Nicholas Arnold

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Nicholas Arnold

Birth
South Somerset District, Somerset, England
Death
26 Jan 1623 (aged 77–78)
Ilchester, South Somerset District, Somerset, England
Burial
Ilchester, South Somerset District, Somerset, England Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Notes: There is no surviving grave marker for Nicholas. The birth year given is an approximation, based on the Jan 1571 baptism of his first child, and the death date is the date of burial, so the actual death date will be a few days earlier.

Nicholas was born Northover, Somersetshire, England about 1545, buried Ilchester, Somersetshire, England 26 Jan 1622/3, and married (1) about 1570 Alice Gully, the daughter of John and Alice Gully. Nicholas m. (2) about 1598 Grace _______, who is the wife mentioned in his will. Nicholas was a tailor, and likely spent his apprenticeship in the village of Northover as a young man. About 1575 he moved with his wife and daughter about half a mile across the River Yeo to the larger town of Ilchester, and there established himself as a merchant tailor. The mention of his occupation in his oldest daughter's baptismal record, and in his wife's burial record suggest that he was a prominent tailor, and probably a member of the Tailors Guild. Guilds were strong trade unions, being important to the political structure of their day. Nicholas remained a tailor his entire life, as he is called such in his will which was dated 18 Jan 1622/3 and proven at Wells, Somersetshire, England 28 Jul 1623. Children, first seven with first wife, last three with second wife; the first baptized in Northover, and the remaining born and baptized in Ilchester:

* Tomsine, bp 4 Jan 1571[/2?], m. Ilchester 5 Oct 1595 Robert HACKER. The baptism of their seven children is recorded in William Arnold's family record.

* Joane, bp 30 Nov 1577, bur. Yeovilton, Somersetshire, Eng. 10 Mar 1621/2, m. ca 1612 William HOPKINS. Her two oldest children accompanied her brother William Arnold to America in 1635.

* Margery, bp 30 Aug 1581, m. Northover 1603 Thomas BARNARD.

* William, b. 24 Jun 1587, m. Christian PEAK and sailed to North America in 1635 with his wife and four children.

* Robert, bp 18 Oct 1593.

* Agnes, b. ca 1595, buried Ilchester Oct 1595. She is not included in William Arnold's family record.

* Elizabeth, b. 9 Apr 1596, d. an infant. The fact that William Arnold gives her birth and not baptism in his family record suggests that she died too soon after birth to be baptized. She and her mother probably died within a very short time of each other and may have been buried in a common grave.

* Thomas, bp 18 Apr 1599, witnessed his father's will in 1622; m. (1) ca 1622 Margaret, who was buried at Ilchester 18 Oct 1623; m. (2) Jane. This is not the Thomas Arnold who came to Rhode Island about the same time as William Arnold, as had been thought for many years.

* Daughter, b. ca 1601. In his will, Nicholas Arnold mentions his two unnamed youngest daughters, children of his second wife. No name has been found for this one.

* Eleanor, bp 31 Jul 1603.
Notes: There is no surviving grave marker for Nicholas. The birth year given is an approximation, based on the Jan 1571 baptism of his first child, and the death date is the date of burial, so the actual death date will be a few days earlier.

Nicholas was born Northover, Somersetshire, England about 1545, buried Ilchester, Somersetshire, England 26 Jan 1622/3, and married (1) about 1570 Alice Gully, the daughter of John and Alice Gully. Nicholas m. (2) about 1598 Grace _______, who is the wife mentioned in his will. Nicholas was a tailor, and likely spent his apprenticeship in the village of Northover as a young man. About 1575 he moved with his wife and daughter about half a mile across the River Yeo to the larger town of Ilchester, and there established himself as a merchant tailor. The mention of his occupation in his oldest daughter's baptismal record, and in his wife's burial record suggest that he was a prominent tailor, and probably a member of the Tailors Guild. Guilds were strong trade unions, being important to the political structure of their day. Nicholas remained a tailor his entire life, as he is called such in his will which was dated 18 Jan 1622/3 and proven at Wells, Somersetshire, England 28 Jul 1623. Children, first seven with first wife, last three with second wife; the first baptized in Northover, and the remaining born and baptized in Ilchester:

* Tomsine, bp 4 Jan 1571[/2?], m. Ilchester 5 Oct 1595 Robert HACKER. The baptism of their seven children is recorded in William Arnold's family record.

* Joane, bp 30 Nov 1577, bur. Yeovilton, Somersetshire, Eng. 10 Mar 1621/2, m. ca 1612 William HOPKINS. Her two oldest children accompanied her brother William Arnold to America in 1635.

* Margery, bp 30 Aug 1581, m. Northover 1603 Thomas BARNARD.

* William, b. 24 Jun 1587, m. Christian PEAK and sailed to North America in 1635 with his wife and four children.

* Robert, bp 18 Oct 1593.

* Agnes, b. ca 1595, buried Ilchester Oct 1595. She is not included in William Arnold's family record.

* Elizabeth, b. 9 Apr 1596, d. an infant. The fact that William Arnold gives her birth and not baptism in his family record suggests that she died too soon after birth to be baptized. She and her mother probably died within a very short time of each other and may have been buried in a common grave.

* Thomas, bp 18 Apr 1599, witnessed his father's will in 1622; m. (1) ca 1622 Margaret, who was buried at Ilchester 18 Oct 1623; m. (2) Jane. This is not the Thomas Arnold who came to Rhode Island about the same time as William Arnold, as had been thought for many years.

* Daughter, b. ca 1601. In his will, Nicholas Arnold mentions his two unnamed youngest daughters, children of his second wife. No name has been found for this one.

* Eleanor, bp 31 Jul 1603.