THE BARTOL FAMILY.

[MAINE BRANCH.]

[BY DR. CHARLES E. BANKS.]

The different families of this name in Freeport, Yarmouth. Cape Elizabeth, Portland, Me., and vicinity, are descendants of JOHN BARTOLL, a fisherman of Marblehead, Mass., who came to this country about 1639. Although it is not known whence he came, yet there is but little doubt of his being a native of England, and possibly of Crewkerne, Somersetshire. In the Probate Registry, Somerset House, Strand, London, is the will of William Bartole, yeoman, of Crewkerne, dated May 9th and proved Dec. 3, 1641, which mentions John Bartol, my brother's son." That a family of this name lived in that parish in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries is well known, and the church records contain the following entry:

"Anno Domini, 1601. Aprill,-John, the sonne of John Bartole, was bapt the xxvit daye. John Fuller, Minister."

While it is impossible to assert that the John baptised on that date is the emigrant, yet the coincidence is worthy of consideration in view of the fact that it corresponds approximately to his age: but, unfortunately, for the test of the theory, the records of Salem and Marblehead do not contain any data which throw light on his age, so that precise comparisons are impossible.

We first find him in the courthouse at Salem, July 29, 1640, as a plaintiff in a civil suit, of which the records give the following information:

"John Bartoll pl ag Allen Yewe def aco of debt: Jury find for pl xxix damages & iij costs. And the Court ordered and sent out an attach'int to attach the Boat of Allen Yewe being now in the custody of Jo Goit to the vse of John Bartall for security untill he satisfy the verdict."

Again in November following, he entered suit at the same

court:

"John Bartall pl agi Jo Legg & Tho Sams def in ace' of 5' 10 debt p' bill." This suit was deferred till Jan. 3), 1641, but what the result was does not appear on the court records.

His wife (2) Parnell, [probably sister of William Charles?], followed him to this country in 1641, coming over in the ship

"Sampson," and if we are to believe the testimony of John Studley, a fellow passenger, she was guilty of gross immoralities with the boatswain during the passage. She was brought before court upon his deposition four years after, and tried for severall miscarradges," but the jury found the charge was "not proved suffitient lee." This accusation was evidently dragged up against her as the result of a neighborhood quarrel. John Bartol had sued Alice the wife of John Peach, Jr., and Richard Cook for bandying about the village these slanders. He recovered from cach of them £3 and costs of court, and thus legally and perhaps morally, for the time being, vindicated the virtue of his wife. In turn he was twice brought before the jury for Sabbath breaking, but was discharged, as it apears to bee of necessitie for saftie of the fish." Then he preferred charges against one of the witnesses who testified against his wife, but could not sustain his case. He was again prosecuted for prophane swearing by the name of God." and adjudged guilty. Altogether the record of this series of criminations and recriminations gives us the inside lining of a well-regulated and fully developed neighborhood row.

At the next session of the court, Sept. 9, 1645. John Bartol appeared and "s y he can prove Jane James a comon Lyer, a theef & a falce forsworn woman," but the records do not state whether he succeeded in bringing the jury to the same opinion. And now came John Peach, Jr., before the court, dissatisfied with the verdict and damages obtained against his wife Alice. The whole question was again tried by a jury on its merits. and they found that Parnell Bartoll was guilty of the charges of immorality and awarded the plaintiff "xxx dam & xv coste." With these two diverse verdicts we leave the character of the woman in the hands of the reader, only bespeaking for her the benefit of the doubt.

Jane Podger, of Dorchester. held a bill against John Bartoll, dated Feb. 27, 1641, upon which she got execution Mar. 25, 1644, and June 30, 1646, John Bartoll sought to obtain a review of the case, but failed, and had to pay the bill with interest and extra

costs.

In 1653 he was constable of Marblehead, but the next year forgetting the dignity of his office was found guilty and fined 40s for assault and battery. He was selectman of the town, 1657–8, and in 1664; besides being Culler of Fish, Packer, Guager and Sealer at various times. In 1656 the town was indebted to him £3, 19, 5, and the next year being on ye grand jury and not appearing, being legally called, the Court fines him a noble." Being appointed by ye Towne of Marblehead for Clearke of the writts, is allowed of and confirmed by the Court," but he did not live to enjoy the honors and emoluments of this position for many months. The first day of October 1664, his dead body was taken up out of the sea, and the jury of inquest, upon ample evidence

probably, returned a verdict of suicide! course, if true, we are unable to ascertain.

What led him to this

"John Bartoll dying intestate, an Inventory of whose Estate was brought into Court by Parnell, his wife, amounting to £71, 10, 0, by acco1 of debts demanded by scuerell men to ye value of £64, 18, 5, the said Parnell gave oath to ye truth of ye sd Inventory to the best of her knowledge. and is allowed of, and ye s1 Parnell is appoynted Administratrix: and by the sd Inventory there is but of cleere estate £6, 11, 7.” 29 Nov. 1664.

Among the items in the invoice of his estate, taken 16 Nov. 1664, are the following: 2 acres of medow at Capan" [Gloucester]; "land bought of Robert beans ner goits house"; "one fourth part of a staige and land lieing toe it"; 2 beds mad of silk gras with bolster and blankits."

After her husband's death, as we learn from the will of John Peach, Senior, dated 2 Oct. 1682, (Essex Co. Prob. Rec. iv 95), she lived with Peach, who bequeathed to her the use of his house during her natural life. In 1672, when making a deposition, she swore that she was aged 70 years or thereabouts," which would bring her birth to 1602, a year younger than her husband, taking the Crewkerne baptismal entry as belonging to him. She died before 1689, as in that year her estate is mentioned (Essex Deeds, xiv 310.)

4 John2; probably non compos mentis." The evidence of this rests upon a document (Essex Deeds. vii 714) in which his mother declares (2 Jan. 1680) that she is "apprehensive of the helpless condition" of her son, and in return for a comfortable maintenance to be provided by his brother-in-law, Wm. Lightfoot. conveys a lot of four acres at Peachy Point, Marblehead. was employed in 1657, and probably after, as town cowboy, according to the following extract from the Marblehead records:

He

John Stacie, the elder, and John Bartoll, the younger, are agreed with to keep the town cows this year, and are to keep the yearlings, and John Stacie is to have 6s a week and John Bartoll 4s a week. They are to keep them seven months, to begin the first of April. The said keepers are to take the cattel at the cross way at Chillson's house, by that time the sun be half an houre hie, having given warning before by blowing the horne at or about the rising of the sunn, at the same place. and so out, so that they beareth the herd beyond the first bridge at or before the sunn be an hour hie: alsoe to bring home the cattel to the first bridge an hour before the sunn sett, or their abouts, and give information to any one whose cattel are wanting, using their best endeviours to find them, soe that they doe not neglect the herd: they are to keep the cattel at all seasons and espatially to be carefull in wet weather."

5 Joan; married Edmond Chapman, shipwright, about 1651, and as her marriage dowry her father built and gave to her a house, which in after years became the subject of litigation. "The deposition of William Charles, aged 77 or thereabouts, this deponent saith that old goodman Bartoll & my self was ouer uppon the Island together when the house was raised, & Edmond Chapman came over to me to Intreate me to goe ouer to eat p' of the victualls, & yt ye old Bartoll said to his son in law Edmond Chapman that theire is a good house for thee, and the said Chapman said thanke you father, & further saith not." Sworne in Court at Salem, 29, 4, 1672, atteste, Hilliard Veren, clerk. Moses Maverick testified 29 June 1672 about a discource with John Bartle deceased" in 1651 or 1652 as to a house he built for Joan and her husband, and widow Parnell Bartol at the same court made oath that she always understood ye house was built for my daughter's portion wch was to be married to Edmond Chapman." She married, second, John Codner, before 1664, whose will was proved in 1710. She was living 26 Mar. 1696 (Essex Deeds, xiv 45.)

6 Mary2 daughter of John Bartoll. borne of the body of Parnell Bartoll, his wife, the 1 day of february 1642" (Essex Court, i 27.) Probably married William Lightfoot, who was She did not escape the prevalent scandals of the day, and in 1669 was complained of by her husband for an improper intimacy with Jeffrey Thistle.

born about 1632.

(3) WILLIAM BARTOLL. (John1), a mariner, eldest son & heir at law" (Essex Deeds, xiv 310), was born, according to a deposition, about 1629. and must have been brought to this country, with his mother, when quite a young boy. He resided in Marblehead, near Little Harbor, succeeding to the paternal estate, and working at the fish stage, which was probably located on Charles Island. He married (7) Mary --, about 1655, with whom, 30 April 1669, he made public confession of faith at the First Church of Salem, Mass., and was admitted the next Lord's day, having been propounded the previous month. They were set off, 6 June 1684, to the new church at Marblehead, which was organized 13 August following. Being absent while on the grand jury, 27 June 1671, he was fined 138 4d, but two years after, for some reason, 6s of his penalty was remitted. From the town records of Marblehead we learn that he owned five cows in 1667, but in 1674 was reduced to two cattle. In 1676 it was voted that William Bartoll pay unto Wm. Chever 6s 7d, the ballance of his sallery out of his rate ungathered." He died 2 Nov. 1690, aged about sixty-one years, and the inventory of his estate, taken 27 April 1691 by Richard Rieth and Benjamin Gale, contains the following items: p' of ye yland wth privilege: 1 old house wth garden & privilege: 15 acres land lyen next Jn°

:

Codners 10 acres lyeing next Timothy Goodwin: his dwelling house and garden and 2 cowes comons.' John Bartol (9), his son renouncing his right to be administrator, the widow and her son Robert3 (10) were appointed, 15 June 1691, by the court. After the death of the widow Mary (7) in 1708, the abovesaid John (9), "only surviving son," was granted administration of the estate, 28 Feb. 1708-9 (Essex Probate, x 43), and on 16 March following he presented an account of Debts which I payed for my ffather & for y ffuneral of my mother." The personal estate was appraised then at £81, which was divided equally among the heirs, the administrator as eldest son receiving a double portion. The real estate was adjudged of the value of £99, all of which went to John3 (9.)

8 William; probably freeman, 25 June 1678, and may be the "William Bartle, Jr.," who sold land to Robert Bartlett (Essex Deeds, xvi 153.) Perhaps married Susanna Woodbury and had Andrew, b. 20 Aug. 1680, and William, b. 4 Aug 1682. If so, he and his children do not appear as living in 1710 to take part in the division of his father's estate.

9 John3; ffisherman," married twice, and, by first wife, whose name is not known, he had. Thomas, who m. Abigail, dau. of Capt. Robert and Mary (Walton) Bartlett, 11 Dec. 1707. For second wife he married Christian, daughter of John Hoile and widow of Mark Moss, 17 Dec. 1711. By this last wife he had Capt. John, b. Oct. 1712, d. 8 Oct. 1771. He died 1725, and his will, dated 11 Jan. 1721-2, was proved 3 June of that year. It provided for all of his children, but none of the children of my present wife by her former husband. Mark Moss, should have residence or dwelling in any house or part of house that ever belonged to me" (Essex Prob. xv 133.

10 Roberts; of whom hereafter.

11 Susanna3; b. 25 Feb. 1665-6; d. before 1710.

12 Thomas3; adm. 1691.

13 Samuel; d. before 1708–9.

14 Mary; m. John Knight, 17 Oct. 1681, and, 2d, Thomas Dodd. She brought in a bill at the settlement of her father's estate for nurcing" her mother for several years, also one for £1 for wine and gloves at the funeral of the Widow Mary. Her husband, Thomas Dodd, also charged 9s for digging the grave. The average son-in-law would have done it for nothing.

15 Alice3 m. Thomas Waters, 7 Oct. 1687; d. before 1710.

(10) ROBERT BARTOLL (William2, John1), mariner, was baptized 25 July 1669, at the First Church, Salem, with all of his brothers and sisters, shortly after the parents had joined (Essex Inst., Vol. 1.) He married (16) Sarah, daughter of the famous ship-builder, John Beckett, of Salem, who was baptized 21 Oct.