"Dummer" Will

Will of Elizabeth Neve ( the "Dummer Will")

"Elizabeth Neve of the town and county of Southampton, widow, 22 August 19th of Charles, proved 20 February 1645. My body to be buried in the church of Holy Roods in a vault within the said church or where it shall please God to dispose. To ten poor people, men and women, that shall be thought to have most need and such as have lived in the fear of God and in good order and brought up their children to work and do appertain to the French Church within Southampton, to each of them as followeth, to the men dublet and house and to the women gowns, and gowns to the poor men instead of dublet and hose as it shall be thought most convenient. My will is that the cloth be a sad russett of home made cloth, of coarse wool of six pence a pound, and each of them a pair of stockings and a pair of shoes; and my will is that this be continued by the space of twelve years next ensuing my death once every two years during the said twelve years. I give unto twenty poor people that are in need the sum of three shillings apiece, to be paid at my funeral to such persons as shall be thought meet to partake hereof. Mr. White, the minister of Otterborne, forty shillings. My will is that forty shillings a year be given to some faithful minister that shall be settled in this town of Southampton or Winchester for the space of twelve years. Item, I give to the children of Thomas Dummer and Susanna his wife, my beloved daughter of Chicknell, in manner as followeth, viz t to Thomas Dummer, his son, the sum of thirty pounds of currant money, to Hester Dummer, his daughter, the sum of thirty pounds, to their daughter Mary Dummer the sum of thirty pounds, to their daughter Anne Dummer the sum of thirty pounds &c. To John Hersent the elder his wife forty shillings by the year till the children Peter and John shall be of age of twenty and one years. To Jane, the daughter of John Hersant the elder of Southampton, three pounds in three years after my decease. To the children of my daughter Elizabeth Carman as followeth, to her son John Carman and to Elizabeth Carman their (sic) daughter,fifty shillings apiece, to be paid to them at the end (of) seven years after my deceased, if one die the survivor to have the legacy pertaining to the deceased. To my grand daughter Elizabeth Yong, to raise some portions for here children if it please the Lord to send her any, two hundred pounds. To my grandson William Yonge, her brother, one hundred pounds. My will is that of all the legacies given to my kindred the two last to be first paid. To my goddaughter Margaret Hersent three pounds. To John Hersent the younger forty shillings. To my son Carman's three children which he had before he married with my daughter forty shillings apiece. All the rest of my goods & c. I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Susanna Dummer and Thomas Dummer her husband whom I make & c. My true and lawful executors. And I ordain and appoint my trusty and well beloved in Christ Jesus John Hardye, Minister of God's Holy Word within this - to be overseer." - New England Historical and Genealogical Register, October 1892.

Conclusions:

Thomas Dummer mentioned in Elizabeth Neve's will and husband of her daughter is brother of Richard Dummer of Bishop Stoke , England. Thomas himself was from Chicknell, just as Elizabeth Neve says her daughter is of Chicknell.

Will of Thomas Dummer of Chicknell, in the parish of North Stonham, co: Southton, gent. Dated 12 Apr. 1650: To the poor of North and South Stonham and Bishopstoak, 6s.8d.; to four of my daughters viz: Susan, Hester, Jane, and Mary Dummer and to either of them 200 to be paid at their day of marriage; to my wife 10; to my eldest daughter, Joane Nelson, widow, 20s., and to her children Samuel and Mercie Nelson under 21, 50 each; to my daughter MARGARETT CLEMENTS, being my second daughter and now in New England, 25, and to her child she now nath 25; to my only son Thomas all my freehold land in North Stonham. - "Ancestors and Descendants of Robert Clements" Vol.1, page 24

	Children mentioned in Elizabeth Neve's will match the name of the children mentioned by Thomas Dummer in his will, so Elizabeth Neve's daughter Susanna is, without a doubt, wife of this Thomas Dummer.
	Thomas Dummer was of Chicknell, just as Elizabeth Neve says her daughter was.
	Thomas Dummer's brother is Richard Dummer. Richard financed the expedition of the 'Familists' to America from England on the ship "Plough" along with a patent to land in Maine. Although not a familist himself, he is financing the expedition lead by Rev. Bachiler.
	There were three ships of this colonization expedition. The first was the "Plough" which brought John Carman and after reaching Maine turned south to Boston to a more friendly climate. Rev. Bachiler and Richard Dummer came over later on the "Whale"
	The Dummer's were a well off family (and judging by Elizabeth Neve's will she was doing ok herself) and most returned to England at least once after arriving in Massachusetts.
	Elizabeth Neve, unfortunately, does not give the first name of her daughter's husband. However she does identify her grandson as being John Carman.

So, Elizabeth Carman of Elizabeth Neve's will is the sister if Susanna, wife of Thomas Dummer. This makes John Carman brother-in-law to Thomas Dummer. As Thomas Dummer is brother of Richard Dummer, this makes John Carman also brother-in-law of Richard Dummer.

Richard Dummer finances the expedition which brings John Carman over on the "Plough" (which explains the statement in the history of the expedition that "John Carman, who seems to have had some authority in the Company, but concerning whom the records disclose nothing of note.") John Carman may have been charged with overseeing his brother-in-laws investment in the patent.

As to what happens to this John is still open for discovery. We know there was a John Carman in Lynn when our John was already in Hempstead. We do know that Rev. Balicher, the religious leader of the expedition did moved to Lynn, why not John?

This John Carman disappears shortly afterwards. He may have died or more likely returned to England, as the Dummer's were known to have been able to afford. At some point the Puritans finally wore down Rev. Balicher and converted him over from his 'Familist' views to accept the Puritan religion. It may have been the final reason to leave.

07/19/2007