Generation 1

BERNARD CAPEN (abt 1562-1638) of Dorchester

Parents: Unknown

Bernard Capen was born about 1562. He died on 8 Nov. 1638, at age 76. [Ref] He married Joan Purchis on 31 May 1596. [Ref][Ref says "on munday in whitson week"] Joan was the daughter of Oliver Purchis and she died on 26 Mar 1653, age 75. [Ref] She was also the sister of Aquila Purchase who died on the voyage to New England. [Ref]

Bernard was a shoe maker. [Ref]

On 5 Aug 1633 Barnard Capan and the Widow Purchase were among those granted land in Dorchestoer. [Ref] Bernard is on the 25 May 1636 list of freemen. [Ref]

The widow Joane Capen is on a 1641 list of inhabitants of Dorchester. [Ref]

The inscription on Bernard and Joan's gravestone must be one of the oldest in New England: [Ref]

Here
Lies the Bodies of
Mr. Barnard Capen
and Mrs. Joan Capen his
wife; He died Nov 8
1638 Aged 76 Years
& She died March
26 1653
Aged 75 Years

Barnard made his will on 9 Oct 1638; it was deposed on 19 Nov 1652. He mentions his wife and his son John. [Ref]

Children of Bernard Capen and Joan Purchis:

1. James Capen made his nuncupative will on 3 Sep 1628. He left everything to his mother Joane, the wife of Bernard Capen, shoe maker. He asked her to make payments to his four unmarried sisters. [Ref]
2. Ruth Capen was born on 7 Aug 1600. [Ref]
3. Susanna Capen was born on 11 Apr 1602. [Ref] She died on 13 Nov 1666. [Ref] She married first William Rockwell on 14 Apr 1624 at Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorset. [Ref] She married second Matthew Grant on 19 May 1645 in Windsor, as his second wife. [Ref]
4. Dorothy Capen married Nicholas Upsall on 17 Jan 1629/30 at Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorset. [Ref]
5. Elizabeth Capen died on 26 Jan 1667. She married Thomas Swift 1.
6. Capt. John Capen was born on 26 Jan 1612. [Ref][Ref] He died on 6 Apr 1692. [Ref] He married first Redegon Clap on 20 Oct 1637. [Ref] He married second Mary Bass. [Ref] He was on the 14 May 1634 list of freemen. [Ref][Ref] He is on a 1641 list of inhabitants of Dorchester. [Ref] He signed a petition in Dorchester on 19 Oct 1664. [Ref] He was a captain, a deacon and a selectman. [Ref]
7. Honor Capen married William Hannum in 1636. [Ref]

Generation 2

ELIZABETH CAPEN (d. 1667)

Parents: Bernard Capen and Joan Purchis.

Elizabeth Capen died on 26 Jan 1667, age 67. [Ref] She married Thomas Swift 1 on 18 Oct 1630 at Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorset. [Ref]

Her gravestone in the old Dorchester burial ground says: [Ref]

References

Anderson, Robert Charles, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Vol. 1-3, Boston, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.

Editors, "Capen Family Record," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 2, 1848.

Editors, "Old Dorchester," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 5, 1851, 389, 466.

Paige, Lucius, R., "List of Freemen, " New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 3, 1849, 89-96, 187-194, 239-246, 345-352.

Trask, William, "Abstracts from the Earliest Wills on Record in the County of Suffolk, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, various issues.

Trask, William B., "Dorchester (Mass.) Town Records," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 21, 1867, 163 - 168.

Trask, William B., "Inscriptions from the Old Burial Ground in Dorchester," New England Historical and Genealogical Society 4, 1850, 165.