The BULLARD Family of Barnham in co. Suffolk, England and Watertown in Middlesex co., Massachusetts; The BIGNETTE Family of Hoxne in co. Suffolk, England; the MARTYN Family of Barnham

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JOHN BULLARD (d. bef 1568)
of Barnham m. Margaret Unknown (d. 1587)
|

THOMAS BIGNETTE (d. 1542/7)
of Hoxne
|
 
HENRY BULLARD (d. aft 1590)
of Barnham m. Margaret Unknown
|
WILLIAM BIGNETTE (d. 1583) of Hoxne
m. Margaret Unknown (d. 1596)
|
 
WILLIAM BULLARD (d. 1610) of Barnham
GRACE BIGNETTE (bp. 1567 - by 1630)
JOHN MARTYN (d. 1629/30) of Barnham
|
ROBERT BULLARD (d. 1639) of Watertown
|
ANNE MARTYN
|
ANNE BULLARD (d. 1711) m. Richard Dana


First Generation

JOHN BULLARD (d. bef 1568) of Barnham

Parents: Unknown

John Bullard probably died before 1568, when his widow Margaret was taxed. He married Margaret Unknown. [Ref] She was buried on 3 Aug 1587 in the parish of St Martyn, Barnham. [Ref]

John lived in Barnham. [Ref] In 1535 John he was listed as a provider of harness (armor) and as a billman, an infantryman proficient in the use of a long staff with a hook-shaped blade and usually with pikes at the back and top, known as a bill. [Ref]

John was probably related to John Kent of Barnham, weaver, who left him a beehive in his 3 May 1538 will. [Ref]

Margaret was taxed 1s. 4d. on £1 land in 1568. [Ref]

Probable children of John Bullard and Margaret Unknown:

  1. Henry Bullard married Margaret Unknown. [Ref]
  2. John Bullard was buried on 16 Jan 1590/1 in St Martyn, Barnham. [Ref]

THOMAS BIGNETTE (d. 1542/7) of Hoxne

Parents: Unknown

Thomas Bignette died between 16 Jan 1541/2, when he wrote his will, and 6 Jun 1547, when it was probated. [Ref] He married an unknown first wife. [Ref] He married second Agnes Unknown. [Ref] She died between 20 May 1552, when she wrote her will, and 7 Nov 1552, when it was probated. [Ref]

Thomas was taxed 19 shillings in 1524. [Ref]

In his will of 16 Jan 1541/2, Thomas asked to be buried in the churchyard of the St. Peter and St. Paul church. [Ref] He left his wife Agnes his lands and tenements for her life; after her death they were to go to his son William. He also left bequests to his sons Nicholas, John and Peter and to his daughters Margaret and Johan. [Ref]

Agnes's will of 20 May 1552 suggests that she is not the mother of William, but is the mother of the other children. She left them livestock and household items. For example, she left her son Peter a brown cow, two ewes, two lambs, a flock bed and bedding, a bell candlestick and a pewter dish. She mentions all of her children and calls Margaret, Margaret Fygge. She also mentions William's four children. [Ref]

Children of Thoms Bignette and his unknown first wife:

  1. William Bignette married Margaret Unknown.

Children of Thomas Bignette and Agnes Unknown:

  1. Nicholas Bignette
  2. John Bignette
  3. Peter Bignette
  4. Margaret Bignette married Unknown Figge, possibly he Simon Figge who witessed the wills of her parents. [Ref]
  5. Johan Bignette

Second Generation

HENRY BULLARD (d. aft 1590) of Barnham

Parents: John Bullard

Henry was undoubtedly born in Barnham. [Ref] He died after 16 Jan 1590/1, when his brother was described as the brother of "Henry Buller". [Ref] He married Margaret Unknown.

Children of Henry Bullard and Margaret Unknown:

  1. William Bullard was born in Barnham. He married Grace Bignette.
  2. Margaret Bullard was baptised on 2 Feb 1563/4 at St Martyn, Barnham. [Ref] She probably married John Garnham, named in her brother William's will. [Ref]
  3. Katherine Bullard was baptised on 19 Sep 1567 at St Martyn, Barnham. [Ref]
  4. Ellen Bullard married Thomas Larlinge on 28 Jun 1590 at St Martyn, Barnham.
  5. Daughter Bullard was buried on 27 Feb 1570/1 at St Martyn, Barnham. [Ref]
  6. Henry Bullard married Margaret Unknown and resided in Barnham. [Ref]

WILLIAM BIGNETTE (d. 1583) of Hoxne

Parents: Thomas Bignette

William was probably born in Hoxne. He died between 25 May 1583, when he wrote his will, and 24 Sep 1583, when it was probated. [Ref] William married Margaret Unknown. [Ref] She was buried on 25 May 1596 in Hoxne.

William was taxed 1s. 4d. in 1568. [Ref]

Both William and wife left detailed wills, hers is dated 19 May 1596. [Ref]

Children of William Bignette and Margaret Unknown:

  1. Johane Bignette married Edmund Crosse, who is mentioned in her father's will. [Ref] She died after 19 May 1596. [Ref] She had one child recorded at Hoxne. [Ref]
  2. Alice Bignette died after 25 May 1583 and probably before 19 May 1596, as she is mentioned in her father's will, but not her mother's will. [Ref]
  3. George Bignette was buried on 12 May 1611 in Hoxne. [Ref] He married Alice Unknown. [Ref] He had seven children. [Ref]
  4. Agnes Bignette died after 19 May 1596. She married Robert Runacres, who is mentioned in her mother's will and by his first name in her father's will, on 30 Apr 1581 in Mellis, Suffolk. [Ref]
  5. Stephen Bignette was buried on 29 Sep 1628 in Hoxne. [Ref] He married first Grace Howes on 11 Oct 1584 in Eye, Suffolk. [Ref] He married second Marie Unknown. [Ref] She was buried on 15 Feb 1642/3 in Hoxne. [Ref] Stephen had 11 children recorded at Hoxne. [Ref]
  6. Cecily Bignette was baptised on 21 Mar 1555/6 in Hoxne. [Ref] She was buried there on 13 Jun 1619. [Ref] She married Abraham Goodricke on 15 Oct 1587 in Hoxne. [Ref] She had three children recorded there. [Ref]
  7. John Bignette was baptised on 3 Jun 1560 in Hoxne. [Ref] His parents are not recorded and he is not mentioned in their wills. [Ref]
  8. William Bignette was baptised on 8 Jun 1562 in Hoxne. [Ref] He was buried on 7 Dec 1626 in Eye, Suffolk. [Ref] He married Dorothy London on 26 Jun 1586 in Eye. [Ref] He had a daughter and, possibly, a son.[Ref]
  9. Grace Bignette was baptised on 8 Jun 1567 in Hoxne. She died before 8 Feb 1629/30. She married William Bullard.

Third Generation

WILLIAM BULLARD (d. 1610) of Barnham

Parents: Henry Bullard and Margaret Unknown

William Bullard was born in Barnham. [Ref] He died between 16 May 1610, when he wrote his will, and 18 Jun 1610, when it was probated. [Ref] He married Grace Bignette on 2 Jul 1587 at St Martyn, Barnham. [Ref]

William was church warden in 1599. [Ref]

In his will, William left Grace his dwelling house and lands for her life, so long as she remained unmarried. After Grace, the house was to go to his son William. William had also bought another house and he left it successively for four years to his children Margaret, Joan, John, Grace, George and Ellen. After that, it was to go permanently to his son Robert. William also mentions his brother Larling and John Garnham. [Ref]

In her will, undated but probated on 8 Feb 1629/30, Grace named the same children, except for Margaret and William. Margaret was probably dead, but William was living in Bradwell, Suffolk. [Ref]

Children of William Bullard and Grace Bignette:

  1. Margaret Bullard probably died before 8 Feb 1629/30.
  2. Joan Bullard
  3. Grace Bullard
  4. William Bullard was born about 1594. [Ref] He died on 23 Dec 1686 in Dedham. [Ref] He married an unknown first wife. [Ref] He married Mary, the widow of Francis Grissell of Charlestown, on 4 Jan 1653 in Cambridge. [Ref] She died on 17 May 1685 in Charlestown. [Ref] William went to New England in 1638. [Ref]
  5. John Bullard died on 27 Oct 1678 in Medfield 'by the overthrow of a cart'. [Ref] He married Magdalene Unknown. [Ref] She died on 29 Nov 1661 in Medfield. [Ref][Ref] Given the rarity of the name, it has been argued that Magdalene may have been Anne Martyn's sister Magdalene. [Ref] However, the name may not have been uncommon at that time and in that place. [Ref] John married second Ellen, the widow of Thomas Dickerman. [Ref] John Bullard was granted 100 acres in the West Section in Medfield in 1650. [Ref]
  6. Robert Bullard was probably born in Barnham. He was buried on 29 (4) 1639 in Watertown. He married Anne Martyn.
  7. Katherine Bullard (twin) was baptised on 24 Feb 1599/1600 at St Martyn, Barnham and was buried there the same day. [Ref]
  8. Mary Bullard (twin) was baptised on 24 Feb 1599/1600 at St Martyn, Barnham and was buried there the same day. [Ref]
  9. George Bullard died on 14 Jan 1688/9 in Watertown. [Ref] He married first Margaret Unknown. [Ref] Margaret, the wife of George Bullard, was buried on 8 (12) 1639 in Watertown. [Ref] He married second Beatrice Hall. [Ref] Mary, the daughter of George and Beatrice Bullard was born on 12 (12) 1639! [Ref] He married third the widow Mary Maplehead on 20 Apr 1655 in Watertown. [Ref] He married fourth Jane, the widow of Roger Else of Charlestown, on 2 May 1672 in Charlestown. [Ref]

GRACE BIGNETTE (bp. 1567 - by 1630)

Parents: William Bignette and Margaret Unknown

Grace Bignette was baptised on 8 Jun 1567 in Hoxne. [Ref] She died before 8 Feb 1629/30, when her undated will was proved. [Ref] She married William Bullard on 2 Jul 1587 in Barnham, co. Suffolk. [Ref]

JOHN MARTYN (d. 1629/30) of Barnham, Suffolk

Parents:

John died between 28 Dec 1629, when his will is dated, and 8 Nov 1630, when it was proved. [Ref] His wife predeceased him. [Ref]

In his will, he calls himself a cook of Barnham. [Ref] He left his son Thomas his little house next to the gate with its ground and yard. After Thomas's death, the house was to go to his son John. He also left John part of a house on the condition that he pay £16 to the rest of his brothers and sisters and £4 to his son-in-law Henry Write's daughter Judy. He specified an interest rate of one percent and listed the brothers and sisters as Anne, the wife of Robert Buller, Thomas, Magdalene Martyn and William. His son John was his executor. [Ref]

Children of John Martyn:

  1. John Martyn
  2. Anne Martyn married first Robert Bullard. She married second Henry Thorpe.
  3. Thomas Martyn
  4. Magdalene Martyn may have married John, the brother of her sister Anne's husband Robert. This is based on John's wife being named Magdalene and the rarity of the name. [Ref] However, the name may not have been uncommon at that time and in that place. [Ref]
  5. William Martyn
  6. Unknown Martyn died before 28 Dec 1629. She married Henry Write.

Fourth Generation

ROBERT BULLARD (d. 1639) of Watertown

Parents: William Bullard and Grace Bignette

Robert Bullard was probably born in Barnham. [Ref] He was buried on 29 (4) 1639 in Watertown. [Ref] He married Anne Martyn. [Ref]

Children of Robert Bullard and Anne Martyn:

  1. William Bullard was baptised on 19 Aug 1626 in Barnham. [Ref] He was buried there on 17 Oct 1626. [Ref]
  2. Anne Bullard married Richard Dana.
  3. Maudlin Bullard [Ref]
  4. Benjamin Bullard [Ref] was born about 1634. [Ref, p. 42] He married first Martha Pidge [Ref, p. 42] on 5 : 2: 1659 in Dedham. [Ref] Benjamin Bullard of Medfield married [second] Elizabeth Ellis on 1 May 1677 in Billerica. [Ref]
    some descendants of Benjamin Bullard

ANNE MARTYN

Parents: John Martyn

Anne Martyn died after 29 (4) 1639, when her husband Robert was buried. [Ref] She married Robert Bullard.

Fifth Generation

ANNE BULLARD (d. 1711)

Parents: Robert Bullard and Anne Martyn

Anne Bullard died on 15 Jul 1711 in Cambridge. [Ref] She married Richard Dana. [Ref]

References

Crane, Ellery Bicknell, Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts, V. 2, New York, Lewis Publishing Co., 1907.

Plummer, John, "The Martyn Wives of Robert and John Bullard," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 146, 1992, 279-.

Pulsifer, David, trans., "Records of Boston," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, various issues

Stutt, Clifford L. and Myrtle Stevens Hyde, "The English Bullard Family Revisited," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 154, 2000, 172 -.