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3:2 The Bacon Family 
Descendants of James “Alderman of London” Bacon

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The Descendants of James "Alderman and Fishmonger of London" Bacon
Direct Line to Captain Edmund Bacon of St. Peter's, New Kent, Virginia, USA

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The family line of James "Alderman and Fishmonger of London" Bacon and their link to Virginia and especially to New Kent County are the most compelling evidence to suggest an alliance between the Golding/Goulding/Gaulding family that perhaps began in Suffolk, England and continued through associations in Barbados and continued to Virginia, where descendants of both families ended up in the same place, and attended at the same time St. Peter's Episcopal Church in New Kent.  In addition in 1635 a man named Edward "Thomas" Bacon and John Golding were traveling from Barbados on a ship called "The Ann and Elizabeth".  On the same ship was John Mason, who was probably the same person as Captain John Mason.

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James "the Alderman and Fishmonger of London" Bacon was born about 1509 at Drinkstone, Suffolk, England and he died on June 5, 1573 in St. Peter Le Poor, Suffolk, England.  He was the Sheriff of London and he left a will at Hornchurch, Essex, England dated April 22, 1573.  He married three times.  His first wife was Mary Rawlings, then he married Mary Gardiner and his last wife was Anne Packington.  In his will he names Anne his wife and makes certain allowances for a person he refers to as "Goodman Golding" of Hornchurch, Essex, his wife and daughter Mary.  James Bacon also state he has a son named Ryvett and a brother named Cole, a cousin Nicholas Bacon, a brother Thomas Bacon and a son named Robert. Anne Packington was obviously still alive when the will was written.  He also mentions a daughter Ryvett. 

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James Bacon, Alderman and Fishmonger of London and the children he had with his wife Mary Rawlins.

James Bacon and Mary Gardiner had a daughter Anne who married John Ryvett

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A transcription of the following will comes from The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Staff, 1903)

The will of James Bacon.... etc. Black gowns to each of the following--Thomas Bacon my brother in law and his wife, Sir Lyonell Duckett, Knight, Lord Mayor, and the Lady his wife, Lady Barbara Champion, widow, the swordbearer Sir John White and the Lady his wife, Sir Christopher Draper and his wife, Sir Roger Marten and his wife, Mr. Recorder and his wife, Mr. Alderman Langley, Mr. Alderman Bonde and Mr. Alderman Oliff and their wives, my brother Coles and his wife, Robert Blackman, my sister Heleman, my brother William Packington and his wife, Mr. John Jackman, son of Edward Jackman, my brother Edward Pakenton, Robert Bacon, the foresaid William Webb and his wife, my sister Amy Hill, widow, my brother Williamson and his wife, Michael Goldstone and his wife, Oliver Goldstone and his wife if he have not any at time of my decease, Helen Flowerdale, widow, my son Ryvett and his wife, Thomas Bankes and his wife, Thomas Sharpe, my cousin Cockes in Lumbardstrete and his wife, Mr. John Cooper and his wife, my neighbor Pyrowe Cottie, George Lordinge, clerk of the Fishmongers, the deputies of my ward and the bedell of my warde, the goodman Golding of Hornechurche, co. Essex and his wife, Humfrey Bawdrick and his wife, William Ashebolde, M.A., and Thomas Cattell, curate of St. Dunstan's in the East. To the following money for rings:--My Lord Keeper* and his wife, my cousin Nicholas Bacon my lord's eldest son and his wife, my cousins Nathaniel Bacon and his wife, Edward, Anthony and Fraunces Bacon, my said son Ryvett and his wife, my said brother Thomas Bacon and his wife, my cousin Robert Bacon, my cousin Thomas Banckes and his wife, my cousin Robert Blackman, my cousin Robert Browninge and his wife, my cousin Thomas Sharpe, Bartholomew Kemp and his wife, the said Sir Lyonell Duckett, Knight, Lord Mayor, and his wife, the said Sir John White and his wife and others mentioned above, Nicholas Packington and his wife, the said. William Webb and his wife, my said daughter Tyrell and her sisters Margaret and Martha and to their brother Richard Goldestone, the ring which was his fathers with a cornelin therein, .... etc. my cousin Craifford and his wife, .... etc. my brother John Packington the elder and his wife, .... etc. my cousin Owen and his wife, .... etc.   To Sir Nicholas Bacon, Knight.  Robert Bacon son of my bro. Thomas Bacon 100 li. and he to be good to his sister Jane. To son Ryvett and his wife .... etc. My farm and lands in Hornechurch, County Essex, in tenure of Edmonde James als Pynner to my son William and his heirs, remainder to my son James and his heirs, and my daughter Ryvett and her heirs. ... etc.  Codicil of 5 May 1573, relating to repair of houses on Dice Key and .... etc. Proved 2 October 1573, by Anne the relict and Extrx. named. P. C. C., Peter, 28.

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The children of James Bacon and his wives
By his second wife, Margaret, the daughter of Richard Rawlins of London and the widow of Richard Goldstone, a salter of London and he had issue:
1.  Sir James Bacon of Freston Hall in Suffolk
2.  William Bacon, his second son
3.  In addition there were two other children who did not survive.  

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His third wife was Anne the daughter of Humphrey Packenton and the widow of Edward Jackman, Alderman and Sheriff of London. They had sons who moved to Virginia and Massachusetts.

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The eldest son was Sir James Bacon and by his wife Elizabeth, the daughter of Francis and Anne (Drury) Bacon.  He had a son Nathaniel Bacon, his son and heir, who was grandfather through his eldest son Thomas, of Nathaniel Bacon of Virginia, "the Rebel," and through his second son, REV. JAMES BACON, Rector of Burgate in Suffolk, by his wife Martha Honeywood, of the other Nathaniel of Virginia, Councellor and acting Governor.  Martha, the widow of Rev. James Bacon, married as her second husband Rev. Robert Peck, who was for 30 years Rector of Hingham in Suffolk and afterward of Hingham in Massachusetts, who had had issue by his first wife, a daughter, Anne Peck, who became the wife of Major John Mason of Seabrook, Connecticut who distinguished in the Pequot War. All of these people have been recorded in detail in later chapters.  

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The various branches of the Ryvett Family
From the will of James Bacon, there are several people who are of interest as they relate to the Golding, Bacon and Revett families:

James Bacon makes reference to "My son Ryvett and his wife" - James Bacon by his first wife Mary the daughter of John Gardiner of Grove Place, County Buckinghamshire had a daughter Anne, who married John Ryvett of Bramston, Suffolk in England and three other children who all died in infancy. The Ryvett family were related by marriage to the Gosnolds and through them to the Golding family.

 

There were three separate families named Ryvett:

Ryvett of Rishangles - They descended from John Rivet of Rishangles and were of Norfolk, Sussex, London and Buckinghamshire.

Ryvett of Ratlesden - They descended from Thomas Ryvett of Rattelsden in Suffolk the son of James.  Their genealogy is recorded in the Visitation of Suffolk 1612 by Hervey, p 162 as follows" "Thomas Ryvett of Rattelsden in Suffolk, Esq, son and heir of James married Katherine daughter of William Cotton of Panfield in Essex, Esq and had issue, JAMES, THOMAS son and heir, EDWARD second son and ANN married to SIR HENRY CLOVILE of Essex.  Thomas Ryvett of Rattelsden in Suffolk, Gentleman son and heir of Thomas married Joane daughter and coheir of John Saville of Netherton in Yorkshire had no children as of 1612 (but may have had children later) 
 
There was an Alice Ryvett, the daughter of James Ryvett and Christian Gosnold (daughter of Sir Robert "the elder" Gosnold and Agnes Hill). There is no James mentioned among the family of Ryvett of Brandeston in the Visitation of Essex 1612 (Metcalfe) but there was a Revett of Witnesham Pedigree recorded in Materials for a History of the Parish of Bildeston in the County of Suffolk by Frederick Salmon Growse  (Growse, 1859)

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The Revetts mentioned in that publication are:  
i.    Susan Revett married John Beaumont v 1647, the son of John Beaumont (1623-1703) and Anna Mann;  Pedigree of the Family of Revett located on p 53 of Growse. (Growse, 1859)
ii.    Revett of Bildeston Hall in Suffolk - Pedigree on page 56-57  Two sons of John Revett d 1528 were William Revett b 1506 who was the ancestor of the Brockford Branch and John Revett who was the ancestor of the Bildeston Branch.

John Revett of Bildeston Hall married Elizabeth, daughter of George Brooke of Aspall by Alice the daughter of Sir John Tyrell of Gipping.  Their children were Elizabeth married Robert Rolfe of Kersey, Dorothy married Thomas Wingfield of Layham, Alice married Hugh Pratt, Jane married Robert Revett of Brockford and Margery Revett married Thomas Tyllott of Roughham, all recorded in Growse.  

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James Bacon makes mention of this branch of the Bacon family in his will: “my said daughter Tyrell and her sisters Margaret and Martha and to their brother Richard Goldestone”.  Does this mean that John Ryvett m Anne Bacon and John Ryvett of Bildeston Hall m Elizabeth Brooke are the same person?

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John Ryvett married Anne Bacon, the daughter of James the Alderman Bacon and Mary Gardiner  
Hervy's Visitation of Suffolk, 1612 (Harvey, 1882, p. 162) gives a genealogy of Ryvett of Brandeston.  It reads

 

"John Ryvet of Molenden Park in Suffolk, Gentleman married Christian the daughter of ___ Bedell of Essex and had issue: Andrew, son and heir, William and Thomas , Clerks. Andrew Ryvett of Branson (Brandeston) in Suffolk, son and heir of John married Elizabeth, the daughter and heir of Thomas Huntingfield and of Ann his wife the daughter and heir of THOMAS DOVE of Stradbroke in Suffolk and they had issue: John, son and heir and Anthony and George who died without issue.  JOHN RYVETT of Branson, Esq, the son and heir of Andrew married Ann, the daughter of JAMES BACON of London, Alderman and had issue: NICHOLAS, son and heir; ROBERT second son; JOHN third son; THOMAS fourth son; ANN married to John Trench of Gresnall in Norfolk, MARGERY married to Edmond Hills of London; ELIZABETH married to Robert Armiger of Friston in Suffolk; MARY, MARGARET AND AMY died unmarried.  NICHOLAS RYVETT, Esq son and heir of John married Mary the daughter of Thomas Sickelmore of Ipswich and had a son named John Ryvett, son and heir."

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It isn't known if there is any connection but there was a John Dove married to Elizabeth Goulding and they both emigrated to Virginia in 1638. (Nugent)  . That family was from Wiltshire, England and Elizabeth was the daughter of William Golding (1575-1628) of Meysey Hampton in Glouchesershire, England and Susanna Robinette (1577-1625). (Gauldin)   

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Robert Ryvett, the son of James Ryvett and Christian Gosnold states in his will dated 1616 than John Daines was his brother in law, meaning Robert was the brother of Alice Ryvett who married John Daines. His will was recorded in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 58 (1904) by the New England Genealogical Society Staff, p 313 (with modern spelling) 

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The Will of Robert Revett
"WILL OF ROBERT REVETT of Witnesham, Suffolk, yeoman.  Dated 21 April 1616 'Being aged', to be buried as near to my son Robert Revett deceased as may be in the Parish church of Witnesdahm.  To Ursula my wife her dwelling place in the house wherein I now dwell.. Daughter Katherine, wife of Samuel Stebbing.  Mention of ___ Stebbing, father of the said Samuel as living.  To grandchildren Thomas and Ursula Seager, children of Thomas Seager at 21.  To Rose Seager my grandchild, daughter of Thomas Seager 5 pounds at 21.  Mentions legacies which Christian Revett, my mother gave unto Ursula my daughter, deceased late wife of the said Thomas Seager.  To JAMES REVETT my son all my lands,..and he Executor.  Supervisor: my trusted friend and brother-in-law JOHN DAYNES.  Witnesses William Plumer and Thomas Seaman.  Proved at Snape 26 September 1616 by James Revett the Executor named."   

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John DAINES who married Alice Ryvett and is also named in the will.  In my research I have recorded a woman named ABIGAIL DAINES who married Rev. BARTHOLOMEW GOLDING of Ipswich in 1622 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England but have as yet collected no certifiable information about her or her family.  If John Daines and Abigail Daines were related (not proven) that might substantiate an extended family connection between the Bacon family and a Golding family member whose identity is as of yet unidentified.  There was also another woman named ANNE DAINES who married FRANCIS BACON (1561-1626) the son of Edmund "of Heggerset" Bacon and Elizabeth his wife.  Like the Ryvett family there were numerous and confusing branches of the Bacon family as well.

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Who was "Goodman" Golding?
This leaves the mystery of who the "Goodman Golding of Hornechurch, Essex and his wife" were.  They had a daughter Mary who is called a “maiden” in the will.  Unfortunately there is no first name given and he is only referred to as "Goodman Golding".  He would have been living in the same place as James Bacon, in Hornchurch in Essex in 1616.  Apparently Hornchurch is no longer in Essex.  

 

The following is from a Wikipedia article:

Hornchurch was a large ancient parish in the Becontree hundred of Essex; it was divided into the three chapelries of Havering-atte-Bower, Hornchurch and Romford. The Hornchurch chapelry stretched from the River Thames in the south to Harold Wood in the north and was located between the River Ingrebourne in the east and the River Beam in the west. It was also known as 'Hornchurch side' and consisted of the North End, South End and Town wards. ..The local authority was the Hornchurch vestry. The royal manor of Havering, which was conterminous with the ancient parish of Hornchurch, enjoyed special status and a charter in 1465 removed it from the Becontree hundred and the county of Essex to instead form an independent liberty. By the 16th century 'Romford side', comprising the five northern wards of Romford Town, Harold Wood, Collier Row, Noak Hill and Havering, had grown larger than Hornchurch and had achieved some degree of independence from the Hornchurch vestry. Havering ward grew independent in its own right and became a separate parish in the late 18th century.” (Hornchurch) 

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References


(n.d.). Growse, F. S. (1859). Materials for a History of the Parish of Bildeston, in the County of Suffolk. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Materials-Bildeston-Suffolk-pedigrees-genealogical/dp/1296027104

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Harvey, W. d. (1882). The visitations of Suffolk made by Hervey, 1612. Exeter Priv. print. for the editor by W. Pollard. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/visitationsofsuf00harvuoft

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Hornchurch. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornchurch

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Metcalfe, W. C. (n.d.). Visitation of Essex 1612. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/visitationsofess13metc

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Staff, N. E. (1903). The New England Genealogical and Historical Register (Vol. 57).

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Nugent, Nell M. Cavaliers and Pioneers: A Calendar of Virginia Land Grants, 1623-1800. Vol. 1:1-6. Richmond, VA: Dietz Printing Co., [1929-1931

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Catherine L. Gauldin, Gaulding Origins

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