2919. Symonds

Outline

1. John Symonds of Croft, com. Lancastr. = dau. of Sir Wm. Lording, Kt.
2. Robt. Symonds, went into Staffordshire = dau. and h. of Congrave of Stratton.
3. John Symonds of Stratton = dau. of Gravener of Bellaport com. Salop, Esqre.
4. Thomas Symonds of Stratton = dau. of Tho. Worthington, Gent.
5. John Symonds of Newport, com. Salop = Margaret, dau. of Thomas Maynard.
6. John Symonds (d. 1574); m. Anne Bendbow (d. 1597); Newport, Salop, Eng.
7. Richard Symonds (ca. 1550–1627) m. 1581 Elizabeth Plumb (1560–1611); Great Yeldham, Essex, Eng.
8. Samuel Symonds (1595–1678) m. (2) ca. 1637 Martha (Reade) Epes (1602–bef. 1663); Great Yeldham, Essex, Eng.; Ipswich, Mass.
9. Ruth Symonds (d. 1703) m. 1659 Rev. John Emerson (1625–1700); Gloucester, Mass.

Sources

Perhaps the earliest published effort to trace this lineage appears in Philip Morant, The History and Antiquities of Essex, 2 vols. (London, 1793–98; reprint, Ilkley, Eng.: EP Publishing, 1978), 2:301-2, which gives extracts from a 20-generation pedigree of Richard^A Symonds. For over 100 years, however, the principal authority on this family has been William S. Appleton, Ancestry of Priscilla Baker, Who Lived 1674–1731, and Was Wife of Isaac Appleton, of Ipswich (Cambridge, Mass.: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1870), 19-102, which contains many transcripts from original records. Some of the American records are reprinted in The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, 3 vols. (Salem, Mass.: Essex Institute, 1916–20), 1:170-1, 2:173-4, 3:263-76, 302-6, while Clifford L. Stott, John¹ Plumb of Connecticut and His Cousin, Deputy Governor Samuel¹ Symonds of Massachusetts: Additions to Their English Ancestry, American Genealogist 70 (1995): 65-74, 149-57, makes valuable corrections to Morant and others. Most recently, Richard’s will (gen. 7) has also been discovered; it is transcribed in full in Clifford L. Stott, The Plumb and Symonds Families of Great Yeldham, Essex: Additions and Corrections, American Genealogist 90 (2018): 241-52, at 250-2.

The first five generations of this pedigree are based on the manuscript of Richard Symonds, son of Samuel’s brother Edward. This was described in print as early as 1865: The Symonds Family, Heraldic Journal 1 (1865): 42-5, at 43. It is also described by Appleton (p. 23). The first five generations are fully quoted above. In the sixth, Anne is identified as the daughter of Thomas Bendbow. No other information on the early generations has been sought, but it may be possible to document the family further from Shropshire sources.

Related surnames

1459. Emerson · 11677 Plumb · 5835, 5839. Reade