M. about 1643 in (probably) Salem, Massachusetts2
Wife: Hannah Woodbury
D. 10 Aug 1658 in Salem, Massachusetts3
James Patch had a life that was cut short, but his probate file gives a glimpse of what a Massachusetts farm was like during his time. James was from South Petherton, a village in Somerset, England, baptized there on September 18, 1626 as the son of Nicholas Patch and Elizabeth Owsley.1 His parents were followers of Puritanism, and joined the Great Migration to the Massachusetts colony in about 1638 or 1639.4
The family settled in Salem, and in about 1643, James married his first cousin Hannah Woodbury,2 who had also been born in South Petherton. The following year Hannah gave birth to their first child, and by the end of 1657, they had at least five children, but two of them died young. Then something happened to James that caused him to write a will; after signing the document, he passed away three days later on August 10, 1658 at the age of 32.3
James' signature.
The probate records of James’ estate tell the story of his life as a colonial farmer.5 Like most New England men, he held title on several pieces of land. The part of Salem where he lived was on the Bass River side, and would later become the town of Beverly; there he had a house, barn, orchard, and planted fields where he grew corn. He also had three acres of meadow for his animals, which included six oxen, two horses, seven cows, six swine, and three sheep. His farm had a wagon, plus two plows, harnesses, axes and other tools.
A 17th century man often needed other resources besides farming to feed his family. James owned weapons for hunting — two muskets, a fowling piece (shotgun), and bandoliers for holding his ammunition. He also possessed a sword, perhaps for military use in his town’s militia. Living near the water, he had a one-third share ownership of a small sailboat, probably for fishing in the Atlantic. Among other items he owned were the materials for making cloth: twelve pounds of cotton wool, twelve pounds of flax, twelve pounds of linen and eight pounds of cotton yarn.
James owned lands beyond his immediate farm, and they seemed to cover a wide area. He had ten acres of rocky land and some other parcels totaling another thirty acres. One piece of land was bequeathed to his 3-year-old son when he came of age, and was referred to in the will as his one-third part of “Knights Farm.” This was possibly a reference to a farm in Ipswich once operated by a man named Alexander Knight, whom a few years earlier, experienced a fire at his home that took the life of his young son.6 It’s thought that the fire also disabled Knight, making him unable to work his farm, so the land was leased out in 1656. This may have been the farm mentioned in James’ will; as further proof, his son did later relocate to Ipswich.7
After James’ death, his wife Hannah remarried, but was widowed again by 1670.7 She later moved to Ipswich where she died in about 1701.
Was Nicholas Patch really his father?
There have been some researchers who have disputed that James and his brother John were the sons of Nicholas Patch.2 The reasons given are largely based on the 1623 baptismal record of his older brother John not matching with John’s stated age in a 1675 deposition where he said he was 57. That would place his birth five years earlier than the baptismal record, giving him a birth year of about 1618.
But while it may be true that Nicholas wasn’t James and John’s father, that scenario doesn’t seem likely. Nicholas Patch lived in Salem and did have sons named James and John in the South Petherton baptismal records; it would be an odd coincidence that a whole different set of brothers by the same name would turn up parentless living in the same place as Nicholas. As for the age discrepancy on the deposition, it’s very possible that John wasn’t a baby when he was baptized, and he was a 5-year-old boy. This commonly happened in England for various reasons.
There have been some researchers who have disputed that James and his brother John were the sons of Nicholas Patch.2 The reasons given are largely based on the 1623 baptismal record of his older brother John not matching with John’s stated age in a 1675 deposition where he said he was 57. That would place his birth five years earlier than the baptismal record, giving him a birth year of about 1618.
But while it may be true that Nicholas wasn’t James and John’s father, that scenario doesn’t seem likely. Nicholas Patch lived in Salem and did have sons named James and John in the South Petherton baptismal records; it would be an odd coincidence that a whole different set of brothers by the same name would turn up parentless living in the same place as Nicholas. As for the age discrepancy on the deposition, it’s very possible that John wasn’t a baby when he was baptized, and he was a 5-year-old boy. This commonly happened in England for various reasons.
Children:
1. Mary Patch — B. 21 May 1647, Salem, Massachusetts;7 D. 30 Aug 1649, Salem, Massachusetts7
2. Elizabeth Patch — B. 16 Jun 1649, Salem, Massachusetts;8 D. about 12 Feb 1731, Beverly, Massachusetts;9 M. Richard Thistle (~1642-1715), about 1671, Beverly, Massachusetts10
3. Mary Patch — B. 6 Apr 1650, Salem, Massachusetts;7 D. 12 May 1716, Beverly, Massachusetts;11 M. Paul Thorndike (~1642-1698), 28 Apr 1668, Beverly, Massachusetts11
4. James Patch — B. 21 Jun 1655, Salem Massachusetts;12 D. Feb 1733, Ipswich, Massachusetts;13 M. Sarah Balch (~1661-?), 20 Dec 1680, Beverly, Massachusetts14
5. Nicholas Patch — B. 21 Aug 1657, Salem, Massachusetts;7 D. 16 Nov 1658, Salem, Massachusetts7
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of James Patch, “Genealogical Research in England,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register, V. 71, 1917
2 WikiTree listing for James Patch
3 Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, The Essex Institute, 1925
4 Town Records of Salem of Salem, Massachusetts, 1868
5 The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts: 1635-1664, 1916
6 Historic Ipswich (website)
7 “William Woodbury of Salem and Beverly, Massachusetts,” David Curtis Dearborn and John Bradley Arthaud, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, V. 175, 2021
8 Birth record of Elizabeth Patch, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org 9 Death record of Elizabeth Patch Thistle, Massachusetts Town clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001
10 WikiTree listing for Elizabeth (Patch) Thistle
11 WikiTree listing for Mary (Patch) Thorndike
12 Birth record of James Patch (younger), M.B.& C.
13 WikiTree listing for James Patch II
14 Marriage record of James Patch and Sarah Balch, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
