Mead, Elizabeth

Birth Name Mead, Elizabeth
Gender female
Age at Death less than about 39 years

Narrative

Said to have been born in "Topsfield, England", which was probably Toppesfield, Essex County, England. Spelling changed to Topsfield, Essex County, Mass. Since her daughter was born in Topsfield, Mass, the history might be suspicous, but in fact, even though Toppesfield is a very small town in England, there were Mead's in the earliest records there.

Trees suggest her parents are Ernest (or John) Meade & Elizabeth Betsy Klein. Elizabeth Klein d/o George Klein & Elizabeth Clarke. Ernest s/o Richard Mead of Watford, Hertfordshire & Margaret Gouldhurst. No trees support these assertions.

Existing birth records for an Elizabeth Mead from familysearch.org:
Elizabeth Mede 21 Aug 1597 , Stanford Rivers, Essex, England father Richard
Elizabetha Meade 27 May 1603 , Thaxted, Essex, England father Witholm (William)
Elizabeth Meade 2 Nov 1603 Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire father John Meade
Elizabeth Mead 11 Aug 1605 Albury, Hertfordshire, England father ??? (Probably Thomas )
-> another Mead family at the time in Watford, Hertfordshire ( Priscilla Mead & Doroth Gray ) has an Elizabeth in descendants.

Marriage records for Elizabeth Mead from familysearch.org:
Elizabeth Meade 28 Feb 1610 Roxwell, Essex, England to Edward Meade & Lawrence Morcott ?
Elizabeth Meade 1 May 1626 Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England to Thomas Hockley
Elizabeth Meade 27 Mar 1627 East Hanningfield, Essex, England to Thomas Clarke
Eliz Mead 20 May 1633 Millbrook, Bedfordshire, England to Rich StivenesElizabeth
Elizabeth Mede 27 Oct 1633 Parish Church of Waltham-Abbey, Waltham-Abbey, Essex, England to Willyam Canon
Elizabeth Mead 30 Apr 1634 Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England to Robert Smith
==> no apparent connection between birth & marriage places.

Mead marriages around Essex before Elizabeth was born:
Dekes Bocking,Essex,England
Hignie Orwell, Cambridge, England
Pella Manuden,Essex,England
Jerland Blunham,Bedford,England
Browne Magdalen Laver,Essex,England
Ady Old Warden,Bedford,England
Cunberry Arlesey,Bedford,England
Sache Great Waltham,Essex,England
Robert Meade and Mary Fuller, 1583 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England

Exact FMS match has a maternal line back to Cambridgeshire, England:
Coates -> Cranwell -> Arnold -> Cocke -> Bentley
, earliest is Margaret Bentley b.1578 Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire
===> curious marriage of Bentley & Dokes 1582 in Isleham, Cambridgeshire, and Mead and Deeks in Bocking, Essex, England:

Name: Gulielmus Mead
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 29 Sep 1603
Marriage Place: Bocking,Essex,England
Spouse: Edy Dekes
FHL Film Number: 564346

Another FMS match has maternal back to Cambridgeshire, England:
William Coolidge married Margaret Mayes 23 Jun 1588 • Cambridgeshire, USA
Margaret d/o Henry-Roberti Mayse & Margaret Woodborn b. 1546 in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, England

Mead Family History site has "John Mede of Elsenham, 1565" will describes neighbor "Thomas Godfrey".
https://sites.google.com/site/meadfamilyhistory/home/wills/essex/1550-1600
-> same page, Thomas Meade of Berden, 1595, lists children of his brother John which includes "Joan Godfrey". This might mean these Meade's and Godfrey's were close.

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth about 1600 Toppesfield, Essex, England    
Death before 1639 England    

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Meade, Mr.
         Mead, Elizabeth about 1600 before 1639

Families

Family of Godfrey, Thomas and Mead, Elizabeth
Married Husband Godfrey, Thomas ( * 1596-05-24 + after 1639 )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage 1629-04-23 Malden, Bedfordshire, England Marriage of Godfrey, Thomas and Mead, Elizabeth  
Event Note

alt date 23 April 1629 in Cardington, Bedfordshire, England from familysearch.org "England Marriages, 1538–1973":
marriage of "Eliz Mead" and "Thos Godfry"

alt date 13 April 1619 in England (http://www.familyorigins.com/users/s/t/g/Bob--Stgelais/FAMO1-0001/d709.htm#P12106)

  Narrative

yes, it is suspicious that "Jane" was born 5 years before they were married! dates updated from
http://www.boydhouse.com/michelle/bird/thomasgodfrey.html
"Jane" is not listed among offspring of Elizabeth Mead, and also if Thomas Godfrey married Constance Richford in 1639 Cardington, England, Elizabeth would not have gone to America. Jane was the name of the Widow Godfrey and probably a 2nd wife for Thomas.

"Elizabeth MEAD was born about 1592 in England. She was married to Thomas GODFREY on 13 Apr 1619 in England. Children were: Jane GODFREY."
http://www.familyorigins.com/users/s/t/g/Bob--Stgelais/FAMO1-0001/d709.htm#P11635

Elizabeth/Jane Godfrey -
"Some Genealogies list her parents as Richard Godfrey and Jane Turner and, others indicate her parents were William Godfrey and Sarah"

  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Godfrey, Edward
Godfrey, John
Godfrey, Elizabethbefore 1631-03-061662-10-31