Mary Robinson

Family/Spouse: Thomas Birchard. Thomas (son of William Birchard and Catherine Finch) was christened on 12 Oct 1595 in Fairsted, Essex, England; died on 3 Oct 1657 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Birchard was christened on 31 Jan 1628 in Terling, Essex, England; died on 17 Nov 1702 in Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut.

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: According to Murphy (1864) More than any other man of modern times, he is regarded as the Father of Congregationalism. He was distinguished for learning and abilities ; a sound classical scholar, and able theologian: foiling in debate Episcopius, the professor in the Leyden University, the successor of Arminius ; yet a man most devout, humble, gentle and lovely in spirit.
• Education: 1592, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England; He entered Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, 1592. While a member of college, he was brought to the saving knowledge of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, under the faithful ministrations of the Reverend William Perkins, a learned and famous preacher in the University, and a strict Calvinist, who died in the year 1602. In 1596 he received his Bachelor of Arts degree.
• Occupation: 1598, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England; He received a fellowship at Corpus Christi College in 1598, which he resigned in 1604.
• Religion: 1604, Norwich, Norfolk, England; In 1604 he began his ministerial work in and near Norwich, in Norfolk; and while there, he is described by Ainsworth, as "a man worthily reverenced of all the city for the grace of God, which was in him."
• Religion: 1606, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England; Puritans who lived in the north of England were, on account of their dispersed state, divided in 1606 into two distinct churches. John Robinson became the teacher; with Richard Clifton, a somewhat older man, who had been rector of Babworth, as pastor.
• Moved To: 1608, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands; In the fall of 1607, Mr. Clifton and many of his church, being harassed, removed themselves and families to Holland. In the Spring of 1608, they were followed by Mr. John Robinson.
• Moved To: 1609, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; In 1609 he moved to Leiden, Netherlands.
• Deed: 5 May 1611, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; He purchased on 5 May 1611 for 8,000 Florins, a house and garden situated opposite and to the south of the belfry of the Peter's Church. This house was the place of worship during the pilgrim's time in Leyden.
• Miscellaneous: 1620, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; The Mayflower, which sailed in 1620, was to be only the first group to go to America. John was prevailed upon to stay with those in Leyden. His hope to come to America ended with his death in 1625.
• Residence: 1622, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; In 1622 his family in Leiden consisted of himself, his wife Bridget, children James,! Bridget, Isaac, Mercy, Fear and Jacob, and a maid servant, Mary Hardy.
• Miscellaneous: 24 Jul 1891; On 24 July 1891, a tablet was placed in the church reading: IN MEMORY OF REV. JOHN ROBINSON, M.A. PASTOR OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH WORSHIPING OVER AGAINST THIS SPOT, A.D. 1609- 1625, WHENCE AT HIS PROMPTING WENT FORTH THE PILGRIM FATHERS TO SETTLE NEW ENGLAND IN l620. — BURIED UNDER THIS HOUSE OF WORSHIP, 4 MAR. 1625 AET- XLIX YEARS. — IN MEMORIA AETERNA ERIT JUSTUS. — ERECTED BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A.D. 1891.
• Last Full Review: 7 Aug 2020

Notes:

Name:

Died:
His death was recorded old style as 19 March 1625.

John married Bridget White on 15 Feb 1604 in Saint Mary's Church, Greasley, Nottinghamshire, England. Bridget (daughter of Alexander White and Eleanor Smith) was born in — in Sturton le Steeple, Nottinghamshire, England; died in say 1640 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Living: Apr 1611, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; In April 1611 she was witness at the marriage of her sister Jane White to Reynulf Dickens in Leiden, Netherlands.
• Living: 17 Dec 1611; On 17 December 1611 she was witness at the marriage of William Boeckram [Bucknam?] and Elizabeth Neal.
• Census: 15 Oct 1622, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; In the Census of Leiden, Netherlands on 15 October 1622 she was recorded as dwelling in the Ward Seven Huizen.
• Miscellaneous: 15 Jan 1626, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; After her husband's death, she, with Henry Jepson and two other joint owners of the house in which Robinson had lived, agrees to pay interest of 125 francs on the unpaid portion of the value of the house on 15 January 1626.
• Living: 26 May 1629, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; On 26 May 1629 she appears as a witness at the marriage of her oldest daughter Bridget, with John Greenwood, student in theology in the University in Leiden.
• Deed: 13 Dec 1629, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; On 13 December 1629 she sells to William Jepson, her quarter of the premises on the Kloksieeg, where her late husband had lived, labored and died.
• Last Full Review: 7 Aug 2020

Notes:

Death: She is supposed to have come to New England with her son, Isaac; and tradition says she was buried in the old grave-yard in Barnstable. This has been disproved by Dexter (1866). She remained in Leyden, and probably died there.

Notes:

Married:
College fellows were prohibited from marrying so Robinson resigned his fellowship to wed Bridget White.

Alexander married Eleanor Smith. Eleanor died before 1604 in Sturton le Steeple, Nottinghamshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]