 is probably an “average” age for indenture agreements, however 14 year olds and 24 year olds (and older) have been known to enter into these agreements. The birth year of 1611 is at best an approximation, which could be off by as much as 5 years or more.

It has been claimed that he was born in Clevedon, Somerset as the son of Jonathon Irishe of Treys and Elizabeth Kirby, however these people do not appear in the Clevedon records and no documentation exists to support this.

Early New England records establish 3 children, John, Elias and Elizabeth. Some genealogies suggest a fourth child Lydia, who married a Gray and moved to France. However there is no documentation to support this.

It has been claimed that he married Elizabeth Risley, but there is no documentation for his wife's maiden name.

The following from NewEnglandAncestors.org:
Death: He died by March 5, 1677/8.
Ship: Unknown, 1630
Life in England: In an indenture dated April 20, 1629, John
Irish of Clisdon, Somersetshire, laborer, agreed to serve Timothy
Hatherly of Southwark in Plymouth, New England, for five
years. Note: As there is no Clisdon in Somerset, it is unclear
what location was meant.
Life in New England: John Irish immigrated as an indentured
servant. As part of his payment when he finished his service, he
was to have 25 acres of land.The Plymouth court had ordered
the towns in which former servants lived to provide them with
land, but this practice did not work out. Ex-servants generally
received land in the colony’s “frontiers” where the colonial government
was encouraging settlement. In Plymouth’s case, this
meant Bridgewater, between Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay
and Saconett [Little Compton, Rhode Island] to the west. John
Irish received land in both locations.While his main occupation
was planter [farmer], John Irish described himself in a 1659 deed
as a “roper.”
Family: John Irish married Elizabeth _____ by about 1644 and
had three children. She died in Little Compton on August 28,
1687.
Children of John and Elizabeth Irish:
• Elizabeth was born about 1644. She married Philip Washburn
by about 1664 and had four children. She died on August 28,
1687, in Duxbury. He died about 1700.
• John was born about 1647. He married (1) Elizabeth ____ by
about 1672. He married (2) Priscilla (Southworth) Talbot on
March 1, 1689, in Bristol, Rhode Island, and had two children.
He died on February 21, 1717, in Little Compton,
Rhode Island. She died on June 11, 1722.
• Elias was born about 1649. He married Dorothy Witherell in
Taunton on August 26, 1674, and had one child. He died
before October 30, 1677, when the court appointed his
father-in-law,William Witherell, to administer his estate. She
married (2) William Wood on April 1, 1686.
For Further Information:
Robert C. Anderson. The Great Migration Begins. Boston: New
England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.
Robert C. Anderson. The Pilgrim Migration. Boston: New
England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004.
George E. Bowman. “Washburn Notes.” The Mayflower
Descendant 15(1913): 247-53; 16(1914): 248-253.
Willis Luther Irish and Stella Bertha (Putnam) Irish. Descendants
of John Irish the Immigrant 1629-1963 and Allied Families.
Freeport: Dingley Press, 1964.

John married Elizabeth Unknown before 1644 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Elizabeth was born after 1611. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 2782

Notes:

Birth:
based on spouse's birth date