Category Archives: Fry/e

Jonathan Torrey & Ruth Fry, Weymouth, MA, Early 1700s

As mentioned yesterday, factual information, at least in terms of vital records, is lacking for the Torrey family because the towns in which they lived have incomplete records.

Jonathan Torrey removed from Scituate to Weymouth, where births of four of his five children were recorded. If not for the will that he left, even less would be known about the family.

Jonathan Torrey was born 20 September 1654 in Scituate, the fifth child and fourth son of James and Anne (Hatch) Torrey. As he was only ten years old when his father died in the gunpowder explosion accident and his mother didn’t remarry until 1677, he and his siblings likely had male guardians appointed to care for them, possibly one of his paternal uncles. However, I have not been able to uncover probate records for his father, except for the notice of his estate inventory:


The Mayflower Descendant, Volume 16

Jonathan married Ruth Smith, widow of Joshua Smith. She was the daughter of George Fry. Jonathan and Ruth (Fry) Torrey were the parents of six children who survived their father. Given a couple of gaps in the birth years, they may have lost a child or two.

Children, all born in Weymouth:

1. Mary, born 25 September 1676; married John Norton
2. Ruth, born 17 August 1679; married Mr. Allen, c1699
3. Anne, born 3 March 1682; married Thomas Butler Jr., 18 September 1702, Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts.
4. Jonathan, born 25 May 1684; died 27 April 1781, Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts; married (1) Margaret Poole, 17 January 1706, Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts (2) Lydia Green, intentions filed 9 August 1712, Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts
5. Sarah, born c1686; married (1) Samuel King, c1705 (2) Ebenezer Hovey, 13 November 1735
6. Joshua, born 11 November 1690; married Jane Lovell, 18 March 1716/17, Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts

Jonathan Torrey died on 7 June 1718 in Weymouth, leaving a will in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, File #4143, volume 3:257.

File #4143, 3:257
Suffolk County, Massachusetts Probate Files
Source: American Ancestors

In the Name of God Amen the twenty second Day of february in the year of Our Lord God 1717/1718 I Jonathan Torrey of Weymouth in the County of Suffolk in the Province of the massachusetts Bay in Newengland Husbandman, though weak of Body, yet of Perfect mind & memory, Thanks be Given to God therefore Calling to mind the mortality of my Body & Knowing that it is Appointed for all men once to Dy, Do make & ordain this my Last Will & Testament, that is to Say Prinicipally & first of all, I Give & recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it Hoping & trsuting in my Dear Redeemer Jesus Christ for Pardon & Eternal Life , and for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christianlike and Decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors: Nothing Doubting but at The General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty power of God: And as touching Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased god to Bless me in this Life, I Give Devise & Dispose of the same in the following manner and form (my Just Debts & funerall Expenses being first Paid)

Imprimis I Give to my well beloved wife Ruth: all my money together with my household Goods and moveable Estate (Exempting five Pounds as is hereafter Disposed of) to be wholely at her Disposing & Improvement & to be by her Distributed amongst my Children also the Improvement of all my real Estate During her natural life If she continues my widow & if She be married again then to have only the Income of one third part of my Real Estate.

Item I give to my Son Jonathan Torrey hier heirs & assigns for ever Eight acres of land Lying on the Eastern neck in Weymouth namely that Land that I Bought of William (Pittey?)) also one half of all my Salt meadown on Sd neck he paying ten pounds out of the same as hereafter is expressed & Disposed of.

Item I Give to my Son Joshua torrey his heirs & assigns for ever my Dwelling house Barn orchard and all my Lands & meadown not before Disposed of he paying forty Pounds out of the same as hereafter it is Disposed of and if it Happen that my son Joshua Shall be Evicted or Ejected out of the Possession of that Part or Parcel of my Land, which I bought of Joseph Green Then my will is that all my Lands & real Estate Shall be Equaly Devided Betwixt my (?) aforementioned They Paying Equaly & alike of The Legacies hereafter given.

Item I Give to my Daughter Mary Norton ten Pounds to her & her heirs to be Paid by my Son Joshua within three eyars after mine & my wife’s Decease

Item I Give to my Daughter Ruth Allen ten Pounds to her & her heirs To be Paid by my Son Joshua within three years after mine & my wife’s Decease

Item I Give to my Daughter Anne Butler fifteen pounds To her & her heirs give pounds whereof to be Paid (by – sic) my Son Jonathan within Two years, and ten pounds to be Paid by my Son Joshua within three years after mine & my wife’s Decease

Item I Give to my Daughter Sarah King, her heirs & assigns fifteen Pounds five pounds to be Paid by my Son Jonathan within two years & ten pounds by my Son Joshua within three years after mine & my wife’s Decease.

And I give to be Grand Children (viz) Samuel King & Ruth torrey five pounds Equaly to be Divided Betwixt them to be paid out of my monies & moveable as abouve is exempted & (Reserved?) all the aforesd legacies to be paid in bills of Credit or in Such moneey as Passeth Currant amongst traders in this Province at the time of payment and I Do constitute make & ordain my Two Sons aforementioned my Executors of this my Last will & Testament and I Do hereby utterly Disallow revoke and make voice all & Every former Testaments wills & Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any ways before this time named, willed & bequested Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my Last will & Testament, In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my jand & Seal the Day & year above written

Jonathan Torrey

Signed Seal’d Publish’d & Declar’d by the Testator,
as his Last will & Testament
In the Presence of us the Subscribers, viz
James Humphrey
John Whitmarsh
Silence Humphrey

 

Jonathan Torrey & Ruth Fry, Weymouth, MA

Jonathan Torrey and wife Ruth Fry/e, my 8X great grandparents,  seem like a natural follow up to George Fry/e’s 1676 will, naming his daughters.

Jonathan Torrey was born 20 September 1654 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts, the son of James Torrey. He died on 7 June 1718, Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Ruth’s death record notes she was about 74 years old, so if that is accurate, she was several years older than Jonathan, thus born c1650. She died 28 April 1724, also in Weymouth.

Their family was relatively small, with just six known surviving children, two sons and four daughters. All events were in Weymouth, unless noted.

If anyone can identify the Allen husband of Ruth or the King husband of Sarah, I would love to hear from you!

Children:

  1. Mary, born 25 September 1675; married John Norton
  2. Ruth, born 17 August 1679; married Mr. Allen
  3. Ann, born 3 March 1681/82; died 1 October 1732; married Thomas Butler, 18 September 1702.
  4. Jonathan, born 24 May 1684; married (1) Margaret (MNU). She died 8 December 1711. (2) Lydia Green, 9 August 1712, intentions filed.
  5. Sarah, married Mr. King
  6. Joshua, born 11 November 1690; died 11 March 1776; married Jane Lovell, 18 March 1716.

Jonathan Torrey left a will, written 22 February 1717/18 and recorded almost exactly one year later on 10 February 1718/19.

Suffolk County Probate File 4143
Source: American Ancestors

In the Name of God amen, the twenty-second Day of february in the yearof Our Lord God 1717/18 I Jonathan Torrey of Weymouth in the County of Suffolk in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New england, Husbandman, though weak of Body yet of Perfect mind & memory, Thanks be Given to God therefor Calling to mind the mortality of my Body & Knowing that It is appointed for all
men once to Dy, do make & ordain this my Last will & Testament that is to Say Principally & first of all, I Give & recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it Hoping & trusting in my Dear Redeemer Jesus Christ for Pardon & eternal Life, and for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christianlike
end Decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors: Nothing Doubting but at The General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty power of God; And as touching Such worldy Estate wherewith it hath Pleased god to Bless me in this Life, I Give Devise & Dispose of the same in the following manner and form (my Just Debts & funeral Expenses being first Paid)
Imprimis I Give to my well beloved wife Ruth: all my monies together with my household Goods and moveable Estate (Exempting five Pounds as is hereafter Disposed of) to be wholely at her Disposing & Improvement & to be Distributed amongst my Children Also the
Improvement of all my real Estate during her natural life If She Continues my widow & If She be married again then to have only the Income of one third part of my Real Estate,
Item I give to my son Jonathan Torrey his heirs & assigns forever —
Eight acres of Land Lying on the Eastern Rock in Weymouth, namely that Land that I Bought of William Pittby also one half of my Salt meadow on Sd rock he paying ten Pounds out of the Same as hereafter is Expressed & Disposed of,
Item I Give to my son Joshua torrey his heirs & assigns for ever
my Dwelling house Barn Orchard and all my Lands & meadow not before Disposed of he paying fourty Pounds out of the same as hereafter it is Disposed of and If it Happen that my Son Joshua Shall be Evicted or Ejected out of the Possession of that Part or parcel of my Land, which I bought of Joseph Green, Then my will is that all of my Lands & real Estate Shall be Equaly Divided Betwixt my Two sons aforementioned they Paying Equaly & alike of the Legacies hereafter given
Item I Give to my Daughter Mary Norton ten Pounds, to her & her heirs to be Paid by my Son Joshua within three years after mine & my wife’s Decease
Item I Give to my Daughter Ruth Allen ten Pounds to her & her heirs
To be Paid by my son Joshua within three years after mine & my
wife’s Decease
Item I Give to my Daughter Anne Butler fifteen pounds  to her & her heirs five pounds whereof to be Paid my Son Jonathan within
Two years and ten pounds to be Paid by my Son Joshua within three years, after mine & my wife’s Decease
Item I give to my Daughter Sarah King, her heirs & assigns fifteen Pounds five pounds to be Paid by my Son Jonathan within two years & ten pounds by my Son Joshua within three years after mind & my wife’s Decease. And I Give to my Grand Children (viz) Samuel King & Ruth Torrey five Pounds Equaly to be Divided Betwixt them to be paid out of my monies & moveable as above is Exempted
& Reserved, all the aforesd Legacies to be paid in bills of Credit or in Such money as Passeth Currant amongst traders in this Province at the time of payment
I Do constitute make & ordain my Two sons aforementioned my
Executors of this my Last will & Testament an I do hereby utterly Disallow revoke & make void all & every former Testaments wills & Legacies Bequests and Executors by me in any ways before this time named., willed & bequests & Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my Last will & Testament, In witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the Day & year above written

Jonathan Torrey

Sign’d Seal’d Publish’d & Declar’d by
the Testator, as his Last will & Testament
In the Presence of us the Subscribers, viz
James Humphrey
John Whitmarsh
Silence Humphrey

Will of George Fry/e, Weymouth, Massachusetts 1676

George Fry or Frye is one of my 9X great grandparents who settled early in Massachusetts, but lived in areas where records are less than complete.

It is thought that George was born c1618, possibly in Combe St. Nicholas, Somersetshire, England and he died between 26 July 1676, when he wrote his will and 30 November 1676, when it was recorded in the Suffolk County court proceedings.

George arrived in New England with William Torrey in 1640 and he was living in Weymouth, Massachusetts when he married Mrs. Mary Brandon, widow of William Brandon, sometimes between 1647 and 1650.

Will of George Frye 1676

Reading 17th century handwriting isn’t one of my strong points. I missed a fair number of these words, but not the names of any of the heirs. I guess others weren’t any more successful, as I wasn’t able to find a full transcription of this will anywhere online.

In the name of god Amen the twenty and Sixth of July 1676
I George Fry of Weymouth weaver In the massachusetts Colony
in New england: being subject to many distempers bodyly; yet of
a good sound and perfect memory: and of a disposing mind
blessed be god a and knowing that all men must Dye and our
(?????)
I doe therefore make and ordayne this my Last
will and testament in manner and form as follows—
First I bequeath my Soule to god; in and through the previous
blood and merits of and perfect obedience of my Lord and
Saviour Jesus christ: by whom of his (?) grace and mercy
I (?) and hope to obtaine Salvation and Eternal (?) — and also
my body to the Earth there to be interred in a descent manner
in hope of a Joyful resurrection &tc and fourthing? that liffe estat
that the Lord hath given and Lent me I the said George
FFry do dispose of it as foloweth — viz my mind and will is
that all my Just debts (while?) I doe or that our at the day of my
death and my funerall charges be in convenient time, paid &
discharged & for the residue of my Estate: I doe give and bequeath as followeth.
Item I give unto my Daughter in law mary Smith wife
unto James Smith Senior five pounds of my houshold goods or
Else m other goods (?) to bee paid first out of my Estate
and as for what: (?) I give to my Daughter Ruth Torry
and to her Son James Smith one third part of itt —
Item. I also give unto my daughter Naomy Yeales and to her heires one
third part more of my Estate: I also give and bequeath unto
my daughter Bathiah Reed and to her heires the other third part
of my Estate: and that this my last will and testament may bee
duly and faithfuly performed I do make (?) ordaine james Smith Senior of weymouth & Tim Yearles of boston my
lawfull Executors I (see?) that this my will be duly performed (????)
my hand that day and date abouve (??)

How many children did George Frye have? That point seems to be open for debate. I have seen statements that Mary Brandon had four Brandon children, that she and George had four children and that they had two children together.

It seems from George’s will that he definitely had three daughtersRuth, who apparently married (1) James Smith and (2) Jonathan Torrey, Naomi, who married Timothy Yeales of Boston, and Bethiah, who married John Reed.

I am thinking that Mary, who was named first as the wife of James Smith Senior, might have been his stepdaughter as she received three pounds out of the household goods, while the other three daughters each received 1/3 of the estate.

As no wife was named, Mary (MNU) Brandon predeceased her second husband, George Frye. George Frye supposedly had a first wife, name unknown, but if they had any surviving children together, it isn’t evident from his will.

Children:

  1. Ruth, born c1650; died 28 April 1724, about 74 years old; Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts: married (1) Joshua Smith (2) Jonathan Torrey, by 1676
  2. Naomi, born c1652; died after 30 November 1676; married Timothy Yeales, c1673
  3. Bethiah, born c1653; died 29 October 1730, Dighton, Bristol, Massachusetts; married John Reed

If anyone can shed more light on Mary Smith, wife of James Smith Sr., please leave a comment!

My line of descent:

  1. George Frye & Mary (MNU) Brandon
  2. Ruth Fry & Jonathan Torrey
  3. Mary Torrey & James Norton
  4. Rachel Norton & Joseph Coleman
  5. Joseph Coleman & Ruth Spur
  6. Thomas Coleman & Mary Elizabeth Astle
  7. William Coleman & Sarah Moriah Crouse
  8. Hartwell Thomas Coleman & Anna Elisabeth Jensen
  9. Hazel Ethel Coleman & Vernon Tarbox Adams
  10. Doris Priscilla Adams & George Michael Sabo
  11. Linda Anne Sabo Stufflebean – me!