Sometimes being asked for an opinion as to the ancestry of Avis Harris I reply with the following suggestion:

1. John White, of Hulcote co. Bedfordshire, m. Agnes … His Will of 1501 made charitable requests to 9 churches; his sons were bequested tenements in Hulcote and Cranfield. He was evidently of considerable wealth.
1.1. Thomas White, of Cranfield.
1.1.1. John White, merchant, of the City of Bristol. His Will was proved May 1, 1570, by his nephew, Thomas Williams. (PCC Wells, 12). His second wife, Edith, sister of Edward Cullimore, was the mother of his children. John White’s cousin (as per Will) was Giles White, apprenticed to John Smythe, in Bristol; other of his apprentices being John Bland, son of John Bland, Merchant Tailor of London (Apprentice Book, fol. 458), and Thomas Horner, son of John Horner of Somerset (ibid., fol. 481). Therein lies the seedlings of future associations. John Bland was the ancestor of Joyce Bland, the wife of John Cogan who witnessed the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688; John Horner’s family ontermarried with that of Symes, under which the Fulghams were tenants. John White was of considerable wealth.

1.1.1.1. Thomas White D.D., Fellow of Magdalen Hall Oxford; of Temple Parish, Bristol, m. 1. Fortune Knight, in 1576, 2. Elizabeth Bouge, in 1580. He d. in 1622, childless. He held a number of benefices, among which being the rectorship of St. Dunstan-in-the-West, London, for almost fifty years; wherein he is buried. He funded the building of The Temple Hospital in 1613 (Dr White’s Almshouse), located in Temple Street. He was a celebrated preacher, social reformer, and benefactor of immense proportion. He requested his trustees to provide an annual dinner on the anniversary of his birth – the “Pease and Pork dinner”, which continues to this day.

1.1.1.2. George White, merchant, died unmarried in 1634, also left many legacies. In 1631, he gifted one of the four brass pillars (the “Bristol nails”) that still stand outside the old Exchange building in Corn Street, and which were used by merchants, instead of tables, for making payments, writing letters etc.; the expression, “to pay on the nail.” He also left money to provide loans to clothiers, materials to keep the “poor at work” and for the relief of prisoners in Newgate.

George White was a merchant adventurer, and owned ships with Humphrey Hooke, whose dau. m. Apr. 30, 1635, Mr. Giles Elbridge, of Bristol, merchant. In 1630, John Winthrop founded a settlement at Charlestown, and about the same time Robert Aldworth and Giles Elbridge, two Bristol merchants, founded a colony further north in Maine. “The other to the merchants of Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth for the colonization of that part of Virginia lying between 380 and 450 N. The chief organizers … among other men whose names figure on the list of pioneer colonists in Virginia are those of Robert Aldworth and Giles Elbridge”. (R. Hargreaves-Mawdsley, A Record of the First Settlers in the Colonies of North America, 1654-1685). The queen and John Hill v. John Aldworth, John Fones, George Lane and George White; and [blank] v. Philip Cowper, Richard Barker and Christopher Whitson. Customs due on merchandise imported by the defendants. Bristol. 41 Eliz. (Bristol Arch, E 133/9/1413).

1.1.1.3. John White, Will probated April 2, 1639. Humphrey Browne, apprenticed to (1) in 1601, John White, a Bristol merchant, whose daughter Elizabeth he married in 1611; (2) George White, merchant, aforementioned. Humphrey Browne, d. 1630, was Sheriff of Bristol, and Master of the Merchant Venturers.
1.1.1.3.1. John White, merchant. On July 4, 1649, he patented land in IOW Co., “on a swamp running on to black water”, “on the easternmost branch pointing to Chipoaks”, later assigned to Francis England, July 26, 1652, p. 110. Previous notes have shown that Francis England stood security for a sister of Hodges Counsell, guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harros, d. 1688.
1.1.1.3.1.1. John White, noted as a son of “John White, merchant” when admitted as a freeman of Bristol in 1665.
1.1.1.3.1.1.1. (I reasonably assume) Thomas White, who m. Ann Moore, cousin of the wife of Francis England.
1.2. John White. Inventory of the goods of John White of Bristol, in possession of Roger Jones, executor. Also inventory of John White’s goods in possession of Gyles White, executor, April 4 1559. (Bristol Arcives, AC/36074/61).

The will of Aldworth Elbridge (b. circa 1580), “of the city of Bristol, merchant”, Sept. 1, 1653: “Imprimis, to my cousin Thomas Moore (his executor), twenty punds of lawful English money”; meaning his br.-in-law, wife of his sister, Elizabeth, as specified in the Will. He identifies himself as son of “Giles Elbridge merchant deceased”. Thomas Moore (the executor) died in the lifetime of the testator. His son, Thomas, b. circa 1610, who “died in parts beyond the seas”, took over admin. of this estate in 1680.

Thomas Moore Sr. and Aldworth Elbridge borrowed £50 from the bequest of John Whitson to Bristol Corporation in 1632 to loan to younger merchants (B.R.O, “Loan Money, 1648). Thomas Moore Jr. was possibly the father of Thomas Moore and:
(1) George Moore (stated to be “age 78 years” when he made his will in 1710 (Chapman, IOW Wills, p. 54), and who m. Jane Barcroft, dau. of Charles Barcroft, whose family held land in Chard, Somerset. Administration on Charles Barcroft’s estate granted to his son-in-law George Moore. (Anthony Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset, transported Charles Barcroft, Isle of Wight, 1650).

He was athe br. of Katherine Moore, who m. (2) Robert Flake, a tobacco factor for Bristol merchants. By her first husband, she had issue: Joyce, who m. (1) Francis England, (2) George Cripps. Francis England, George Cripps. William Jennings of Bristol, surgeon, appts. Thomas Moore of Pagan Creek his atty. to collect from Arthur Skynner, Gyles Dryver (headright of Thomas Harris, d. 1672), and Joseph Whitson, and by virtue of a letter of atty. from John Hardiman of Bristol, taylor, to collect from William Hudson in Nansemond. June 29, 1667.

George Moore had issue:
(1) Eleanor Moore, who m. Richard Piland, the son of James Piland, bapt. on Aug. 30, 1604, in St Mary’s Le Porte, Bristol, headright of Francis England, in 1642. (2) Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White. They had issue Thomas and John White, brothers of (I stand corrected) of Avis White, who m. John Harris, son of Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.

All these families came from the same “Bristol orchard”, their fruit never falling too far from the tree.

The “other half” of this family of White:

1.1.1.3. Susan White, m. … “Kitchin, of Bristol”. He was most likely a son of Robert Kitchen, alderman of Bristol, and, himself a great benefactor. (See The Bristol Charities, vol. 1, 1831).
1.2. John White, d. 1572. m. Ann Yonge. His sons all died before 1590, all leaving a son named John. it is important to note that although the following Whites were of Bedfordshire and London, they all had keen interests in Bristol, as Chancery proceedings, concering legacies to them by their kinsman, Doctor White, examplify.
1.2.1. Thomas White, m. Agnes …
1.2.1.1. Lawrence White, gent, d. 1600, m. 1. Jane, dau. of Anthony Rowan of Wellingborough; 2. Katherine Manley. White v George. Plaintiffs: Lawrence White of Caldecote, Buckinghamshire, gent. Defendant: John, George and John White. Subject of decree: Annuities out of lands of John White, grandfather of plaintiff, in Caldecotte and Newport, Buckinghamshire. Date of decree: 26 February 33 Eliz. 1591 Feb 26. C 78/74/2.
1.2.1.1.1. Thomas White, d. 1661, m. Elizabeth Fisher.
1.2.1.1.1.1. Thomas White, b. 1608, educated at Magdalen Hall, lord of the manor of Caldecot; m. Mary Rotheram. His epitaph records he was “a faithful friend”, “benefactor of the poor”; “a prudent peacemaker”; and “he didd much in a little time”. Caldecot was sold to John White in 1541 (Feet of F. Bucks. Mich. 33 Hen. VIII; Memo. R. (Exch. L.T.R.), East. 34 Hen. VIII, m. 7; Chan.) He died in possession in 1572, leaving a son and heir Thomas. (Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), clxiii, 2.) Laurence, son and heir of Thomas (Abstract of Title lent by Mr. F. W. Bull; Visit. of Bucks. (Harl. Soc.), 127; cf. Feet of F. Bucks. East. 28 Eliz.) was succeeded on his death in 1600 by his son Thomas. (Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), cclxvi, 109).
1.2.1.1.1.1.1. Thomas White, bapt Newton Pagnel, July 8, 1635; m Elizabeth, dau. of Sir William Bolton, lord Mayor of London.
His Will was pr. June 20, 1679. Elizabeth White was the author of “The experiences of God’s gracious dealing with Mrs. Elizabeth White”, written in her own hand. It became standard reading in America – it was, essentially, a convertion-to-Puritanism narrative. She died in child-bed, Dec. 5, 1669.
1.2.1.1.1.2. Henry White, to him – Henry, Thomas, William, and John.
1.2.1.1.1.3. John White, Stationer, of London, to him – Thomas and John.
1.2.1.1.2. William White, “Citizen and Haberdasher of London”, of St Martin, Ludgate. His Will was dated Nov. 24, 1676. He m. 1. (at St Benet Gracechurch) Katherine Best (of St Sepulchre), 2. (Feb 13, 1654, at St Stephen’s Walbrook), Ann Juxon, widow of Arthur Juxon, salter, cousin of William Juxon, archb. of Canterbury. His Will bequested “to Thomas my son the debt now due to me from my brother John White now in Virginia beyond seas”. Thomas went to Virginia, and died there. His br., William, administered his estate, probated August 9, 1685 He was described as “dying beyond seas, bachelor”. William White, “Citizen and Haberdasher of London” sent goods to his brother John White in Nansemond Co. in October 1651.
1.2.1.1.2.1. Thomas White, died in Virginia, 1685.
1.2.1.1.2.2. William White.
1.2.1.1.3. John White, merchant, in Nansemond, Virginia.

This “half” was most likely associated with the Barlows.

copyright m stanhope 2018