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Richard Knowles

b. 1615 · England  |  d. 1670/75 · Eastham, Massachusetts

Most distant known ancestor in this line

Events

Birth
1615 · England
Death
1670/75 · Eastham, Massachusetts

Family

Spouse: Ruth Bower (1620–) · m. 15 Aug 1639 · Plymouth, Massachusetts

Children:

  1. John Knowles (–3 Jun 1675)
    m. Apphia Bangs (15 Oct 1651–AFTER 12 Jul 1722) · 28 Dec 1670 · Eastham, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
    Children: Edward Knowles (1671–1740); John Knowles (1673–1757); Rebecca Knowles (1675–1758); Knowles
  2. Mary Knowles
    m. Ephraim Doane (1645–1700) · 5 Feb 1668 · Eastham, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
    Children: Patience Doane (1668–1675); Apphia Doane (1670–); Hezekiah Doane (1672–); Thomas Doane (1674–1756); Ebenezer Doane (1676–1711); Nehemiah Doane (1680–1684); Patience Doane (1682–1746); Ruhama Doane (1685–)
  3. James Knowles (17 Nov 1648–BEFORE 10 Oct 1678)
  4. Ruth (Duty) Knowles (–28 Aug 1714)
    m. Joseph Collins (ABOUT 1645–1724) · 20 Mar 1672 · Eastham, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
    Children: Sarah Collins (1673–); John Collins (1674–1765); Lydia Collins (1676–); Joseph Collins (1678–); Hannah Collins (1681–1724); Jonathan Collins (1682–1765); Jane Collins (1684–); Benjamin Collins (1687–1756); James Collins (1689–1689)
  5. Samuel Knowles (17 Sep 1651–19 Jun 1737)
    m. Mercy Freeman (Jul 1659–19 Jun 1737) · Dec 1679 · Eastham, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
    Children: James Knowles (1680–1704); Mercy Knowles (1681–); Samuel Knowles (1683–1751); Nathaniel Knowles (1686–1732); Richard Knowles (1688–1769); Rebecca Knowles (1690–1755); John Knowles (1692–1753); Ruth Knowles (1694–1745); Cornelius Knowles (1695–1764); Amos Knowles (1702–1786); James Knowles (1705–1765)
  6. Mehitable Knowles (20 May 1653–AFTER 1721)
    m. George Brown (16 Jan 1651–3 Aug 1721)
    Children: William Brown; James Brown; George Brown (1679–); Joshua Brown; Mercy Brown (–1754)
  7. Barbara Knowles (28 Sep 1656–23 Feb 1715)
    m. Thomas Mayo (7 Dec 1650–22 Apr 1729) · 13 Jun 1677 · Eastham, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts
    Children: Thomas Mayo (1678–1773); Theophilus Mayo (1680–1763); Mary Mayo (1683–1777); Mercy Mayo (1685–1765); Ruth Mayo (1688–1720); Judah Mayo (1691–1761); Lydia Mayo (1694–1745); Richard Mayo (1697–1744); Mayo (1699–1699); Israel Mayo (1700–1760)

Notes

He first appears in New England records at Plymouth on 2 Jan 1638 when he was haled into a court "for bringing a barke from Greenes Harbor [now Marshfield] on the Lords day." There is nothing to prove that he considered his home to be Plymouth at that time. As a single man it isnot unlikely that he considered his home to be under his hat, aboard his ship. But nineteen months later he married a Plymouth girl, who had recently moved there from Scituate, and before his marriage he had been granted (7 Jan 1639) "a garden place next to John Barnes" on the Eele River side of Plymouth next to Duxbury. When the Bowers moved to Cambridge in 1643, he apparently went there also, for a record there on 4 Nov 1646 reads: "Goodman Knowles for his swine divers times going without keeper is fined 1s.6d." His son was born "in Boston" (according to the Cambridge records), but by Dec.1649, he was back at Plymouth, for according to Plymouth records of 1 Dec.1649 he was prosecuted "for denying passage of cattell in the highway". On 12 May 1653, he and his ship were ordered by the Plymouth Council of War to be pressed for service in a possible conflict with the Dutch of New Amsterdam. Sometime about this time was when he seems to have moved to Eastham. Richard Knowles was a shipmaster and probably spent much of his career trading up and down the coast. It is unknown whether he made any trans- Atlantic voyages or traded with the West Indies. The probate records of a Boston merchant named Joshua Foote in 1655 show that Richard Knowles was one of his customers for goods. On 12 May 1653, when the possibility of armed conflict with the Dutch New Amsterdam settlement was feared, one of two barques pressed for service was "the Barkqe in which Richard Knowles sayleth, with him the master thereof..." Prior to his marriage, he might not have had a permanent home on land, considering instead his boat to be his home. After his marriage he was granted a lot in Plymouth next to John Barnes on the Eele River side of Plymouth next to Duxbury and near to George Bowers. He must have also some time farming for in 1642 the crop of Richard Knowles is mentioned in a grant to John Groome. Source (with much more): "The Knowles Family of Eastham" [NEHGR 79:288-292] Big source: Descendants of Richard Knowles 1637-1973, compiled by Virginia Knowles Hufbauer, Ventura Int'l, San Diego, CA, 1974. Hardcopy book in collection of LDS-FHC Greentree (Pittsburgh) PA. Parentage: As far as I know, unsolved. One source claimed he was the son of John Knowles b. 1 Nov 1596, d. 1685, m. bef 1614 Elizabeth, and Grandson of William and Grace (Clavell) Knowles. That same source gave his birthdate as 17 Sep 1617, but had no sources listed.