Henry Ambrose of Kersey, Suffolk; Immigrant to New England

English Origins

According to a 1992 article in the New Hampshire Genealogical Record. Henry Ambrose, immigrant to New England hailed from Kersey, Suffolk. Kersey is a scant 10 or so miles from Groton, home of John Winthrop, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Coincidence? I think not, and it's interesting to note, than another ancestor, John Gage, is likely the boy baptized in Kersey in 1605.

Kersey is a sleepy little village, once famous for its Kersey woollen cloth. Today, its famous for the houses that Henry Ambrose saw on a daily basis. 

Henry was born in 1613, baptized in the ancient church of St Marys.

New England

It is not known when he sailed for America but he was recorded in Hampton, New Hampshire in 1640. A carpenter by trade, Henry went where there was business. At some point, either before or after sailing, he married a woman named Susanna. In 1647 Henry sold his house and house lot to the Reverend Wheelwright, but it is believed he purchased another home as he remained in Hampton until 1649.

In 1650 Henry is recorded as living in Salisbury. In 1654 he was in Boston. 1656 Charlestown and finally back to Boston, where he died in 1658. 

Henry served on the Gran Jury as well as the Jury of Trial at various Quarterly Courts.

Family

Henry and Susanna had a relatively small family with large gaps between some of the children. Were there miscarriages in between?  

Ebenezer b. about 1640 probably in Hampton

Samuel bapt. 25 July 1641 Hampton

Henry b. June 1649

Abigail bp. 28 Dec 1654

Henry died in Boston. His inventory reveals his home to be typical of the time. Two stories with two rooms on each floor, plus a cellar. In the Great Chamber was found a long table with six stools and three chairs, a chest and sideboard and a second small table. The Great Lower Room was filled with a bed, a trundle bed, a table, kettle, cupboard with books and pewter. The Kitchen  had yet another table and chairs plus all the accouterments you'd need to prepare food. The rooms upstairs appear to have been used for storage. All in all his estate was valued at 337£.

Susanna

Susanna remained a widow for several years after Henry's death. She married in Salisbury on 2 October 1663 to John Severence. His wife, Abigail, died in 1658, same year as Henry, giving birth to her eleventh child. John ran several ordinarys (taverns) and was likely in need of a wife and mother for his children. He died in 1682, leaving Susanna a widow for the second time. She was still alive in 1692.

My Ancestry

I am descended from his son Henry who also married a woman, a widow, named Susanna.

Henry Ambrose of Kersey, Suffolk, England

Henry Ambrose, immigrant to New England is the third of that name who can be found in the parish records of a small Suffolk village. His grandfather Henry, b. about 1555 married Johane Hills on 23 May 1580 at his parish church. The church was St. Mary's, the oldest parts date to the 12th century and it was once an important pilgrimage site. He would have walked past if not into The Bell Inn of Kersey, a 14th century Inn. Kersey cloth, a woolen cloth was made in and named for the village. Kersey is only about 11 miles from another Suffolk village, Groton. As you know, Groton was the home of John Winthrop.

Henry and Johane had at least four children:

Mary 1581-1582

Henry 1584-1631

William 1587-?

Edward 1590-1622

Not much is known about the family. Henry died before 4 Oct. 1618 and Johane died by 22 June 1622.

Henry Ambrose .b. 1584 married a woman known only as Mary. The couple had at least four children.

Johane b. 1611

Henry 'the immigrant' baptized in St. Mary's 15 June 1613

Katherine b. 1618

Elizabeth b, 1621

I wonder how many of these houses, Henry would recognize.