A
sample sketch: James Everill
JAMES
EVERILL
ORIGIN: Unknown.
MIGRATION: 1634.
FIRST RESIDENCE: Boston.
RETURN TRIPS: Possibly made one or more
round trips to England
in the late 1640s and early 1650s.
OCCUPATION: Leather-dresser. On 28 June
1641, “our brother Everill and our brother Burden shall have
leave to sink a pit at the upper end of the wharf, before our
brother Burden’s house, and to put a vessel therein (so that
they cover the same) to water their leather in” [BTR 1:62].
On 27 February 1642/3, “there is granted unto Tho[mas] Grubbe,
James Everill, James Johnson, Myles Tarne, Tho[mas] Buttolph,
leather dressers, a place for the watering of their leather,
near James Davis his house, which they shall have liberty to
fence in for the securing of their leather” [BTR 1:72].
Shoemaker. Cordwainer. Having been a leather-dresser
during his early years in New England, Everill had changed his
occupation to shoemaker by 1646 [Aspinwall 29]. He remained
with that designation for nearly two decades, but in 1664 began
to call himself cordwainer [SLR 4:250-51], and with one exception
remained with that description for the rest of his life. A cordwainer
is, of course, a kind of shoemaker, but one dealing only in
a more luxurious type of leather. This would represent, at least
in the mind of James Everill, a move up the economic and perhaps
the social scale among Boston tradesmen.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: On 20 July 1634, “James
Everill and Elizabeth his wife” were admitted to Boston church
[BChR 1:18]. On 2 October 1634, “Richard Magson, servant to
our brother James Everill,” was admitted [BChR 1:18]; and, on
15 March 1634/5, “Hanna Penn, our brother James Everill's maidservant,”
was admitted [BChR 1:20].
On 6 September 1646, “Our elders with three
of the brethren, namely Mr. Willyam Aspinwall, Thomas Marshall
and James Everill were sent forth ... as the Church’s messengers,
unto the assembly of churches in this country then held at Cambridge”
[BChR 1:47]. On 11 July 1647, “Our brethren James Penn, Thomas
Marshall and James Everill were sent messengers of the Church
with letters and instructions to the Church at Hingham” [BChR
1:48].
FREEMAN: 3 September 1634 (first in a
sequence of five Boston men) [MBCR 1:369].
EDUCATION: James Everell signed his deeds.
His first wife, Elizabeth, signed by her mark, “E” [SLR 10:65].
His second wife, Mary, signed by her mark, “M” [SLR 12:26].
His inventory included “books” valued at 35s.
OFFICES: Suffolk coroner’s jury, 4 December
1654 [RCA 3:60]. Grand jury, [blank] September 1665 (foreman),
[blank] September 1667 (foreman), 5 September 1671 (foreman),
28 January 1672/3, 26 January 1674/5, 28 January 1678/9 [RCA
3:151, 191, 192, 210, 211; SCC 115, 195, 527, 980].
Boston selectman, 18 March 1646/7, 13 March
1647/8, 12 March 1648/9 [BTR 1:88-99; SLR 3:455, 7:170; BrTR
15]. Waterworks committee, 1656 [SLR 6:20-21]. Constable, 23
March 1645/6 [BTR 1:87, 88, 90]. Fence viewer, 9 February 1634/5,
17 April 1637, 28 March 1642 [BTR 1:3, 17, 68]. Highway surveyor
at Sentry Hill, 29 March 1641 [BTR 1:60]. Committee to suppress
excessive drinking, 1676 [BTR 2:101].
On 25 January 1675/6, James Everill “by reason
of age and other infirmities” was discharged from ordinary trainings,
but required to keep arms in his house [SCC 676].
ESTATE: On 9 November 1638, James Everill
sold to George Barrill a parcel of ground in Boston near the
house which Thomas Painter had sold to Barrill [BTR 1:36].
In the 1645 Boston Book of Possessions, “James
Everill” held three parcels: “one house and houselot”; “at Braintree
one farm containing eighty-eight acres”; and “two acres three-quarters
of marsh” [BBOP 19].
On 15 January 1645[/6], “Thomas Savadge of Boston”
sold to “James Everill twenty-six acres upland at Braintree
..., also one acre three-quarters marsh” [BBOP 19].
On 25 October 1648, John Shaw of Boston, butcher,
sold to “James Everill of Boston aforesaid, shoemaker, a certain
parcel of land at the dock.... This bill of sale is again recorded
at the request of James Everill because their acknowledgement
before Mr. Winthrop was not took notice of by Mr. Aspinwall,
who recorded or entered the bill in the book of Boston inheritances
amongst James Everell’s other lands” [SLR 2:104]. On 25 October
1649, John Shaw of Boston sold to “James Everill of Boston a
certain parcel of land at the dock being in front of the dock
about forty foot ..., together with the cellar frame and all
privileges and immunities thereto belonging” [BBOP 19]. (These
two items are different versions of the same deed; the earlier
date is more likely the correct one.)
On 12 December 1651/2 [sic], Edward Tyng
of Boston, upholsterer, sold to “James Everell of the same Boston,
shoemaker,” his wharf at the end of the great street and the
flats before it, reserving access back and forth to “my brew
house, dwelling house, warehouses, cellars” [SLR 14:3-4].
On 2 April 1651, “James Everill of Boston ...,
shoemaker,” sold to “Miles Reading, cooper, a house and parcel
of land adjoining to it, ... by my other house” [SLR 10:65].
On 13 October 1654, “Jeames Everill of Boston,
shoemaker, and Elizabeth my wife,” mortgaged to Symon Lynde
of London, merchant, “the house and ground wherein Angell Hollard
formerly dwelt, now in the occupation of Hope Allen, currier,”
and “the house and ground next to my own dwelling house formerly
in the occupation of Philip Long,” reserving a path behind the
house, also one hundred acres of land in Braintree near “Monottoque
River” [SLR 2:87-92].
On 15 January 1656[/7?], “James Everell ...,
shoemaker,” leased a piece of marsh ground from Richard Bellingham,
“several parcels of which said marsh ground the said James Everell
hath sold and on one part thereof hath built several houses”
[SLR 2:339-41].
On 24 March 1656/7, “James Everell of Boston,
... shoemaker,” sold to John Evered alias Webb of Boston,
merchant, a wharf in Boston against the end of Great Street,
along with a house standing thereon [SLR 12:246].
On 2 April 1658, James Everill and Richard Woody
leased Bird Island from the town of Boston for 60 years at a
cost of 12d. silver or a bushel of salt every first March [BTR
1:144].
On 11 December 1658, “James Everell of Boston
..., shoemaker, and Elizabeth his wife” sold to Nathaniel Hunne
of Boston, shoemaker, “all that their piece & parcel of
land lying and being in Boston aforesaid containing by estimation
about ninety-two foot in length and thirty foot in breadth”
[SLR 3:331-33]. On 7 March 1658/9, “James Everall of Boston
..., shoemaker, ... [and] Elizabeth his wife” acknowledged that
they did “about two years agone ... by a verbal covenant ...
sell unto Josiah Cobham of the same Boston, webster, one dwelling
house with the cellar and leantos ... with a garden and orchard,”
and now confirm the same [SLR 3:246-27].
On 12 March 1658/9, Joseph How of Boston, cooper,
sold to “James Everil of Boston abovesaid, shoemaker, one parcel
of ground situate, lying & being in Boston abovesaid, being
in front fifteen feet in length” [SLR 20:291].
On 19 December 1664, “James Everill of Boston
..., cordwainer,” mortgaged to Richard Hutchinson, citizen and
ironmonger of London, “one dwelling house wherein George Manning
now dwells,” the land all on Conduit Street, and paid off the
mortgage by 31 August 1672, when it was released [SLR 4:250-51].
On 25 May 1666, James Everill and his wife Elizabeth sold to
Nicholas Phillips, butcher, land and a house occupied by George
Manning [SLR 24:261].
On 3 March 1672/3, “James Everill of Boston,
... cordwainer,” mortgaged to Christopher Clark of Boston, mariner,
“all that his dwelling house in Boston aforesaid, where the
said Everell now dwelleth, with a new salthouse and brewhouse
or bakehouse ... with the yard and garden,” and redeemed it
by 8 April 1674 [SLR 8:78-79].
On 1 April 1674, “James Everell of Boston, ...shoemaker,
... & Elizabeth my wife” again mortgaged to Christopher
Clark the house and land described as “wherein I the said James
Everell and John Bonner now inhabit,” and discharged the mortgaged
5 March 1680[/1?] [SLR 8:366-67].
On 26 January 1679/80, the town of Boston “[a]llowed
to James Everell & his daughter Manning ₤20 in rate
pay in consideration of their houses being burnt” [BTR 2:127].
On 27 August 1680, “[u]pon the motion of James Everell &
his daughter Maninge for more allowance towards the blowing
up of their houses, there is granted to them ₤20 beside
a former ₤20 granted them” [BTR 2:140]. On 30 August 1680,
“[o]rdered that James Everell & his daughter Maninge be
paid towards rebuilding of their houses blown up, to stop the
fire, ₤100 with ₤40 formerly ordered” [BTR 2:141].
On 10 June 1680, “James Everill of Boston, ...
cordwainer,” sold to “Hannah Manning of Boston aforesaid, widow,
daughter of the aforesaid James Everill,” the southwestern-most
room in his salthouse [SLR 12:31]. On the same day, “James Everell
of Boston, ... cordwainer,” sold to “my daughter Hannah Manning
of Boston aforesaid, shopkeeper,” land near the great dock where
her house stands [SLR 12:32-33].
On 4 March 1680/1, “James Everill of Boston,
... cordwainer, and Mary his wife” sold to Joseph Pearse of
Boston, tailor, “their now dwelling house” in Boston near Bendall’s
dock [SLR 12:26-27].
On 12 January 1681/2, “James Everill of Boston,
... cordwainer, and Mary his wife” mortgaged to William Stoughton
of Dorchester, Esq., their house, land and salthouse in Boston
[SLR 12:237-38]. (On 26 April 1701, “Hannah Manning of Boston
..., widow, the only surviving daughter & heir of James
Everil late of Boston aforesaid, cordwainer, deceased,” having
redeemed this mortgage after her father’s decease, sold the
property to “her daughter Mary Francis of Boston aforesaid,
widow” [SLR 20:292-96].)
In his will, dated 11 December 1682 and proved
2 February 1682[/3], “James Everell of Boston” bequeathed to
“my loving wife ... all the estate she brought unto me according
to an inventory thereof to be at her dispose, also in consideration
of her love and helpfulness unto me, I leave the dispose of
my whole estate ... unto my wife during her natural life ...
all alienation is excepted,” also to her ₤20; after wife’s
death ₤5 to the “deacons of the old church in Boston”;
to “my grandson James Manning,” ₤5; to “my wife’s granddaughter
Elizabeth Adkins,” 40s.; to “all my own grandchildren,” 40s.
each; “moreover to John Ham I give ₤3,” all to be paid
after wife’s death; residue “equally to be divided between my
two daughters Hannah Manning and Elizabeth Grant”; “loving wife
Mary Everell” sole executor; overseers Mr. Christopher Clarke,
Richard Collacot and John Wiswall Sr. “Postscript ... my daughter
Manning is to have free liberty to the house of Office” [SPR
6:400].
The inventory of the estate of “Mr. James Everell,”
taken 29 December 1682, totalled ₤274 7s. 4d., of which
₤170 was real estate: “A house and backside and salt house
only nine foot of the salt house next to Mrs. Manning’s which
is hers,” ₤170 [SPR 9:113].
BIRTH: About 1603 (deposed 11 July 1679
“aged seventy-six years or thereabouts” [SLR 11:200]; deposed
14 September 1681 “aged about 78 years” [SLR 12:106]).
DEATH: Between 11 December 1682 (date
of will) and 29 December 1682 (date of inventory).
MARRIAGE: (1) By about 1628 Elizabeth
_____. She was living on 1 April 1674, when she joined her husband
in mortgaging land [SLR 8:366-37].
(2) By 4 March 1680/1 Mary _____ [SLR 12:26-27].
She died prior to 1705, when an engraved silver cup was donated
to Boston church in compliance with her husband’s will [BChR
2:486, 523].
CHILDREN:
With first wife
i HANNAH, b. say 1628; m. (1) say
1648 William Blanchard (in his will of 27 September 1652, William
Blanchard named two children, John and Hannah, and appointed
“loving father-in-law James Everill” an overseer [SPR 1:70]);
m. (2) Boston 18 March 1654[/5?] George Manning (as “Hannah
Blanchard widow”) [BVR 52].
ii ABIEL, b. say 1630; m. Boston 6
July 1655 “Elizabeth Phillips, daughter of Lieut. Will[iam]
Phillips of Boston” [BVR 52] (WILLIAM PHILLIPS {1639, Charlestown}).
She m. (2) Boston 1 April 1660 John Alden [BVR 76], son of JOHN
ALDEN {1620, Plymouth} [GMB 1:23-24].
iii EZEKIEL, bp. Boston 15 May 1636
[BChR 1:280]; on 3 April 1653, “Ezekiell Everill, son of our
brother James Everill of the age of 16 years, born and baptized
into the fellowship of the Covenant, for his choosing evil company
and frequenting a house of ill report,” was admonished [BChR
1:54]; on 6 May 1657, in “the case of Seaborne Batchiler, now
Cromwell, bound over by the Court of Assistants for committing
folly with Ezekiell Everell, being with child by him & marrying
with John Cromwell, & not discovering the same to him, which
she confessed, the whole Court, having heard the case, sentenced
her to be whipped with twenty stripes the next fifth day after
lecture, Ezekiell Everell having been sentenced in the last
County Court” [MBCR 4:1:295]; no further record.
iv CONENIAH (daughter), bp. Boston 4
November 1638 [BChR 1:282]; no further record (evidently dead
by 27 September 1652, when her sister Hannah’s husband bequeathed
20s. apiece to “my father-in-law Everrill’s three children”
[SPR 1:70]).
v ELIZABETH, bp. Boston 3 October 1641
“being 3 days old” [BChR 1:288]; m. (1) by an unknown date James
Grant (in his will of 12 November 1679, “James Grant of Kittery”
appointed “my loving wife Elizabeth Grant” executrix and “my
loving father-in-law James Everell of Boston” overseer [Maine
Wills 78-79]) [GDMNH 281]; m. (2) soon after 1683 Edward Toogood
[GDMNH 688].
COMMENTS: In 1638, John Winthrop reported
the following story:
In this year one James Everell, a sober, discreet
man, and two others, saw a great light in the night at Muddy
River. When it stood still, it flamed up, and was about three
yards square; when it ran, it was contracted into the figure
of a swine: it ran as swift as an arrow towards Charlton, and
so up and down about two or three hours. They were come down
in their lighter about a mile, and, when it was over, they found
themselves carried quite back against the tide to the place
they came from. Diverse other credible persons saw the same
light, after, about the same place [WJ 349-50].
While there is no direct evidence of his passage,
it is very likely that James Everill sailed back and forth to
England several times
in the late 1640s and early 1650s. In 1645 “James Everill of
Boston, shoemaker,” accepted a letter of attorney from Hugh
Burt, but in 1646 nominated John Gwinn of Charlestown as a substitute,
and again, on 20 September 1647, passed this duty along to Michael
Rainer of London [Aspinwall 29, 68, 87]. On 20 March 1649/50,
James Blomfield bound himself to repay “James Everill of Boston
aforesaid, shoemaker,” for medicines and passage from Barbados
to New England [Aspinwall 282-85, 360-61]. On 2 December 1650,
William Withington signed over to James Everill a bill that
was to be paid in London [Aspinwall 388].
James Everill was an organizer and community
leader. On 18 October 1648, he was one of the leading petitioners
for the incorporation of a shoemakers guild [MBCR 2:249-50,
3:132-33]. On 1 June 1652, his name was at the head of a list
of several petitioners, inhabitants of Conduit Street in Boston,
wishing to create a waterworks both for water supply and fire
protection, and they were permitted by the General Court to
incorporate [MBCR 4:1:99-100; see also SLR 6:21-22]. On 8 March
1651[/2], “James Everell and the neighbors which set up the
conduit by the dock shall have one of the bells (which were
given by Capt. Crummell) for a clock and to enjoy it while they
make that use of it there” [BTR 1:108].
On 8 July 1651, James Everell was ordered to
secure the cellar he had dug where the old meetinghouse had
been [BTR 1:105]; evidently he was not very prompt about it,
because the order was repeated on 31 March 1656 [BTR 1:130].
In 1665 James Everill sued Simon Bradstreet
for “withholding his mortgage,” an obligation which went back
more than a decade; the suit dragged on for more than three
years, with Everill receiving little satisfaction [RCA 3:163-66;
MBCR 4:1:326, 349-50, 376].
On 28 January 1672/3, Jacob Wainwright and Thomas
Leader, servants of William English, were warned to be of good
behavior to the families of Henry Thompson and Mr. James Everell
[SCC 225].
In addition to witnessing many deeds and acting
as surety, James Everill provided many other services for his
friends and neighbors in Boston. As agent for Ephraim Pope,
James Everill sold Pope’s house and land to Mr. Arthur Mason,
and since Pope had failed to support his wife for many years,
much to the cost of the First Church, on 25 April 1676, Everill
was told to pay over one of Pope's bonds to the court [SCC 695].
On 24 January 1676/7, “Mr. James Everill” was ordered to bring
in what money he had belonging to the estate of the late Ephraim
Pope [SCC 756].
On 31 July 1677, James Everill was one of three
men to set out the estate of Elizabeth Smith, widow [SCC 849].
On 28 October 1673, William Bartholomew and James Everill unsuccessfully
sued Henry Ashton for taking possession of a house held for
security in the matter of Rebecca Greene’s true administration
of her late husband’s estate [SCC 318].
On 14 January 1677/8, “Mr. Richard Collacot
and Mr. James Everell” were presented for “not taking an oath
according to truth, righteousness and judgment in the case referring
to Hugh Drewry” and were found guilty and seriously admonished
[SCC 895].
On 11 July 1679, “James Everill, aged seventy-six
years or thereabouts,” deposed that in the year 1659 Mr. John
Hanniford of Boston, mariner, “being then bound to sea,” desired
that Everill assist his wife in procuring clapboards for his
dwelling house in Boston and in getting rent thereof [SLR 11:200].
