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Descendants of Eleanor, wife of William Urin and Richard Woolcome

Generation No. 1

1. Eleanor¹ _____ was born Abt. 1628 in ENG?¹, and died September 1699 in Isles of Shoals, MA?². She married (1) William Urin Bef. 1646. She married (2) Richard Woolcome (Willcomb) Abt. 1667 in Isles of Shoals, NH ³.

Notes for Eleanor _____:
Her will, dated 19 sep 1699, leaves her estate to her "five children, son-in-law John Muchemore to take care of Joseph Youring to bring him up in the faith of God and to such Larning as is conveneant for one of his degrees".
The identity of this Joseph has not been established. One of the overseers of the will was Richard Gooss or Goss, her "kinsman". Might this word connote cousin or brother-in-law? Nothing has been learned about Eleanor's age, either. The five children appear to be the three Urans and the two Muchemores, contrary to the speculations of Libbey (Geneal. Enc. ME & NH) about Gertrude Toogood, wife of Edward Toogood, whose names appear on the back of a document relating to the estate of Eleanor. Aside from the fact that we have already identified five living children at the time of her death, Zachaeus Wilcome evidently dying shortly after, the notation about Gertrude apparently contains the same names as the guardian's bond in the estate of Allen Lloyd, which was before the court in 1701. It seems likely that someone was jotting down notes on a handy piece of paper, and did not intend the two estates to appear related.

There are many references to Eleanor's activities on Star Island after the death of William Urin. She seems to have been quite enterprising. She is noted selling liquor at various times, perhaps in larger amounts than
expected, and her will mentions a new boat that she then owned.

Probably the most interesting of these references is the following, 27 jun 1665, the New Hampshire Court meeting at Dover. "Upon a Complaint made by several masters of vinges [i.e., wines] on Star Iland against Widow Urin James Waymouth Roger Kelly John More & siprus [Onesiphorus] Clary [Harvey] for selling of beare & Liquors upon said Iland without Licence whereby theire men were hindered in following theire busines & was owned [i.e., admitted] by them all except John More who was not at Court to make his answer This Court sentence is That Widow Urin who having Libertie by the Comissoners there to sell in time of waying fish yet had exceeded ye time Limited that she have an admonition & pay Tho. Sevy 10 s & fies 2 s 6 d John More to pay fine ..." (etc. -- Thomas Seavy was the constable at that time, and widow Urin and Waymouth also had to pay him "for his panes to fetch them to this Court.") When James Waymouth, John More, and Richard Wilcom appear two years later charged with selling "by retaile" wine, beer, and cider without a license, Wilcom's wife answers for him in court, pleading "that it was but in waying time." The similarity of the charges, the parties involved, and the circumstances make us suspect that Wilcom's wife at that time was in fact Eleanor, the widow Urin. She did not go away empty handed on this last occasion: The court also granted James Waymouth and Richard Wilcome license to open a "house of publick entertainment" during the time of weighing of fish, the license to be renewed annually.

In 1687, one William Button, evidently a Jersey trader, died at Isles of Shoals. The inventory notes debts owed to John Yousring and credits due from John Yousring and Ellenor Welcom (NH Probate Files, #117, not examined), thus providing yet another spelling. The document may have been prepared by someone with a French background, as the surname Diamond is here spelled "Disment", and a number of other names have an extra "s" at the end of the first syllable.

In 1668, her son Edward Urin sold his interest in William Urin's estate to James Blagdon. The same James Blagdon, with Richard Goss, signed the inventory of Eleanor Welcom's estate 12 oct 1699, and on 01 feb 1699/1700
was surety for the bond of John Muchemore, administrator for the estate. This suggests he may have retained an interest in the family's business. It is possible he was related in some way to one of Eleanor's families. Blagdon was born about 1638, according to Libbey's Geneal. Enc. ME NH, and his second wife was Joan, widow of William Diamond and Edward Carter (meaning, evidently, the Edward Cater who appears in NH probate and court records).

A number of researchers have tried to determine Eleanor's relationship to her "kinsman" Richard Goss. None of these has managed to advance even a reasonable explanation, and the detailed query that appeared in the Boston Evening Transcript 03 nov 1930 (#869) seems never to have been answered.

Notes for William Urin:
At Isles of Shoals, NH (then under jurisdiction of Massachusetts) as early as 18 may 1653, when he signed the petition to the court at Boston requesting establishment of Isles of Shoals as a township. The request was granted, and the Isles became Appledore Township, though they were rarely known under this name. There is also later reference to a transaction dating from 12 sep 1653 when he was granted land on Star Island "between goodman Jacksone and William Cotton with convenient landing". He appears in various land and civil records until his death in 1664 as a resident of Star Island. Administration of his estate was granted to Jonathan Wade, Capt. Brian Pendleton, Richard Cutt, and Nathaniel Fryer 13 may 1664. On 11 jul 1664 Pendleton presented "A
trew Invice of the goods of Williem Uren deceased the last of Apperill 1664", thus establishing the approximate date of his death. The inventory totaled L 433.12.8 and was signed by Jonathan Hunking, John Fabes, and Christopher Joce. In 1685, Nathaniel ffryer made affidavit that the widow of William Urin had married Richard Woolcomb before 1672, and that the Urin's administrators had granted her, with the approval of Richard Woolcomb, the house (presumably the one on Star Island) together with land owned by her late husband on Great
Island at Pascataqua as her third of the estate. Many of the names appearing in these documents are connected through wills and other transactions. However, confusion may arise due to the presence of families with similar
names (for example, Joce and Goss) that may or may not refer to the same persons.

The earliest Portsmouth land grant for William Urin recorded by the Genealogical Encyclopedia of Maine and New Hampshire, 1939, concerns a 40 ft. square on Great Island where he was to erect a frame, 07 sep 1657.

The name Uren is found in England mainly in Cornwall. Other residents of Star Island are thought to have come from Wales, Devonshire, and Dorsetshire, most likely from fishing towns.

The ages of most members of this family can be estimated closely, assuming that the relationships are correctly inferred from the historical records. So far, the dates can be made to fit, although Richard Woolcombe, second husband of Eleanor, works out to be at least 13 years her junior (he was about 26, she perhaps 39).

Notes for Richard Woolcome (Willcomb):
Surname is spelled in many ways, ranging from Woolcomb to Wilkins. Wilcomb
(or variants) is probably the most common. There are a number of other
persons of this surname in Star Island records. One possibility is that
Richard had been married previously and had other children. This must
remain speculative, as he did not leave a will, and adminstration of his
estate did not occur until 1719, even though proceedings for the estate of

his widow occurred many years before his own.

Various attempts at a family history have been made. The only one that seems
consistent with the documentary evidence is Chase's History of Chester, NH
(pp. 381-384). Fortunately, New Hampshire court records up to 1690 have been
published and contain many references to this family.

The earliest reference, missed by Chase, suggests not only Richard Wilcom's
presence on Star Island but also that he had already married widow Eleanor
Urin by 1667. On 17 sep 1667 at Portsmouth, the court charged James Waymouth
"for selling wine bear & cider by retaile", "Richard Wilcom for selling beare
& wine & Cider by retaile without Licence owned [i.e., admitted] by his wife
who appeared in Court to answer this presentment. Sentence to pay a fine of
20 s & fees she pleading it was but in waying time." These are the same words
used in 1665 when Widow Urin appeared before the same court under similar
charges. On the same date, the court considers a further request: "The Court
being informed of ye great need that there is of som to give entertainment to
strangers on Starr Iland In the time of waying of fish: doe therefore Licence
James Waymouth & Richard Willcom to Keepe a house of publick entertainment on
Star Iland only for the time of waying of fish & to be ordered when to begin &
to give over by mr peter Twisden mr [John] ffabins [Fabes] mr [John] Hunking
& mr [Christopher] Jose Masters of voyages there during which time they may
sell wine beare & Liquor they Renewing their Licence yearly as others doe."

Surely enough, Richard Woolcom or Wilcomb appears for renewal of this license
28 jun 1670, 28 jun 1671, 25 jun 1672, 27 jun 1673, and as late as 09 oct
1686.

Besides selling liquor, more than once in a manner displeasing to the
authorities (as 28 oct 1670, when accused of "selling brandy after 16 s per
gall. & bear at 4 d per qt", aquitted), he appears in other capacities. With
Lewis Tucker, he "tooke ye Constables oath for Iles of sholes" 30 jun 1674.
In 1678, he was on the grand jury at Portsmouth and also presented inventories
of the estates of Richard Boyer, Richard Hill, and Noa Greciam. In 1672 he
purchased the estate of William Urin deceased. A later document throws a
different light on this transaction: An affidavit by Nathaniel Fryer, one of
the administrators of Urin's estate, dated 11 nov 1685, relates that Richard
Woolcomb gave bond 17 jul 1672 to hold the administrators harmless in how they
settled the estate, and, acting under that power, they gave the widow clear
title to the house and all the land on Great Island as her third of the
estate. Absent any other reason for making such an affidavit so long after
the estate had been settled, we surmise that Richard Wilcomb had recently died
and that the affidavit established Eleanor's right to the property in her own
name. Further study of the court records and deeds should establish whether
Richard Wilcomb was alive after this date.

Published genealogy, not yet examined: Oliver Clifton Willcomb, "Genealogy of
the Willcomb Family of New England 1655-1902", Ipswich, 1902.

Children of Eleanor _____ and William Urin are:

Edward² Uran, born Abt. 1646; died 1676 in Boston, MA?.

ii.

William Urin, born Bef. 1653 in Isles of Shoals, NH ⁴; died Bef. 1699 in Isles of Shoals, NH?.

Notes for William Urin:
This is the William Vrin who entered into a contract with other fishermen of
Isles of Shoals to sell their fish caught between 12 nov 1674 and 01 may 1675
to Francis Wainwright of Ipswich. He is too old to be the son of Edward Uran,
and Francis and John Uran each have a different son named William. The most
likely conclusion is that this William was a son of William and Eleanor who
died before 1699 leaving no descendants.

iii.

John Uran, born Bef. 1657 in Isles of Shoals, NH?; died Bef. 1734 in Portsmouth, NH?.

iv.

Francis Uran, born Bef. 1660 in MA; died 1713 in Ipswich, MA.

Children of Eleanor _____ and Richard (Willcomb) are:

Zacheus² Woolcome, born Abt. 1667 in Isles of Shoals, NH; died Abt. 1700 in Portsmouth, NH.

ii.

Anne Woolcome, born Abt. 1669 in Isles of Shoals, NH.

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