Parents per www.familysearch.com - LDS site - not verified

James Bemis 1581-June 26, 1624 and Anne Spray 1593 m. 1614
Dedham, Essex, England

John Bemus 1550-4-23-1604 and Anna Spray 1558 m. 1579
Dedham, Essex, England

Place of birth per LDS Site
____________
Re: Charles Mudd Re: Chestney
Sun, 7 May 2000 09:32:56 EDT
TWOTACKY1@aol.com
muddhaven@earthlink.net




The History of the Bemis, Perkinson, Fay and Lawrence Families", Ted H.
Bemis, 1981, p.42.

"John Bemis, the English progenitor, was born in Dedham, probably prior to
1550 as his will was proved 28 June 1604. Possibly, one of his sons married
a woman named Grymwood, since mention is made of her as his 'daughter'.
(Terms of relationship were used loosely and differently in those days.)
However, this possibility is not entirely logical since all his sons are
mentioned and there should not be any need to single her out separately. It
is not know why Newhall (:18.2) failed to list Grymwood either as a daughter
or daughter-in-law when he was aware of her being mentioned in John's will.

It would seem safe to assume that John Bemis was fairly well off, since he
bequeathed at least 651 pounds and 290 shillings - including some to the
poor. What this would amount to in today's currency is beyond this writer's
desire to convert, but I am sure it could be considered a good sum for those
days.

For the text of the following, see The New-England Historical and
Genealogical Register, 1894, Volume XLVIII, page 495-6, published by the
Society in Boston...

The following is the will of John Bemis of Dedham, 23 April 1604, proved 28
June 1604:

"To Anne, now my dutiful and loving wife, fifty pounds. To Isaac my son
one hundred pounds. To Luke and James, my sons, one hundred and forty pounds
each. To my daughter Susan fifty and six pounds. To my daughter Mary fifty
pounds. To my two youngest sons, Joseph and Abraham, to either of them fifty
pounds when they and either of them shall accomplish the full age of one and
twenty years. To my daughter Grymwood ten pounds and to her four children
now living, to every one of them twenty shillings apiece. To Richard Smeeth
of Bretneham, Suffolk, twenty shillings. To the poor of the same parish
forty shillings. To my brother Thomas Beamis five pounds and to every one of
his children twenty shillings apiece. To Jane Richmond of Beccles twenty
shillings. To Robert Murton of Woodbridge twenty shillings. To William
Murton of Hadley ten shillings. To the poor of Dedham forty shillings. All
the rest of my goods unbequeathed shall be distributed equally between my
wife and my two daughters Susan and Mary. I make Robert Ferman of Dedham and
Edward Andrewes of Hadley my executors. And I appoint Mr. Richard Gooddaye
of Ketle and Henry Sandford of Dedham supervisors and for their pains to be
taken herein I give them twenty shillings apiece"

Proved by the oath of Humfrey Baldwin, notary public, attorney for Edward
Andrewes one of the executors named in the will. Harte, 66

The above Will is registered again and following it comes a Sententia pro
Valore dated 3 December 1604, the parties in the case being Edward Andrewes,
the executor, on the one part and Anne Beamis als Spray, relict of the
deceased, Isaac Beamis, Luke Beamis, James Beamis, Susanna Beamis als Cowper,
Mary Beamis als Fowler, Abraham Beamis, and Joseph Beamis, children of the
deceased, on the other part. Harte, 96

In a message dated 5/6/00 8:01:43 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
muddhaven@earthlink.net writes:

<< Do you have copy of the Will I could read?

Charles

TWOTACKY1@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 5/6/00 10:47:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> muddhaven@earthlink.net writes:
>
> << How are you doing on the Bemis research? I have through James Bemis and
> Anne
> Spray - does this remain valid? Any interesting facts to know?
>
> Thanks for replying,
>
> Charles Mudd >>
>
> Thanks, I will visit the site. You mention James Bemis and Anne Spray.
> Actually, the current thinking is that these were parents, or perhaps
> grandparents of Joseph Bemis, b. 1619 and that Anne was married to John
> Bemis. I would also caution about using the name Spray. It appears she
> remarried and her new name was Spray, but probably not her maiden name.
> Following is an analysis of the Will of John Bemis, written by my friend
John
> Chandler of Boston:
>
> "Written on 1604 Apr 23 at Dedham in Essex, proved on 1604 Jun 28 at
> Colchester (vol Harte p 66). The will mentions wife Anne, sons Isaac,
> Luke, and James, daughters Susan and Mary, young sons Joseph and
> Abraham, daughter Grymwood, grandchildren Grymwoods, brother Thomas,
> and a collection of people of no stated relationship, including
> Richard Smith of Bretenham, Jane Richmond of Beccles, Robert Murton
> of Woodbridge, and William Murton of Hadley. The executors were
> Robert Ferman of Dedham and Edward Andrews of Hadley (again, no
> stated relationship to the testator). Page 96 of the same probate
> volume has an agreement among the heirs, dated 1604 Dec 3. This
> involved the widow and all the children other than the daughter
> Grymwood. In addition, the females are named with aliases (i.e.,
> married names): Anne Spray, Susanna Cowper, and Mary Fowler.
>
> It is on this basis that I deduce the prompt remarriage of the widow
> Anne. I also figure that the daughter "Grymwood" was the eldest
> daughter and perhaps the eldest child and was neither Susan nor
> Mary. I can't tell why she was not party to the agreement."
>
> John Chandler
>>