Rev Peter BULKELEY

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education Degree: 1604/5, A.B., St. John's Coll., Cambridge
• Fact 1: 1610-1635, Rector of Odell, succeeding his father
• Fact: Apr 1637, Ord. Cambridge, Mass. (for Concord); First minister of Concord, Massachuseets

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Peter Bulkeley was the son of Rev. Edward Bulkeley, D.D., Rector of All Saints Church at Odell (Woodhill) in Bedfordshire, and the twelfth in descent from the first Baron of Bulkeley in the County Palatine of Chester. Odell, where Peter Bulkeley was born, January 31, 1583, is situated in the midst of a rich and fertile country in a bend of the Ouse, a river so tortuous in its course, that fuller describes it as "more meandrous than the Meander." He was carefully educated under the direction of his father, and when about the age of sixteen was admitted to St. John's College, Cambridge, of which he was afterwards chosen Fellow and from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Divinity. He remained at the university until 1608 when he returned to Odell. upon the death of his father, "a good benefice befell him, added unto the estate of a gentleman left him by his father, whom he succeeded in the ministry at the place of his nativity," which, says Cotton Mather, "one would imagine temptations enough to keep him out of a wilderness." About the year 1613, he married Jan Allen, daughter of Mr. Thomas Allen, of Goldington, whose nephew, Sir Thomas Allen was Lord Mayo of London. By this marriage he had ten sons and two daughters. For twenty years he continued Rector at Odell, being a moderate non-conformist, but unmolested because protected by his Diocesan, the famous Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, as was his father before him. "Towards the latter end of this time, his ministry had a notable success in the conversion of many unto God; and this was one occasion for a latter end for this time," for it led to complaints against him for non-conformity, and Bishop Williams having lost the favor of Laud and been sent to the Tower, these complaints were not long kept from the ears of the Archbishop, and the long-time Rector of Odell was silenced by Laud's Vicar General, Sir Nathaniel Brent. Like Cotton, Hooker, Mather, Eliot, Chauncy and others of his compeers, he was now compelled to look to America for that liberty of conscience which ecclesiastical tyranny did not permit him to enjoy at home. About this time, having been a widower for nearly eight years, he married Grace Chetwode, daughter of Sir Richard Chetwode of London, a lady of noble birth and seventeen years his junior.

Peter married Jane ALLEN on 12 Apr 1613 in Goldington, co. Bedford. Jane was christened on 13 Jn 1587/8 in Goldington, co. Bedford England; was buried on 8 Dec 1626 in Odell, co. Bedford, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Peter married Grace CHETWODE in Apr 1635. Grace (daughter of Sir Richard CHETWODE and Dorothy NEEDHAM) was born about 1602; died on 22 Apr 1669 in New London, New London Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Name:
He matriculated pensioner from St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, Easter, 1629. He emigrated to New England in advance of the rest of the family, and was admitted a member of the First Church in Boston, 22 Mar. 1634/5. He was dismissed to Concord, 15 Aug. 1641. Having acquired a professional education, under instruction of his father, he was licensed to preach the Gospel and ordained at Marshfield, Mass., in 1642/3. On the death of his father in 165, he was dismissed and installed over the Church in Concord as his successor at L80 a year. He preached the Election Sermon in 1680. He died in the 53rd year of his ministry, at Chelmsford, and was buried in Concord, aged 82. He is represented by tradition as being lame and of a feeble constitution, and was greatly reputed for his talents, acquirements, irreproachable character, and piety.

On 5 Mar. 1694, the town of concord voted, "Whereas the Rev. Pastor, Mr. Edward Bulkeley, is under such infirmities of body by reason of great age, that he is not capable of attending the work of the ministry as in time past, being also sensible of the obligations the town is under to afford him a comfortable maintenance during the term of his natural life, that thereby the people may testifie their gratitude for his former services in the Gospel, they do hereby oblige the town to pay Mr. Bulkeley yearly, during his natural life, the sum of L30 in lieu of his former salary." He accepted this provided he could preach or not as he felt inclined.

The wife of Rev. Edward Bulkely was a widow named Lucian, who apparently was from Plymouth Colony. She had, by her former husband, a daughter Lucy who married Mr. John Lake.

Family/Spouse: Lucian ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
The inventory of the estate of Thomas was dated 4 June 1658. Mention made of widow, two sons and daughters; children under age. Overseers, Mr. Hill and Mr. Hull.

Sarah Jones was listed as aged 15 when she sailed on the "Defence" in 1635 with her father. Rev. John Jones, and his family. Her father was associated with mr. Peter Bulkeley in the ministry at Concord, and became the first minister at Fairfield. His will, dated 17 Jan 1664/5, named his daughter, the widow Sarah Wilson.

Family/Spouse: Sarah JONES. Sarah was born about 1620 in England; died in 1682 in Fairfield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Name:
He was graduated from Harvard College in the first graduating class, 1642; returned to England, where he became minister at Fordham, co. Essex. he was ejected in 1662, following the Restoration; removed to Wapping in the suburbs of London and practiced as a physician until his death.

"He was a learned and eminently Pious Man. He whole life was a continual Sermon. Tho' he was not often in the Pulpit, yet he might truly be said to Preach every Day in the Week. And seldom did he visit his Patients, without reading a Lecture of Divinity to them, and praying with them."

"That which gave at Lustre to all his other Vertues, as his great Humility, the constant Sweetness of his Temper, Integrity of his Mind, and Charitableness of his Nature, which appear'd in every part of his life."

Mr. Bulkeley, by deed dated 20 Dec. 1645, gave to Harvard College his portion of a garden containing over an acre in Cambridge, on Harvard Street, which became the College yard.

John married Anne TRY on 19 Mar 1650 in Odell, co. Bedford, England. Anne died before 1665. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Elizabeth ? on 6 Sep 1667 in Harrow-on-the-Hill, co. Middlesex, England. Elizabeth was born in of East Smithfield. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Avis ?. Avis was buried on 7 Feb 1695/6 in All Hallows, Bread Street, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
He joined his brother Tomas in Fairfield, where he had a grant of six acres, which he willed to Thomas Bulkeley. The last-named sold it to Robert Woolly, who resold to Thomas Dunn, and Dunn had the land recorded 5 mar. 1649/50.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Practioner in Physick

Gershom married Sarah CHAUNCY on 6 Oct 1659 in Concord, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: Attended Harvard College

Notes:

Name:
A member of the class of 1658 at Harvard College, but did not graduate; named in father's will 1658, and d. prob. not long after, unmarried.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: Attended Harvard College, physician

Family/Spouse: Margaret ?. Margaret died before 1691. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]