John, son of Robert and grandfather of John the emigrant to Watertown, MA, was born about 1525 and of "Corlie" in Nayland, county Suffolk, England. The name of his first wife is unknown, but he married secondly at Nayland, 5 Sep 1563, Agnes (or Anne) Howlet; and married thirdly at Great Horkesely, 30 Jan 1568/9, Margaret Firmety.
The Will of John Warren of Mayland nexte Stoke in the County of Suffolk, husbandman, 21 Apr. 1576. To John Warren my eldest son and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten my house that I now dwelll in with the lands, woods, and pastures thereunto belonging with the appurtenances lying in the parish of Nayland, known by the name Curlie, held by copy of court of Sir Thomas Danby, knight, Lord of the Manor, which I now deliver by surrender to John Prentise and Robert Patton to the use of my eldest son John, on condition that he pay £20 out of the said lease and lands to my second son John Warren. If he die without living issue then to my second son John and the heirs of his body, and if the said John my "myddle" son die without living issue then to son Richarde Warren and to his heires lawfully begotten. For lack of such heirs to daughter Anne Warren and her heirs. To son John the elder my farm implements, and to him and his brothers John the middle and Richard and his sister Anne the household goods, pewter, brass, and livestock. To Agnes Coole, my wife's daughter, all the appurtenances that did belong to my wife that last was. To John Cole, my wife's son, a chafing dish and a candlestick. To twelve of the poorest people of Naylond 12d. to be divided among them. All residue of my goods and chattels, debts paid and my expenses discharged, to be equally divided among my four children and my two brothers James and William Warren whom I make executors, and I give them five loads of wood lying felled on my ground for their pains. I make John Prentise supervisor and I give to him 12d. Witnesses : John Prentise, Roberte Patten, Anthonye Speed, and James Warren. Proved 5 June 1576 by the executors named, William Warren in his own person and James Warren in the person of said William. (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, Bury St. Edmunds, Wroo, 142.)
John, "the Middle", was born about 1555 and was a cardmaker, of Nayland. He was taxed there xvi d. on lands in the subsidy of 8 James I (1611). He married first at Nayland, 4 Oct 1584, Elizabeth Scarlet. He married secondly, Rose (____); and thirdly at Nayland, 23 Apr 1611, Rose Riddlesdale.
The Will of John Waren of Nayland in the County of Suffolk, cardmaker, 27 Mar. 1613. To be buried in the parish churchyard of Nayland. To wife Rose £20, the household goods and plate she brought with her, my tenement where William Bawlden dwells, during her life, and during her widowhood the parlor and chamber in my now dwelling house. To son John and his lawful issue my mansion house where I now dwell, with the barn, stable and garden lying in Fen Street, excepting the aforesaid two rooms. To daughter Mary and her lawful issue, after the decease of my wife, my said tenement in Fen Street where William Baulden dwells, and in default of such issue to my son John, he to pay 40s. apiece to all my children then living. To sons Isaac, Nathaniel, Amos, and daughter Elizabeth, £10 apiece. To sons Joshua and Thomas £10 each at twenty-one. My plate to be equally divided between my wife and son John, and my household goods to be equally divided among my wife and all my children. To the poor people if Nayland 20s. All the residue of my goods unbequeathed I give to my son John, whom I make my executor. [Signed] John Warrene. Witnesses : William Foorth, John Walter, and Edward Collinges. Proved 4 Nov. 1613 by John Warren, son of the testor and the executor named in the will. (P.C.C., Capell, 98.)
John Warren, of Watertown, MA, probably arrived in 1630 when he was 45 years old, and was the son of John and Elizabeth (Scarlet) Warren. He was baptized 1 Aug 1585 in Nayland, Suffolk Co., England and died at Watertown 13 Dec 1667, aged 82.
John and Margaret Warren are clearly listed on ship's lists on their arrival in the New World. All their children were born Nayland, Suffolk county, England. While undoubtedly their four surviving children came with them, the children are not mentioned as passengers. They came from Nayland, Suffolk, England, where seven baptisms and three burials indicate the size of their family. No marriage record exists for John and Margaret. He married about 1614 Margaret Bayly, daughter of William Bayly of Westbury, Gloucestershire, England. (William Bayly's will dated 2 March 1613/14 mentions John Warren, "now husband of my daughter Margaret".)
John and Margaret settled in Watertown where he was made a freeman May 18, 1631. In 1635 he and Abraham Browne were appointed to lay out all highways and see that they were repaired. He was a Selectman of Watertown in 1636 and 1640, which was a position of high regard. However, he does seem to have lost some favor with the authorities sometime thereafter as can be seen from the old records: October 1651 he and Thomas Arnold were fined 20 shillings each for an offence against the laws concerning baptisms; April 4, 1654, he was fined for neglect of public worship, 14 sabbaths, each 5 shillings = 3 pounds and 10 shillings; March 14, 1658-9, John Warren was warned for not attending public worship, "but old Warren is not to be found in town"; May 27, 1661 the houses of "old Warren and Goodman Hammond" were ordered to be searched for Quakers. Despite his lack of conviction for the established church and his leanings toward the Quaker faith, John never gave up or lost his church membership. He may have kept his membership to avoid losing some privileges such as voting, etc.
By the time the first inventory of grants and possessions was taken in Watertown in 1639, John had acquired 278 acres of land, including (1) a homestall of twelve acres bounded west with the highway, east by William Hammond, north by John Biscoe, and south by Isaac Stearns; (2) nine acres of upland bounded south by John Biscoe, north by William Hammond, and east and west with his own land; (3) three acres of meadow bounded east by William Hammond, north by John Simson, and west with his own; (4) thirteen acres of plowland in the further plain, lot 84; (5) thirteen acres of meadow in the remote meadows, lot 50; (6) sixteen and a half acres of upland beyond the further plain, lot 19; (7) sixty acres of upland being a great Divident in the fourth division, lot 26; (8) a farm of 152 acres of upland in the third division. In the second inventory taken in 1644 the 152 acre farm had been disposed of, but John had been granted: (9) one acre and a half of meadow in Wards Meadow bounded by Thomas Arnold; (10) one acre and a half of meadow near the little plain adjoining to John Eddy; (11) two acres of marsh bounded southeast with the river and the west by the backlane.
John Warren's will was dated Nov. 30 and proved Dec. 17, 1667. In it he gave his daughter Elizabeth a book titled "the playnes man pathway to heaven". He also mentioned his sons Daniel and John, daughter-in-law Mary Warren, wife of Daniel, daughter Mary Bigelow, Elizabeth Knap, wife of James Knap, grand children Daniel Warren, Mary Bigelow, and Michall Bloyce, daughter of Richard Bloyce. The will was witnessed by Joseph Taynter and John Randall. Inventory of the estate was taken Dec. 16, 1667 by John Coolidge, Henry Bright, and Henry Freeman and amounted to £167 4s. 0d.
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