Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Henry TRUE "of Salem"

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Descendants of Henry TRUE "of Salem"

Generation No. 1

1. Henry TRUE "of¹ Salem" died 1659. He married Israel PIKE 1644 in Salem, MA, daughter of John PIKE and Sarah Saunders. She died March 12, 1699/00.

Notes for Henry TRUE "of Salem":
Henry TREW (as it was spelled then) is said to have emigrated from the neighborhood of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England. He settled at Salem, MA, in 1644, but one record has him coming to this country as early as 1630. A large chart bearing the title "Genealogy of the Family of True, in America", has the notation: "Deed or Bill of Sale. I, Edward gibens doe acknowleg to have Received of henry True of Salem four pound for the House in Salem, which was Mr. Strattens; and by this payment doe give him fulle perseson of the said house; to him and his forever. the 16 day of August 1644 by me Edward gibens," and in another place, " 'Henry Trew g.l. (Granted Land) 1649.' Felt's Annals of Salem." Shortly after his arrival he married Israel Pike, whose brother was Major Robert Pike. One source indicates the year of Henry's death as 1660.

SOURCE: Records of my father, Oscar True Babcock. Chart, "Genealogy of the Family of True, In America", compiled by H. A. True, M.D., Marion, Marion Co., Ohio, January, 1864. -- Bryce Babcock

Note on the name: The name appears to have a Gaelic origin. The Irish Gaelic "trius" and the Scots Gaelic "triubhas" were singular nouns used to denote "close fitting shorts". In Scotland, while male inhabitants of the Highlands traditionally wore the kilt, Lowlanders generally wore what we now call "pants", a garment with legs that was drawn on over the feet (hence also the term "drawers"). In Gaelic these were referred to as "trews" or "trouse", the term being borrowed into English in the 16th Century as "trewsers" or "trousers".

After the 1745 uprising by the Highland Clans in support of Charles Edward Stewart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie") was put down by the English forces of King George II, the wearing of their traditional dress by the Highlanders was proscribed. Many Highlanders had their kilts sewn into trews and "tartan trews" became a common form of apparel throughout the country.

In the south of Scotland and the bordering English county of Yorkshire, the family name Trews or Trew, was not uncommon. After Henry Trew of Salem emigrated to this country, he apparently changed the spelling to True. I have not found any records that indicate a reason or reasons for this change, but the spelling of True has been used by this branch of the family at least, ever since.

SOURCES: Ayto, John, "Dictionary of Word Origins", Arcade Publishing, Inc., New York, 1990. Mackie, J.D., "A History of Scotland", Penguin Books, New York, 2nd Ed. 1978.

Notes for Israel PIKE:
One source lists the year of her death as 1700.

Children of Henry Salem" and Israel PIKE are:

+	2	i.	Henry TRUE "of² Salisbury", born March 08, 1644/45; died September 08, 1735.
	3	ii.	John True.
	4	iii.	Maey True.
	5	iv.	Lydia True.
+	6	v.	Joseph True, died December 22, 1718.
	7	vi.	Benjamin True.
	8	vii.	Jemina True. She married John March, Captain October 01, 1679.

Notes for Jemina True:
My father, Oscar True Babcock, had this handwritten note among his records:
" 1680 (?) John Carr in love with Jemima True -- broken off by his father on account of his youth -- he became melancholy and insane and died." There is no source given for this note other than the words "Wills - lists." The meaning of which is unclear. For more on this story, see notes for Mary Perkins Bradbury or notes for her daughter, Jane Bradbury. -- Bryce Babcock

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