The DeBoarde/DeBord/DeBoard
Family of Northumbria
Berwick-Upon-Tweed
The historic border market town of Berwick-Upon-Tweed is the ancestral home of the DeBoard branch of my family. The town, pronounced "Berrick", held great strategic importance in the middle ages. It changed hands fourteen times between its capture by the Scots in about 1018, until it was finally reclaimed by the English in 1482. It sits on the River Tweed, which is officially a Scottish river and the town is still considered to be at least half Scottish. Queen Elizabeth I built walls around the town to protect it from further raids by the Scots and those walls remain virtually intact today. The most complete set of Tudor town walls in Europe.
My earliest known DeBoarde ancestor was James DeBoarde, born about 1640 in Berwick-Upon-Tweed. His parents and early life are unknown. What is known was that shortly after James birth, in 1642, civil war broke out in England. Berwick was garrisoned by the Scots at this time, until April of 1648 when the King's forces took the town. They held out until September 15th when they were defeated by the supporters of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell himself arrived on September 30th and shortly after that, in January 1649, King Charles I was executed by Cromwell at Whitehall and Great Britain became a Protectorate under Cromwell.
Work on the present Holy Trinity Church began in Berwick in 1648, spurred by then Governor, Colonel George Fenwicke. It was constructed using stones and timbers from Edward I's 13th century Berwick Castle. It was probably in that parish church around 1663, that James DeBoarde married a woman known to us only as Anne. Anne gave birth to seven children, all of whom were christened in the Holy Trinity Church. Records of those baptisms are still kept in the church to this date.
The Children of James and Anne DeBoarde were:
1. Marie, christened 27 December, 1664;
2. James, christened 14 October, 1666;
3. Ann, christened 24 September, 1668;
4. John, christened 14 may, 1671;
5. Isabel, christened 4 September, 1673;
6. Isaac, christened 13 June, 1675; and
7. George, christened 15 October, 1676.
In the christening records it was noted that James' occupation was listed as soldier. It should be noted that the first set of barracks ever built in England for a standing army, still stand in Berwick.
It should be noted that the regiment that is now Her Majesty's Coldstream Guard, was founded in Berwick in 1650. I am currently doing research to determine if James DeBoarde was a member of this old and elite unit.
Holy Trinity Parish Church in Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Designed by John Young of the Blackfriars, the foundation stone was laid in 1650, and the church was opened in 1652. Holy Trinity Parish has the distinction of being the only parish specifically mentioned in the preface to The Book of Common Prayer where the Monarch directed that "this book be used in all the chapels of my Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick-Upon-Tweed."
It appears that James and Anne's oldest son, named James as well, decided to try his luck in the colonies. Records show that on November 12, 1685; James DeBoarde, age 22, of Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, tailor, to Edward Williams of Shadwell, Middlesex, cooper 4 years Jamaica. This seems to imply that James indentured himself to Mr. Williams and would be spending the next four years in Jamaica. It isn't known if James completed his term, but five years later an entry in the court records of Old Rappahannock County, Virginia states, ""James Deboard, voluntarily and of his own accord in open court acknowledged himself willing to serve Lt. Col. William Loyd, his present Master, or his
In the foreground stands the 17th century Berwick Bridge. The clock tower is the City Hall building.
assigns, half a year after his time of Indenture, or Custom, shall be expired. Whereupon this court have ordered the same to be done accordingly."
At some time after James' arrival in Virginia, he married a young lady named Anne Williams. Anne was one of at least seven children born to Roger and Joan Frith Williams in Rappahannock County (probably Old Rappahannock County), Virginia. Anne and James made their home in Old Rappahannock county, which is now Richmond County, Virginia. They were the parents of probably several children, but I have only found information on one son, John; born about 1704 in Richmond County, Virginia. John married Elizabeth Hutchinson and they were the parents of three children known children, Tamer, George and John.
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