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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2

Will of Thomas Fones, 16291
Fones, Thomas

Thomas Fones citizen and apothecary of London 14 April 1629. Having already by acts executed in my life time disposed of the greater part of my personal estate to and among my children and to the use and benefit of my wife I do hereby commit the tuition, education, care and tutelage of my son Samuel Fones2 during his minority unto his uncle John Wynthrop of Groton in the County of Suffolk Esquire, John White3 of the Middle Temple London, Esquire, and James Thurlby4 citizen and grocer of London, and do earnestly desire these my loving friends to have a special care that he be brought up in learning and in the fear of God and knowledge of his ways; and do charge and require my son, upon my blessing, to subject himself unto 83them and to be ruled by them in all things. And the tuition and education of my daughters Elizabeth and Martha I do commit unto my said loving brother John Wynthropp until they shall be married or attain their full age of one and twenty years. The tuition of my youngest daughter Mary I commit to my loving wife her mother. My loving wife Priscilla Fones and my loving brother John Wynthropp to be executors, etc. Witnesses: John Smith, Ri. Fitch, Tho: Smith. Probate 29 April 1629.

1.

P. C. C., 28 Ridley; see Muskett, 83, for Thomas Fones, who died April 15, 1629. For an account of his debts and funeral expenses, see Vol. I. 143–44; see also infra, page 42, note 5 supra page 43, note 10 . There is a writ of diem clausit extremum concerning his estate in the Public Record Office, C 142/449/15.

2.

Died in 1693; will in Muskett, 85.

3.

John White (1590–1645), often called “Century White” from his work, The First Century of Scandalous Malignant Priests (1643). He was educated at Oxford and the Middle Temple and became a leader among the Puritans. It is probable that the charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company was procured under his advice; he may actually have drafted it. He attended early meetings of the company in London, but did not emigrate. The name of his first wife, “Katherin daughter of Barfoote of Essex,” suggests kinship with the Winthrops (see Vol. I. 289, 291–292). D. N. B. Visitation of London (H.S., Pub. , XVII), II. 346.

4.

James Thurlby's connection with the Fones family arose from the marriage of his brother Robert to Ursula, sister of Priscilla Fones and daughter of Dr. John Burgess the Puritan clergyman and physician. See Vol. I. 259, note 35 260, note 16 , and Visitation of London, II. 288.