John Ruggles Genealogy

John⁴ Ruggles of Nasing, Essex, England, and Roxbury, Mass., was son of Thomas³ (Nicholas², Thomas¹) of Sudbury, Suffolk, England. He was born in Sudbury, 1591, and died in Roxbury, Mass, Oct. 6, 1663. He married first, Barbara who died the 11th month, 1636. He came in 1635 in the ship Hopewell:-" Jo. Ruggels, shoemaker, aged 44. Barbarie Ruggels, uxor, aged 30, Jo. Ruggels, aged 2."

In the records of the first church of Roxbury, Rev. John Eliot's, are these entries:

"John Ruggles, he came to New England in the yeare 1635, and soon after his coming joined to the church ; he was a lively christian, known to many of the church in old England, where many' of the church injoyed society together; he brought his first born, John Ruggles, with him to N. E., and his second son. was still-borne in the 11th mo., 1636, of which his wife died." "Also, Barbara Ruggles, the wife of John Ruggles ;. she .was a Godly Christian woman, and joined to the church with her husband, she dyed the 11th mo., 1636."

Of John Ruggles' 2d wife, Margaret, her family name is not known, unless this quotation from the church records makes it clear: "Margery Hamond a Maide servant, she came to New England in the yeare 1632, and about half a year after was joined to the church, and after some years was married to John Ruggles of this church."

John Ruggles died Oct., 1663, and in his will written in 1658, he appointed his son John his executor. The will and the proving seems somewhat irregular. He showed great anxiety for the welfare of his wife. His will was witnessed by Dea. William Parke, and Edward Bridge, and it required their depositions, that the wishes of the deceased should be established-that provision for the support of his wife Margery should be secured, these men saying in their own language, what he desired. In his deposition Edward Bridge calls the deceased "his brother-in-law."

His wife Margaret being in good health when he made his will, had become infirm before he died, and the overseers "conceived" that the son John should give security for the support of his "mother-in-law." His overseers were his friends, Edward Bridge and William Parke, Thomas Weld and Isaac Heath, Ruling Elder of the Church of Christ, at Roxbury. This seemed to be a strong backing, and the will was recorded; Edward Rawson was the Recorder.

There seems to be no record of the death of his wife, Margery.

Children:

1. John Ruggles.