THE WILLIAM WARRINER FAMILY

Generation 1
MICHAEL WARRINER (mar. Agnes Winthorpe)

Generation 2
WILLIAM WARRINER SR. (mar. Alice, Lady Clifford Howard)

Generation 3
WILLIAM WARRINER JR. (mar. Joanna Searle)

Generation 4
HANNAH WARRINER (mar. Thomas Noble)

MICHAEL WARRINER
Generation 1

MICHAEL WARRINER was born about 1530. He married AGNES WINTHORPE who was born about 1535. Nothing more is known about them. They had a son, William, born about 1558.

WILLIAM WARRINER SR.
Generation 2

WILLIAM WARRINER SR. was born about 1558* in Canterbury, Kent, England.

About 1580*, William Warriner eloped, from Lincolnshire, with ALICE, LADY CLIFFORD.

Lady Clifford, named Alice, was born about 1551 at Canterbury, Kent County, England. She was the daughter of Admiral Thomas Howard, the 3rd Duke of Suffolk, who was married to the daughter of King Edward IV.**

In the course of the elopement, as the tradition continues, William and the Lady (along with other family members who were “in on it”) escaped to Yorkshire, fleeing, of course, from the angered Admiral. While crossing a river a few of the family drowned, though Lady Alice, William and another Warriner survived. They settled in Yorkshire. That’s the tradition.

It is believed that Lady Alice died in 1619 and is buried at Canterbury Cathedral.

The date of death of William Warriner Sr. is unknown. One source states he died in 1600*. However, 1600 has also been bandied about as the year of his elopement with the Lady Clifford!

* A primary resource prepared by Raymond Paul Warriner, is ridiculously ill-prepared. There is no usable email link and the data is not presented in a logically readable fashion. He states he took information from Warriner Family of New England Origin by Edwin Warriner (genealogy of William Warriner, Pioneer, Settler of Springfield, Massachusetts, and Descendants, 1638-1898); as well as from other sources. Warriner’s web page contains different birth dates for William Sr., i.e., 1558 and 1575 at Canterbury, Kent, England. His wife was born in 1551. They eloped in 1580; they had their son in 1582. 1600 is the year they eloped – or the year William died. After eloping – whenever the date! – did William and the Lady live for some time in Lincolnshire before settling in Yorkshire? – because their son, William Jr., was supposedly born about 1582 in Lincolnshire! The tradition has them making their dangerous escape to Yorkshire. But then they’re back in Lincolnshire for the birth of their son. Or, did they escape Lincolnshire and settle in Yorkshire? Why would they not have a “history” in Yorkshire, but they seem to have a “history” in Canterbury after 1600? This source cites their possible history in Canterbury: There are several Warriners mentioned in the records of various English churches. However, the Canterbury Cathedral register and parish records has a William Warriner, who had children christened there between 1601-1614. Several of his children were also buried there, as was Lady Alice in 1619. Two Warriners, William and Matthew, presumably brothers (sons of William Sr.?), were living in or near Canterbury during that time: Matthew remained until his death in 1643, but William is noticeably absent after 1619. The main objection that might be raised regarding the William Warriner of the Cathedral record being ours is the long distance between Canterbury (in Kent) and Yorkshire, the traditional home of our William Warriner. Maybe it is possible, of course, that after settling in Yorkshire, and possibly repairing the breach in family relations (severed due to the elopement), they moved back to Kent. And my last observation and remarks about this poorly-designed website is this. The preparer never distinguishes one William from another, i.e., Senior from “Junior”. He presents a quote from The Warriner Family of New England Origin, about the first New England Warriner (which would be Junior) which states that he “seems to have been one of the earliest of that name of whom history or tradition gives us any account.” In the next sentence he recites the whole tradition about the elopement with Alice Clifford, Yorkshire, the Canterbury parish records. As though it was the same person. I have no objection to tradition. Tradition can be fun. And I have no objection to passing it along. But if one is going to present tradition, take some time to present it in a logical manner. I believe that if anything about the “tradition” is correct, it would be that the elopement occurred around 1580 – not 1600. And the birth of the son was about 1582. And possibly that William Sr.’s death occurred in 1600. And his widow’s death occurred in 1619. And maybe the son emigrated to America in the 1630s, and married in 1639. But did that son (presented here as William Jr.) marry in 1639 (at the age of 57), a woman (Joanna Searle) who was born in 1614 (24)? Perhaps. And as for locations, you have Canterbury Kent, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, all possible Warriner locations. But, ultimately, the arrangement of all the dates and places are mere speculation at this point, and after studying this for a long time, I am beginning to believe there is a missing generation here. And I’ll leave speculation on that for the reader, if he wants. ** Anne of York (November 2, 1475 - November 23, 1511), married Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. Anne was the 5th daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. I’ve seen nothing yet that indicates Ann and Thomas had a child named Alice Clifford. In addition, since Anne of York died in 1511, she could not have been the mother of Lady Alice Clifford, who, according to the family tradition, was born in 1551. Until I see otherwise, the Warriner family tradition means little to me.

CHILDREN of WILLIAM SR. & LADY ALICE WARRINER

1. WILLIAM WARRINER JR. was born about 1582 in England, possibly at Lincolnshire. He married Joann Searle.
   
   
2. Mathew Warriner was born in 1590.

WILLIAM WARRINER JR.
Generation 3

WILLIAM WARRINER JR. was born about 1582 in Lincolnshire*, England.

Here again we see inconsistencies of logic from the resource cited. Was our immigrant ancestor really William Jr. born in 1582, or was there a missing generation here? If our ancestor was the one born in 1582, he would have been 57 years old when he married in 1639. While it is certainly possible that he could, at that age, have married a woman of 25 (Joanna was born in 1614), but being her first husband, it’s not likely she would have chosen someone so much older than she.

William was the Emigrant Ancestor of the Warriners in America, arriving in 1638 at Springfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, very soon after its settlement. Click here for the founding of Springfield.

MARRIAGE

The first mention of William's name on these shores was in 1639, the year he married JOANNA SEARLE at Springfield. The actual record reads 5th month 31st day, 1639, but June only has 30 days, so it may have been the 1st of July. Another record states July 31st.

Joanna was born in 1614 in Ottery, St. Mary, Devonshire, England, the daughter of Thomas and Agnes Searle. She had a younger brother named John Searle, who is believed to have immigrated from Warwick, England around 1634 with his brothers Andrew and Edward, and sister Joanna. One of the two brothers named a child Joanna.

One record has stated Joanna's surname was Scant, but no proof exists that I know. The Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England even states the name was misread. Proof enough for me exists that her surname was Searle. For instance:

The best evidence that Joanna’s maiden name was Searle, is that her husband, William, was given a legacy in the will (21 Dec 1641 at Springfield, Hampden Co., Mass.) of her brother, John Searle; i.e., “First I give to my brother-in-law William Warriner my best coate & my cullord hatt: & whereas in some reckinges betwixt him and me he owes me betwixt three and fower poundes: if he pays fortie shillinges thereof I am content that all the rest shall be remitted.”

There appear to be no records indicating William held any church affiliation while at Springfield.

CIVIL SERVICE

William Warriner was made a freeman, or voter, on 2 May 1638. Under the first charter of the Massachusetts Colony, no one could be admitted, or regarded as, a “freeman”, or member of the body politic, unless admitted by the General Court, and he must also take the oath of allegiance to the government. This custom continued in existence until the Second Charter.

William Warriner was on nearly all the important committees concerning town affairs as would be seen by looking in the town records of the time. At Springfield, on 1 November 1652, he was “chosen and sworne to the office of a Constable of the Towne of Springfeild for the yeare ensueing and till anothe be chosen in his roome”. He was chosen to be a Selectman in 1658.

On 6 February 1648/49, William swore the Oath of Fidelity at Springfield. A few months later, on May 30th, 1649, along with Samuell Chapin, he was ordered to pay 1½ bushels of marsh wheat to Henry Burt for the damage their team of oxen did to his field.

William did a couple of stints as a juror at Springfield, on 27 September 1659, and on 25 September 1660.

On May 8, 1663, at Springfield, William took the Oath of Freemanship/Allegiance, with the wording appears thus: “William Warriner [was] made free of this Comon Wealth”.

LAWSUITS

As seen above, it didn't take much to be hauled before the authorities for infractions of the rules. And It didn’t take too long for William to be involved in a lawsuit. On 18 Jun 1640, at Springfield, he complained against Henry Gregory regarding the “layenge false imputations of money” that seemingly involved a contract they both had with Richard Everit.

Then on 2 December 1661, he was involved in another lawsuit at Springfield. This time,

Richard Fellows Compaines against Willaim Warrinar for withholding pay for his many Harmon Rowleys victualls at Chikkuppy as he passed to and from the Lead mines: to the vallue of wich William Warrinar engaged to pay for Uppon the Testymonys of John Ginny and Garret Dolley which are on file it appeared that William Warriner had ingaged to pay Richard Fellows his just demand wich being examented and rectified William Warriner is Adjudged to pay Richard Fellows the sum of eight and twenty shillings and six pence.

PROPERTY

William “Warrener” sold his canoe to someone outside the “plantation”. It was his property, but evidently this was a violation of some law made in 1640, for he was fined for doing so.

The Warriner homelot was the first north of Court Square. City Hall, the store of Smith & Murray and the Five Cents Savings Bank building stood on the lot granted to him by the Town, at least when the main book about the Warriner family was written. This was on the north side of the First Congregational Church, in front of Court Square. There was also a cemetery there where he and sons were buried, but the cemetery was eventually closed and bodies removed to Springfield Cemetery on Maple Street.

In 1642, there was a second division of the plantation at Springfield. As one of the “maryed” persons, “Will: Warriner” had “10 rod bredth.” Those having the “biggest familys” had “12 rod to begin upward at ye edge of ye hill” (Chestnut street). In casting lots for land he obtained several acres.

In 1664, William Pynchon was taxed 10 shillings for purchase money to pay the Indians for land. Another similar tax on 40-1/2 acres, owned by "Will: Warrener," was 11s 2d. "Wm. Warrinar" had one acre in lot 17, as part of the land “on ye Mile River, beginning lowermost on ye southeast branch, and so going up to ye little brooke, and then upward to ye – 16 acres, and so on to ye north branch of ye upper end, and then come downward, and latly to ye lake or pond.”

OCCUPATION

William Warriner was most likely a farmer, but did occupy himself with other matters. A small reckoning in Mr. John Pynchon’s Account Book, volume 3, follows:

DEATH

Joanna Searle Warriner died either February 7th, 1660/61 (or September 7th) at Springfield (or Westfield). They accounted for the twelve months differently than we do today. The town clerk of Springfield records the event: “Johanna, wife of Wm. Warriner, dyed ye 7th of ye 12th mon. 1660”. There, obviously, seems to be some controversy over the place and date of Joanna's death.

REMARRIAGE

William married second, at Hadley, Hampshire Co, Mass., on 2 October 1661, the Widow Elizabeth Hitchcock, the former Elizabeth Gibbons, born at Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, England. She had mar. (1) about 1640, Luke Hitchcock of Wethersfield, Connecticut. The town records indicate they had married in Hadley, Massachusetts. She was the mother of Deacon John, Hannah, and Luke Hitchcock. Click here for a genealogy for Elizabeth Gibbons.

People were getting sick and tired of England imposing customs fees on goods they were exporting out of or importing into the Massachusetts colony. A petition circulated around Springfield, protesting these customs fees, and on February 2nd, 1668/69, William signed it.

DEATH

William Warriner died on 2 June 1676 at Springfield, Mass. He was among the original white settlers of that part of Massachusetts, and had been 38 years a resident of the place. No memorial marks the place of his burial. There was a cemetery at Springfield where William and his sons were buried, but the cemetery was eventually closed and bodies removed to Springfield Cemetery on Maple Street.

PROBATE AND INVENTORY
OF WILLIAM WARRINER'S ESTATE

Inventory of William’s estate was taken after the 2nd of June 1676, amounted to £160 19s l0d, and included his house and houselot, and 33 acres of land, two cows, a heifer and a calf, two swine, an ox and two steers, and three horses, and also included his personal property. In the probate of his father’s estate at Springfield on 26 September of 1676, James presented to the court an Articles of Agreement on the distribution of the estate of his father. By agreement, the estate was divided between William's heirs: the widow, Elizabeth, received half, and the remaining half was split between the children, James, Joseph, and Hannah.

William’s widow, Elizabeth, remarried, as his third wife, Joseph Baldwin, of Hadley, Massachusetts. Mr. Baldwin’s daughter, Elizabeth Baldwin, had married William Warriner’s son, James. Joseph Baldwin died November 2, 1684, and Elizabeth finally died at Springfield on April 25, 1696.

CHILDREN of WILLIAM & JOANNA (SEARLE) WARRINER

1. Deac. James Warriner, born 21 Jan 1640/41 at Springfield, Massachusetts; mar. (1) Elizabeth Baldwin; mar. (2) 10 Jul 1689 at Springfield, Mass., Sarah Alvord; mar. (3) 29 Dec 1704 at Springfield, Widow Mary Stebbins. He d. 1727.
   
   
2. HANNAH WARRINER was born 17 June or August 1643 at Springfield, Massachusetts. She married Thomas Noble, The Settler.
   
   
3. Joseph Warriner, born 6 Feb 1644/45; mar. (1) 25 Nov 1668 at Hadley, Mass., Mary Mountague; mar. (2) 16 July 1691 at Enfield, Mass., Sarah Collins. He d. 1697 at Enfield, Conn.

HANNAH WARRINER
Generation 3

HANNAH WARRINER was born 17 June or August 1643 at Springfield, Massachusetts. She married Thomas Noble, The Settler.

Go to the NOBLE FAMILY

PRIMARY REFERENCES

Boltwood, Lucius M, comp. History and Genealogy of the Family of Thomas Noble of Westfield, Massachusetts with Genealogical Notes of other Families by the Name of Noble (Hartford, Conn.: Case, Lockwood & Brainard, 1878).

Bradford, Rev. James. History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts....(Pittsfield, 1829).

Green. History of Springfield.

Jacobus, Donald Lines, and Edgar Francis Waterman. Hale, House and Related Families. Baltimore, MD: The Genealogical Publishing Company, 1978. Pg. 611.

The Noble Family History (NFH).

Pope, Charles Henry. A Book of the Pioneers of Massachusetts (1899).

Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of those Who Came Before May 1692 on the Basis of the Farmer’s Register. Baltimore, MD: The Genealogical Publishing Company, 1981. 4 vols.

Warriner, Rev. Edwin. The Warriner Family of New England Origin (1899) 20.

“Ancestry of Bridget Yonge....” The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (April 1899) 3, 217-224.

SECONDARY RESOURCES

Booth, Charles Edwin. One Branch of the Booth Family. L. Middleditch & Company, 1910. Pg. 36.

Bridenbaugh, Carl, and Juliette Tomlinson, eds. The Pynchon Papers: Vol II, Selection from the Account Books of John Pynchon, 1651-1697 (Boston: The Colonial Society of Massachusetts, 1985) 400-410.

Davis, Charles H. S. Records of Springfield, Mass. New England Historical & Genealogical Register (January 1864) 18/ 82-86; (April 1684) 18/142-146.

Davis, Rev. Emerson. A Record of Marriages, Births & Deaths in Westfield, Mass. prior to the year 1700 (New England Historical & Genealogical Register (July 1852) 6/265ff.

Priest, John T. Boston Town Records, 1634-1660 (Municipal Printing Office. Boston. 1902).

Pynchon, John. Account Books. Volume III (1664-1667) pg. 133 [pg. 205].

Richard, William. New England Families Genealogical and Memorial (1913) Vol. 4, pgs. 1750-1751.

Smith, Joseph H., ed. Colonial Justice in Western Massachusetts, 1639-1702: The Pynchon Court Record. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1961.

WEBSITES OF INTEREST

Warriner Lineage. This Warriner web page appears to belong to J. Devlin on Rootsweb, but "Home" page is inoperable and no webmaster is identified.

Springfield: Biographical and Genealogical; pgs. 621-660 (Vol. 2) of The First Century of the History of Springfield, by Henry M. Burt, on the Massachusetts American Local History Network, hosted by USGenNet, Kathy Leigh, Webmistress. Includes Warriner, Searle, and Pynchon.

Descendants of Michael Warriner.
The web page, set up by Raymond Paul Warriner, is ridiculously ill-prepared. The email address is inaccurately presented. There is no Home Page. Mr. Warriner states he took information from Warriner Family of New England Origin (genealogy of William Warriner, Pioneer, Settler of Springfield, Massachusetts, and Descendants, 1638-1898) by Edwin Warriner; as well as from other sources. Much of the information presented here seems to be from individual family-history group sheet submissions to the LDS genealogy databank and has made its way to Ancestry or Rootsweb dot-com websites. Therefore, they cannot be trusted for fact. When presenting information from several sources, one should indicate the data in a logical, readable, manner. Quite frankly, all of the early family tradition presented here has been twisted and convoluted to the point where it is unintelligible and confusing beyond description. Go to this web page at your own risk.

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