Thomas Ensing and Constance Pilcher
Thomas Ensing was born about 1575. Paul C. Reed (TAG 75:8) surmised that Thomas may have originated from Robertsbridge, Sussex, England and may have been the descendant of Thomas Ensing of Winchelsea (see below). Thomas married Constance Pilcher 27 May 1594 in Brightling, Sussex, England (the parish just southwest of Robertsbridge). Constance was the daughter of David Pilcher and -- Haye.
Thomas and Constance lived in Rye, Sussex, England after they married. Rye was part of Cinque Ports, an association of coastal towns in Sussex and Kent that had formed for maritime military, transportation, and trade purposes. Rye itself supplied London markets and even the royal household with fish. However, during the Ensigns’ time there, the port became silted up, impacting the trade there. Thomas seems to have been a merchant, as he paid duties 6 December 1599 on “80 quarters of wheate Out of Grenado.” He bought the “Vyne,” a tenement in Rye 26 August 1600.
He also became involved in an official capacity in Rye and with the Cinque Ports overall. From 1599 to 1600/1, he became Rye’s land chamberlain. He served as the representative of Rye on a number of occasions from 1600 to 1621, attending meetings at New Romney, Kent, England, the traditional seat of the Brotherhood which controlled the Cinque Ports. He also served as deputy mayor in 1615 and, as part of that and as a jurat, he performed the duties of a judge, magistrate, and coroner.
The Ensigns were likely Puritans (this being supported by not only the fact that two sons eventually went to New England, but also by evidence related to relatives of the couple in Rye records. “Thomas Ensing, gentleman” was among those charged 16 March 1623/4 in an incident where several men, led by cleric Thomas Warren, forcibly kept the appointed curate , James Whitaker, out of the pulpit after Whitaker made derogatory comments about Warren.
Constance was buried 21 February 1624/5. Thomas’s will was dated 14 December 1631 and proved 27 March 1632. He was living at Hove, Sussex, England at the time. Possible reasons that he moved there include the silting up of the port of Rye and the presence of a leading Puritan, Anthony Stapley, in Hove. He was buried 2 February 1631 at Hove, Sussex, England.
Thomas and Constance’s children are:
- John Ensing, baptized 8 Jun 1595 in Rye, Sussex, England, married Margaret Powell (dau. of William Powell, m. 2) Henry Robrough 13 May 1622 at St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey) 12 Oct 1620 at St. Mary Magdalen church, Bermondsey, Surrey, England, died Jan 1620/1, will dated 5 Jan 1620/1 (called himself a “Citizen and ymbroyderer of London”) and proved 16 Jan 1620/1.
- Mary Ensing, born about 1597, mentioned in her father’s will, married Robert Couchman (m. 2) Katherine Bottinge (widow of Henry Dorley) 24 Mar 1641/2 in Cranbrook, Kent, England).
- Thomas Ensign, baptized Apr 1599 in Rye, Sussex, England, mentioned in his father’s will, married 1) Hannah Wybourne (also called Anne (Anne and Hannah being interchangeable names at that time, dau. of John Wibourne) 27 Apr 1629 in Cranbrook, Kent, England and 2) Elizabeth Wilder (dau. of widow Martha (—) Wilder) 17 Jan 1638, arrived in New England in 1638, settled in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts, a proprietor of Scituate, freeman 5 Mar 1638/9, will dated 16 Jul 1663, inventory taken 17 Feb 1663/4.
- Edward Ensing, baptized 10 May 1601 in Rye, Sussex, England, not mentioned in brother John's will (probably had died by then).
- David Ensing, baptized 3 Jun 1603 in Rye, Sussex, England, mentioned in his father’s will, admitted pensioner Emmanuel College, Cambridge 2 Apr 1622, matriculated 1622, B.A. 1625-26, M.A. 1629, Fellow 1629, rector of Preston, Northamptonshire, England.
- James Ensign, mentioned in his father’s will, christened 1 Jun 1606 in Rye, Sussex, England, married Sarah -- (d. May 1676, will dated May 1676 and proved 6 Dec 1676, inventory taken 29 May 1676), came to New England in 1634, settled first in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, admitted freeman 4 Sep 1634, fenceviewer in Cambridge 4 Apr 1636, moved to Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut probably by 1636 (certainly by 1639), listed as one of the "Brethren in Full Communion" (with Sarah listed as one of the "Sisters in Full Communion") at the founding of the Second Church in Hartford 12 Feb 1669/70, served on the Connecticut petit jury several times 1655-1661, constable at Hartford 6 March 1661/2, may have briefly resided at Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts in about 1666, a cooper, will dated 23 Nov 1670 and proved 2 Mar 1670/1, inventory taken 23 Dec 1670 and exhibited 1 Mar 1670/1.
- Constance Ensing, baptized 13 Nov 1608 in Rye, Sussex, England, mentioned in her father’s will, married Edward Fowle (of Weeks, Hove, Sussex, England, bur. 13 Mar 1639/40 in Hove, Sussex, England, will dated 3 Mar 1639/40 and proved 8 May 1640) 6 Jun 1631 in Glynde, Sussex, England, buried 15 Jun 1632 in Hove, Sussex, England.
Possible Early Ensign Ancestors
The name Ensing, according to Paul C. Reed, orginated from the manor of Ensinge in Chilham, Kent, England and persons with the Ensing surname were present in Chilham as early as the reign of Edward II until sometime between the death of Henry VIII and the reign of Elizabeth I, though a younger branch of this family had relocated to Wymondham, Norfolk, England. Another branch can be found in Robertsbridge, Sussex, England but it's unclear how the Robertsbridge branch connects to the main Chilham line.
It is probably from the Robertsbridge branch that our Ensigns are descended:
John Ensyng was alive 15 March 1478, when he witnessed a grant from the Abbot of Robertsbridge. He may be the father of Thomas Ensynge, the feofee of John Smith (see below).
Agenes Ensyng appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of the County of Sussex, 1524-25, where she is taxed £3 for lands in the Hundred of Robertsbridge. Her name is given as Ann Insyng (Ann and Agnes being interchangeable names at this period) in the 1525 list. Paul C. Reed stated that she was “apparently a widow.”
Thomas Ensyng is mentioned in a 30 April 1501 indenture as a feofee of John Smith of Robertsbridge, Sussex, England. He may be the son of John Ensyng (living 1478; see above). Thomas may also be identical to the Thomas Ensinge of Winchelsea just below.
Thomas Ensinge was found in Winchelsea, Sussex, England records as a commoner (freeman of the Cinque Ports) in 1515, jurat in 1516-1538, mayor in 1519-20, 1523-4, 1529-30, and 1538, and bailiff to Yarmouth, Norfolk, England in 1517 and 1529. He was elected Member of Parliament for Winchelsea in 1529 and probably 1536. He was among those who passed the act that dissolved the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and the Act of Succession that declared Mary illegitimate and Elizabeth heir to the throne. He was also present when Sir Thomas More addresses Parliament to ask for reform to changes made by Cardinal Wolsey and was among those who passed the Act of Attainder which made the Cardinal’s wealth forfeit. A biography of Thomas Ensinge is available at The History of Parliament. This biography states that "the one slight clue to his occupation is an entry in the customs records for 1528-9 showing that wool belonging to him was shipped from Winchelsea."
Thomas had at least a daughter:
The fact that she is not referred to as heir in records means that Thomas probably had at least one son.
- Joan Ensinge, married 1) Peter Master (merchant and jurat of Winchelsea) and 2) Philip Chowte, Esquire (also spelled Chute, of Herne, Appledore, Kent, England, Captain of the Castle of Cambre, standard bearer at the siege of Boulogne).
Given Winchelsea’s proximity to Rye (2-3 miles), Winchelsea’s loss of influence as it was silted up after this Thomas’s lifetime (thus making it more likely that subsequent generations would move to more profitable ports), and both this Thomas and our Thomas’s involvement in Cinque Ports affairs, it is possible that Thomas Ensinge of Winchelsea was an ancestor of Thomas Ensing who married Constance Pilcher (perhaps his grandfather or great-grandfather).
Sources:
- Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: England, Marriages, 1538–1973. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
- Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008. Original data: Genealogical Society of Utah. British Isles Vital Records Index, 2nd Edition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, copyright 2002. Used by permission.
- Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Massachusetts Census, 1790-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
- Ancestry.com. Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records, 1639-1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Hartford District, 1635-1700. Vol. I. n.p., 1906.
Records related to the Thomas and Constance (Pilcher) Ensign family but not copied below due to copyright considerations:
- Entry for James Ensign, Ancestry.com. New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Volumes 1-3; The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volumes 1-6. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011.
- Richardson, Douglas, "The Ensign Family of Scituate, MA and Hartford, CT," The American Genealogist, Vol. 56, Oct 1980, pgs. 219-20.
- Richardson, Douglas, "Further Data on the English Origins of the Ensign Family," The American Genealogist, Vol. 60, Apr 1984, pgs. 97-100.
- Bowman, Robert E., "Ensigns Revisited," The American Genealogist, Vol. 73, Oct 1998, pgs. 241-55.
- Reed, Paul C., "The English Ensigns: Ancestral to Thomas Ensign of Scituate, Massachusetts, and James Ensign of Hartford, Connecticut," The American Genealogist, Vol. 75, Jan 2000, pgs. 1-15.
- Reed, Paul C., "The English Ensigns: Ancestral to Thomas Ensign of Scituate, Massachusetts, and James Ensign of Hartford, Connecticut (Pilcher/Pylcher Descent)," The American Genealogist, Vol. 75, Apr 2000, pgs. 130-44.
- ENSING, Thomas (by 1490-c.1539), of Winchelsea, Suss., published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982, http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/ensing-thomas-1490-1539, retrieved 22 Feb 2018.
Church Records
Name: Thomas Ensinge
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 27 May 1594
Marriage Place: Brightling,Sussex,England
Spouse: Constance Pilchen
FHL Film Number: 1067120
Source: Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: England, Marriages, 1538–1973. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
Name: John Ensing
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 8 Jun 1595
Christening Place: Rye, Sussex, England
Father: Thomas Ensing
Name: Edward Ensigne
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 10 May 1601
Christening Place: Rye, Sussex, England
Father: Thomas Ensigne
Name: David Ensinge
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 3 Jul 1603
Christening Place: Rye, Sussex, England
Father: Thomas Ensinge
Name: James Ensigne
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 1 Jun 1606
Christening Place: Rye, Sussex, England
Father: Thomas Ensigne
Name: Constance Ensing
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 13 Nov 1608
Christening Place: Rye, Sussex, England
Father: Thomas Ensing
Source: Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008. Original data: Genealogical Society of Utah. British Isles Vital Records Index, 2nd Edition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, copyright 2002. Used by permission.
Freemanship Records
State: MA
County: Massachusetts Colony
Township: Freeman 4 Sep
Year: 1634
Database: MA Early Census Index
Source: Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Massachusetts Census, 1790-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
Probate Records
Location: Hartford
Date of Will: 23 Dec 1670
Page: 87-8
Full text: Invt. œ729-02-09. Taken 23 December, 1670, by James Steele, George Grave Jr.I James Ensign of Hartford, being at prsent, thorow the wise dispensation of my most mercifull God, weak in body but of sound understanding & memory, waighting for my change, doe therefore declare this to be my Last will & Testament: Whereas, I have formerly given to my son david the swamp Lott Bought of Richard lyman, on the east side of the Great River, & six Acres in the South meadow near the forty Acres, & sixteen Acres of upland Near Rocky hill, & his dwelling house & part of my Home lott which he hath had no Legall assurance of, I doe now give & confirm the same to him and his heirs forever. I doe also confirm to my sonn Joseph Easton & his heirs forever, one Acre & halfe of Land In the Indian Ground, which Land I had of the Widow Watts. I doe give all the rest of my estate of what sorte soever, both goods & chattells, to my beloved wife Sarah Ensign during her Naturall Life, & desire my sonns david ensign & Joseph easton to assist her in the management & improvement thereof, so that she (as much as may) be freed from distractions; & I doe make my beloved wife sarah ensign sole executrix of this my Last will & Testament. After the decease of my wife it is my will that my sonn david, his heirs & assigns, Shall possesse & enjoy my now dwelling house & Home Lott wth all the appurtenances belonging thereto, as allso all my Land In the south meadow, both meadow & swamp, & all the upland I now Stand Seized of or appertains to me & Lying on the south side of the little river In Hartford. I allso give and bequeath to my sonn david & his heires forever, Six acres of Goodman Phillips his swamp Lott on ye east side of the river, & one Third of the Barne standing thereupon, he paying such legacies as I shall appoynt to the value of Fifty pounds.I give to my son Joseph easton the remaynder of Goodman Phillips his swamp Lott on the east side of the great river, wth two thirds parts of the Barne standing thereupon, he paying such Legacies as I shall appoynt to the value of Thirty pounds.I give to my daughter Mary Smith, the wife of Samull Smith, what I have Layd out towards the building of their house, & ten Acres of Land Morgagd to Samull Burr, & Twenty pound more to be paid by my executrix & overseers, provided my sayd sonn Samull Smith giving way to have it Bound over so that my sayd daughter shall dispose of it to her children as she sees Cause at her decease. If he refuse that, then I give my sd. sonn & daughter the use of what I have given her as Long as they live, & that at their decease it shall pass to my daughter's children.I give my Grand Child Ruth Rockwell Thirty pounds; to my Grand children Sarah & Lydia Rockwell five pounds apiece; to my son John Rockwell, as a Token of my Love, forty shillings. I give as a Token of my respect to our Honrd Governor Winthrop, five pound. I give as a Token of my respect to my dear pastor, Mr. Whiting, five pound. I give towards the building of the new meeting house six pounds. I give to John Ayres, to buy him tooles when his time is out, forty shillings. I doe allso desire & Command my Executrix & my two Sons to take care that the Widow Ann Phillips her Last will be duly & faythfully fulfilled. (Not signed.)The above writing was read to James Ensign the 23 of November, 1670, & owned to be his will; & the reason why he subscribed it not was because he had a purpose to have added somewhat more.Attest: John Allyn.David Ensign, Joseph Easton.Inventory exhibited in Court 1st March, 1670-1.
Source: A DIGEST OF THE EARLY CONNECTICUT PROBATE RECORDS.1663 to 1677.
Name: Widow Sarah Ensign
Location: Hartford
Date of Will: 29 May 1676
Page: 184
Full text: Invt. œ44-10-00. Taken 29 May, 1676, by George Grave, John Richards. Will dated May, 1676:I Sarah Ensign of Hartford, widow, being sick & weake yet of perfect memorie through the mercy of God, to prevent future trouble doe desire to dispose that small portion of this worlds goods God hath betrusted me with, in this my Last will & Testament: I give to my beloved daughter Mary Smith an Iron pott & gun, & Blankett I lent her, & a payre of curtains lent her, to be to her & her heirs forever. I give to my dear daughter Hanna Easton my Great Table & Forme, & my chest at mr Richards. I give to my Grand child Ruth Rockwell one Feather bed & the bedding belonging to it, & my Cow, & cobirons, tongs, & halfe a dozen Napkins, & my Brass kettle. I give to my Grand child Sarah Rockwell halfe a dossen of Napkins, one payre of Sheets & the best rug. I give to my Grand child Lydia Rockwell The Trundle bed & beding belonging to it, & halfe a dozen of Napkins. I give to Sarah Smith a Small Bible as a token of my respect to her. I will that my wollen wareing Cloaths be equally divided between my daughters Mary, Hanna & Mehetibell, & my Grand children Sarah, Ruth & Lydia. I give to my son davids children halfe a dozen of Napkins & two pewter platters. The remaynder of my estate I give to my beloved son David & his heirs for ever, he paying my just debts; & I doe appoynt him to be executor of this my Last will & testament. In witness hereof I have sett to my hand this May, 1676.To James ensign she gave œ5; to Joseph easton, her grand child, 20s & one of her books; to Ruth, her best hatt & Mr. Hooker's book; to Sarah, one of Mr. Burroughs' books; & to Mr. Whiting, 20 or 30 shillings if her estate hold out.No signature or witnesses. Exhibited 6 December, 1676. Proved and accepted.attest: John Allyn.
Source: A DIGEST OF THE EARLY CONNECTICUT PROBATE RECORDS.1663 to 1677.
Source: Ancestry.com. Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records, 1639-1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Hartford District, 1635-1700. Vol. I. n.p., 1906.
Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700
Source: Ancestry.com. U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012.
Original data: Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
ENSIGN, Thomas1 (c1604-1663-4) & 2/wf Elizabeth WILDER ( -1676+); m 17 Jan 1638[/9] Scituate [TAG 60:99, 73:244]
ENSIGN, Thomas1 (c1605-1663-4) & 1/wf Anne/Hannah WYBORNE ( -bef 1639); m Cranbrook, Kent 27 Apr 1629 Scituate [TAG 56:219, 60:99, 73:244, 75:233]
Source: Volume Title: Third Supplement to Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Ancestry.com. U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012. Original data: Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.