Bill Dudley Won't You Please Come Home

My latest article has just been published in The American Genealogist also known as TAG.  It is my 28th published article of which I would say 14 or so are major articles.  It is my first English origins article, that is, placing a 17th century immigrant to New England back in his/her home parish in England, in this case William Dudley (1609-1684).  I think it is an OK article.  However, before I could read it, due to the vagaries of the U.S. mail, others had read it and had already emailed me about it--some positively, some not.  I started with a thesis that was inspired by an article in TAG.  I extracted all the primary sources for Dudleys in Dorking, Surrey, England and assembled the family there, I believe, for the first time.  The key to the article was seeing that an Eleanor Dudley was not a daughter but a widow when she married and tracking down her will.  I used the process of elimination method, showing that of four possible William Dudleys, two had no records beyond their childhood, one clearly stayed in Dorking, and the last was demonstrably alive but far away from Dorking.  Yes, it would have been nice had either his mother or brother said in their wills: he's in New England, but that happens far less than one would hope for.  In the same issue of TAG, there in another English origins article where the will of a father doesn't note the son in New England either.  It is a combination of other wills that make the identification possible.  In any case, I think the article is correct in its identification.  I fear I may have transcribed one name incorrectly.  The 16th century handwriting in the parish register which I viewed on microfilm, was tough.  I saw Gooder.  It may have been Hooker.  I'll have to go back and relook at the registers again.

No one teaches you how to do genealogy.  It isn't one skill, but hundreds of skills based on ethnicity, time period, country, religion, etc. The paleography (handwriting) of medieval and late-medieval England is at present the bane of my existence as I push into that area.

Comments

[Mike Bodman]

Dear Mr. Dudley:

Please see URL:http://bmd-cert-exch-site.ourwardfamily.com/w269_-_w_lutman_1650___51.htm for the will of William Lutman proved 1650/51. The will provides legacies to his daughter Jane and husband William Dudley 'in New England'.

Please provide info on how to obtain a copy of your acticle.

Thank you,
Mike Bodman
Highland, CA

[Martin Hollick]

Yes, I included the Lutman information in my article. TAG can be ordered at their website at http://www.americangenealogist.com/. Or you can get a copy of the article at a library near you that subscribes to TAG or use the document delivery system of the Ft. Wayne Allen County Public Library which does the PERSI index.

[Mike Bodman]

Thank you so much Mr. Martin Hollick for your response!
Mike Bodman.

[Mike Bodman]

Hi Martin Hollick:

I am wondering if you think that the following National Archive records might be indicative of a relationship between John Dudley, Yeoman, of Dorking, Surrey, with the Baron Dudleys:
1) Item details C 1/1499/(66-67.)
Scope and content: John DUDLEY of [?Do]rkinge, co. Surrey, yeoman, v. Hugh ap Llewelyn LLOYD and John SACKEVILE.: Joint lease from the Crown to complainant and William Sackevile, deceased, of messuages, land and rent in [Llan]luer, Ustate, Trevillan, and Lampeter [`Llanbether and Seynt Stephan'), late of the monastery of Llanluer.: CARDIGAN.
Covering dates: 1386-1558

2) DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE MANOR AND SOKE OF ROTHLEY
FILE - [no title] - ref. 44'28/482 - date: 20th May, 1582
Grant
(i) Humfry Babington of Rothley Temple, Esq.
(ii) George Villers of Brooksby, Esq.
Recites that Edward VI by Letters Patent of 4 May, 1550 granted to William Sackeville Esq. and John Dudley, yeoman, amongst other things all the tithes in Chadwell and Wycomb in Leicestershire in the occupation of Barnabye Somer, Baldwyn Somer and lately the Priory of St. John of Jerusalem.
Term: Forever to William Sackeville and John Dudley and the heirs of William Sackeville.
Recites also that William Sackeville and John Dudley by a deed of 8 May 1550 granted Thomas Babington of Cossington in Leicestershire, gent. the above tithes forever.
Recites (i) inherited the property of his father.
Therefore (i) to (ii) the above tithes.
Term: Forever.
Consideration: £300.

Your analysis of the above records as it relates to your William Dudley article in TAG would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mike Bodman,
Highland, CA