Notes for Edward Barestowe: [barstow and ellson family tree 280807.FTW]
Barstow Family Origins: Extract from Notes of Roger Beament "The name of Barstow possibly derives from the village of Bairstowe in West Yorkshire. There is a record of Ralph de Bayrestowe in 1277 in Wakefield and a Thomas de Barstowe in 1348.
By the early 1600s, there would seem to be about seven different group of Barstows linked to different towns. One group is centred on Northallerton and Barstow Hall. There are substantial groups centred on Halifax and Bradford, with other groups in Kingston~ upon-Hull, Leeds and York. The other area in which there are records of Barstows is in the southern part of the Vale of York, centred on Selby. It is from this group that it seems that Michael Barstow, whose portrait hangs in the Merchant Venturers Hall, originates.
Among the family papers is the transcript of what would appear to come from a local register of land transactions, as yet untraced. Most of the statements in it can be corroborated by other evidence. The text of the transcript is as follows:
'Walter Barestoe of Barliebie Cooper gave his lands in Barlebie to Edwd. Barestoe yeoman of Selby and Robert Barestoe of Barlebie shipmaster for the life of his wife Ann, 1629
Edwd Barstow yeoman of Selby gave his lands in Barlby to his eldest son Edward Barstow and also to the said Edward Barstow, Robt Barstow & Michl Barstow his three sons to every one ofthem five shillings & a piece in full satisfaction of their parts & portions 1661 - Robt Barstow was master of a ship & murdered by the Turks at Aleppo. Edward Barstow of Barly Bank Mariner made Michael Barstow of the City of York Gentleman his brother sole executor 1680.
Michael Barstow of the City of York gentleman had two sons Nathan and Thomas, & made his wife his sole executrix 1694.
Alice Barstow widow of the above Michael Barstow made his son Thomas sole executor 1702
Nathan Barstow eldest son of the above Michael Barstow had two sons, Michael & Benjamin, made his wife sole executrix.
Thomas Barstow second son of the above Michael Barstow had one son Michael Barstow whom he made sole executer 1707
Michael Barstow son of Nathan Barstow died without male Heirs left his wife executrix 1751
Ben: Barstow 2nd son of Nathan Barstow had three sons Thos Ben & Michael left his eldest son sole executor 1742.
Michael Barstow son of Thomas Barstow left no issue made Thomas the eldest son of Benj Barstow his sole executor 1742 which Thomas is now the last in the line but has two sons Michael Barstow & Thomas Barstow & one daughter.
All this rings true and there seems no reason for not accepting it as a reasonable record of these early years of this particular group of Barstows
What is apparent is that the status of the family was rising. Walter Barestoe was a cooper, a maker and repairer of barrels and other wooden vessels, an artisan but of an important trade in the community around Selby. The sea played an important part in this area. The Ouse was navigable up to York and was the main communication link between York and Hull. Many families in the Vale of York were involved in sailing with its supporting businesses and overseas trade. Of the later Barstows, one of Walter's sons was a shipmaster, one of his grandsons was a Mariner and another was killed in Aleppo, a major trading city with the Middle East. Thomas Barstow, Lord Mayor of York owned 'one of the quays in York, the Queens Staithe, from which he ran a timber business for many years.
The Barstows were also property owners. Walter owned land in Barlby. His son, Edward, might also have had land in Selby. In the list of Yorkshire Fines, there are two references to Edward Barestowe. In 1623, "Robt Dobb (quer); Edw. Barstowe and Frances his wife, John Pawle and Jennett his wife and John Smythe and Jane his wife def. Messuage and lands in Selby & Barlby." In the following year, there is another entry: "Miles Turpin quer; Edw. Barstow & Frances his wife, John Pawle & Joan his wife and Robt Dalbye & Alice his wife def. Lands in Barlebye." Tenants holding their property by leasehold or copyhold would pay a fme (or lump sum) when they acquired the land whether by inheritance of purchase. This fine might be fixed by custom or ' arbitrary' , that is, open to negotiation. During the first of the 17th century, landlords were contesting in the courts whether the fmes were customary or not and trying hard to get the amounts increased. This may well the situation here. It would appear that Walter divided his lands between his two sons in 1629, perhaps when he died. It was usual to draw up one's will as late as possible. There is one other interesting scrap of information. In the collection of Selby wills, Anne Godbehere of Selby, "Weddow" refers in her will of August 1657 to "my part of my house which my husband bought of Edw Bastoe & the appearances etc to William Nutt, my grandchild," perhaps further evidence that Edward had, and maybe, continued to hold land in Selby.
How successful Edward Barestowe was as a yeoman farmer, we simply do not know. None of the wills of these early Barstows seem to have survived or they may be in some dark archive as yet undisturbed. But as a yeoman we would expect him to have been able to provide his sons with a reasonably comfortable home environment. He gave his lands in Barlby to his eldest son, also Edward, in 1661, possibly the year of his death.
Edward Barestowe (d. date unknown)
Notes for Edward Barestowe: