From a Norfolk Migrant to the White House
When tracing our family history, we often find many siblings that seem to disappear. Either their marriage or burial wasn’t recorded or more often for one reason or another they moved villages or in many cases migrated to pastures new.
Just outside Swaffham in mid-Norfolk was a hamlet by the name of Pagrave, later Palgrave. One John Pagrave, Lord of the Manor there in the 14th century, married Sybil Hethersett, a daughter and heir of William Hethersett of North Barningham near Sheringham, where three generations later, Henry Pagrave was firmly established as Manorial Lord
The same family also inherited lands in and around the villages of Hethersett and Wymondham where Henry’s great grandson, Richard Palgrave (sic), was living during the 1620s. However, in 1630, Richard and his wife and family, were passengers in one of the eleven ships in the Winthrop Fleet taking 700 or so settlers to New England. They settled in Charlestown, Mass. Nine years later he was granted 200 acres of land in Woburn, Mass. His daughter, Mary, married Roger Wellington, another settler, living at Watertown whilst his daughter, Sarah, married Dr John Alcock.
Richard Palgrave’s great granddaughter, Mehitabel Wellington, married William Sherman: their son Roger Sherman was one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence. Her sister, Elizabeth Wellington, married John Fay of Concord, Mass and, six generations later, Harriet Eleanor Fay married the Rev James Smith Bush, great grandfather of George Bush, 41st President of the U.S.A. and great great grandfather of George Walker Bush 43rd President of the U.S.A.
Great granddaughter, Joanna Alcock, married Ephraim Hunt, their offspring including Elizabeth who married Lemuel Pope. In the next generation, Mercy Pope married Caleb Church whose granddaughter, Deborah, married Warren Delano whose forbears are believed to have been involved in chartering the Mayflower. Granddaughter, Sally Delano, married James Roosevelt, father of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the U.S.A.
Article Contributed by Derek Palgrave
