Stephen GATES

Male Bef 1597 - Bef 1662  (< 64 years)


Personal Information    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Stephen GATES  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    • Coneyweston.onesuffolk.net

      by Margaret Mason
      History recorder, Coney Weston/Knettishall

      STEPHEN GATES
      CONEY WESTON, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND

      In June 1638 the ship "Diligent" sailed from Ipswich, Suffolk, England and arrived on August 10th 1638 at Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The majority on board were families from Hingham, Norfolk.

      The passenger list included, STEPHEN GATES OF CONEY WESTON, his wife Anne, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. He also had a four year old son Stephen who does not appear on the passenger list although he was later baptised at Hingham Massachusetts.

      Stephen and Anne settled in Hingham MA, they had four more children who were baptised at Hingham church. Later the family moved to Lancaster MA, and finally Cambridge MA.

      the founders of Hingham, Massachusetts left their original homes seeking a better life, free from discipline of the High Church, many selling their possessions for a fraction of their value. Hingham, Norfolk was forced to petition Parliament for aid, claiming that the departure of it's most wealthy citizens had left the town destitute.

      Hingham, MA, originally called Bare Cove, grew through the efforts and determination of a handful of people to become a major port of entry, as well as a thriving fishing port.

      THE ORIGIN OF THE SURNAME GATES

      Two miles north of Coney Weston is the Little Ouse River is the border between Suffolk and Norfolk. There is a bridge across the river and on the Norfolk side is a tiny hamlet called "Gasthorpe". In 1066 its ancient name was "Gates thorpe"(1). In the Iveaugh-Phillips manuscripts dated 1463 there are references to land "be twyx" the 'Gatys' (2). As surnames evolved from a persons trade or place of origin and the fact that STEPHEN GAGTES father's name was in some instances written as GATYS there is a strong possibility that the GATES family originated from Gasthorpe.

      After 1198 and before 1346 these three names occur in Gasthorpe:

      Warine De Gatesthorp (3)
      Sir Adam De Gatesthorp (3)
      Sir John De Gatesthorp (3)

      1300 Massive sandstorm, Gasthorpe & Knettishall deserted

      Sources:
      (1) Thorpe: Old Norse for tiny hamlet
      (2) Held at Suffolk Records office Ipswich.
      (3) An Essay towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk volume I Author Francis Blomefield. Year published 1805. pp 250-254 [1]
    Birth Bef 26 Dec 1597  Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Gender Male 
    Baptism 26 Dec 1597  Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Birth 1600  Norwich, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5, 7
    Norwich, Norfolk, England 
    Immigration 1638  From Hingham, England to America Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Burial 1662  Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachsetts Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Death Bef 29 Sep 1662  Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5
    Notes 

    • I originally had Thomas Gates as the son of Peter and Mary Josselyn. However, after reading "the English Origins of Stephen Gates, 1638 Immigrant to Massachusetts, by Edward J. Harrison) (NEGH Jan2006, vol. 160) challenged Stephen's descent from Peter Gates and Mary Josselyn. Based on the dates given, it is impossible for Peter (born circa 1583) and Mary to be the grandparents of Stephen who was born circa 1600. The entries in the Hingham parish registers show no evidence that Stephen's father was named Thomas.

      The Gates family is one of the ancient Colonial families of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the progenitor of the branch of the family here considered having been conspicuous in the early settlement of several of the towns in Massachusetts, which state has since been the home of numerous of his descendants, many of whom have been the leading spirits in their several communities, among whom may be mentioned the late Samuel Pearly Gates, of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, who broad charity, benevolence and high efficiency easily made him in many ways the guardian and counsellor of that community.
      Stephen, the first of the name in New England was a native of England, born at Norwich, in the county of Norfolk, the son of Thomas Gates. Stephen came to New England in the ship "Diligent", in 1638. He settled first at Hingham, Massachusetts. He was accompanied by his wife and children. In1652 he located at Cambridge, and later at Lancaster, where he was one of the largest proprietors of the town, and was one of the petitioners for its incorporation in 1654; he was also constable there in 1657. Returning to Cambridge he spent the remainder of his life there where he died in 1662. He was admitted a freeman May 14, 1656, He was in Lancaster in 1656 and for a few years afterward, but disagreed with some of his neighbors and left town, returning to Cambridge. His will was dated June 9, 1662, and proved November 24, 1662.

      Excerpt from "New England Historical and Genealogical Register": He settled in Hingham, Mass., where he received a grant of three acres for a house lot, twelve acres for a "greate Lott,: and a three acre planting lot. His house lot was on Town (now North) Street and was bounded on the north by the street, on the east by William Buckland's land and upon the west by the town swamp. In 1647 he received a grant of half an acre of salt marsh. On 26 June 1648 he sold his house lot, etc., to William Hersey, but remained in town for some time before his removal. Stephen Gates and his wife probably did not become members of the Hingham Church until about 3 May 1646, when their children Simon, Thomas, Isaac and REbecca were baptized. Birth dates of the children are not found in the Hingham town records...... In 1658 there was trouble between the Gates and Whitcomb families due to the fact that three sons of JOhn Whitcomb had killed three swine belonging to Stephen Gates. Whitcomb agreed to pay for the swine, but afterwared sought to be released from paying, claiming that he was "aged & Weak and mean in estate." The court decided that he must pay for the swine. It is stated that Stephen Gates was deprived of his constable's staff. This probably occurred after his failure to nitify the voters about the meeting, to which reference has been made. At the time of the Gates-Whitcomb trouble Stephen Gates was living in Sudbury, Mass..
    Person ID I24450  Main Tree
    Last Modified 17 Oct 2021 

    Father Eustace GATES,   b. 1580, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Between 15 Mar and 26 Apr 1626, Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 46 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Mother Rose WRIGHT,   b. Feb 1566, Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this locationbur. 25 Jul 1635, Hingham, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 69 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Marriage 04 Mar 1592/3  Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Family ID F01968  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Ann BEARE,   b. Abt 1603, Norwich, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Feb 1682, Stow, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Marriage 05 May 1628  Hingham, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 7
    Children 
     1. Mary Adell GATES,   b. Abt 1630   d. 22 Dec 1711, Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years)  [Birth]
     2. Elizabeth GATES,   b. Abt 1630, Hingham, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 03 Aug 1704, Hingham, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years)
     3. Stephen GATES,   b. Abt 1634, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 09 Jul 1707, Stow, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 73 years)  [Birth]
     4. Thomas GATES,   b. Abt 1642, Cambridge, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Aug 1726, Preston City, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years)
     5. Simon GATES,   b. 1645, Cambridge, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Aug 1692, Muddy River (Brookline), Norfolk, Mass. Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 47 years)  [Birth]
     6. Isaac GATES   d. 03 Sep 1651, Hingham, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location
     7. Rebecca GATES   d. Jan 1650, Hingham, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location
    Family ID F01966  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 13 Mar 2020 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Bef 26 Dec 1597 - Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - 26 Dec 1597 - Coney Weston, Suffolk, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 05 May 1628 - Hingham, Norfolk, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Bef 29 Sep 1662 - Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S5654] "The Gates Family - Coney Weston to the New World".

    2. [S02716] New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Vol. IV, pg 1787 & 1846.

    3. [S02298] Family History Center: Ancestry and Descendants of William Gates, Late of Frankfort, NY.

    4. [S02768] The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 1966, Vol. 120.

    5. [S02347] Gates and Josselyns in England - The Jane Grey Affair.

    6. [S02763] The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 1934, Vol. 88 July.

    7. [S02785] The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 2006, Vol. 160 January.