Gregory Armstrong

1582 - 1650  (68 years)

• Name	Gregory Armstrong
  Birth	15 Jul 1582	Gateshead, Durham, , England
  Gender	Male
  Death	5 Nov 1650	Plymouth, Plymouth, MA
  	Ancestry.com An excerpt from The Pilgrim Republic By John Abbot Goodwin Billington's name seemed for a time to be one of ill-omen. His widowsucceeded to his farm at Plain Dealing (two miles north of PlymouthRock), and for her cattle was, in 1636, authorized by the court to mowthe adjacent grass; but " what is too much for her" was to go toDeacon John Doane. A controversy ensued, doubtless as to this " toomuch," and the deacon, charging the dame with slander, sued for £100damages. The court gave the complainant nothing; but evidently findingthe slander very flagrant, sentenced the defendant to a fine of £$, tosit in the stocks, and to be publicly whipped. In 1638 the widow gavethe farm to her only living child in terms which sound oddly now; forshe declared the gift to be from "the natural love I bear unto FrancisBillington, my natural son." Later in that year she married withGregory Armstrong, at which time she had two cows, a house, garden,and land for fifteen hundred hills of corn. If she survived, she wasto have all Armstrong's property, " except some things for hisfriends." If he survived, he was to retain the use of her property,but was to give two yearling heifers to " the natural children ofFrancis Billington, the said Eleanor's natural son." The word"natural" was then used to distinguish one's own child from astep-child, child-in-law, or adopted child; and it often occurs in therecords, to the misleading of careless and censorious readers. (Thus,in 1685, William Walker was excused from training because he was weak,and also had " two natural sons" in the train-band; and in 1686 IsaacRobinson, son of the Leyden pastor, conveyed land to his " naturalson" Peter, — meaning his son by nature.) Armstrong died at Plymouth, November, 1650. From The Pilgrim Republic By John Abbot Goodwin
  Person ID	I25511	Drollinger Genealogy
  Last Modified	14 Mar 2016

  
  

  Family	Jane Ellen Jackson,   b. 10 Sep 1585, Nantwich, Cheshire, , England d. 12 Mar 1643, Prby Plymouth Colony, Plymouth, MA (Age 57 years)
  Marriage	28 Aug 1638	Plymouth, Plymouth, MA
  Family ID	F8952	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Mar 2016

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 15 Jul 1582 - Gateshead, Durham, , England Marriage - 28 Aug 1638 - Plymouth, Plymouth, MA Death - 5 Nov 1650 - Plymouth, Plymouth, MA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Ancestry.com An excerpt from The Pilgrim Republic By John Abbot Goodwin Billington's name seemed for a time to be one of ill-omen. His widowsucceeded to his farm at Plain Dealing (two miles north of PlymouthRock), and for her cattle was, in 1636, authorized by the court to mowthe adjacent grass; but " what is too much for her" was to go toDeacon John Doane. A controversy ensued, doubtless as to this " toomuch," and the deacon, charging the dame with slander, sued for £100damages. The court gave the complainant nothing; but evidently findingthe slander very flagrant, sentenced the defendant to a fine of £$, tosit in the stocks, and to be publicly whipped. In 1638 the widow gavethe farm to her only living child in terms which sound oddly now; forshe declared the gift to be from "the natural love I bear unto FrancisBillington, my natural son." Later in that year she married withGregory Armstrong, at which time she had two cows, a house, garden,and land for fifteen hundred hills of corn. If she survived, she wasto have all Armstrong's property, " except some things for hisfriends." If he survived, he was to retain the use of her property,but was to give two yearling heifers to " the natural children ofFrancis Billington, the said Eleanor's natural son." The word"natural" was then used to distinguish one's own child from astep-child, child-in-law, or adopted child; and it often occurs in therecords, to the misleading of careless and censorious readers. (Thus,in 1685, William Walker was excused from training because he was weak,and also had " two natural sons" in the train-band; and in 1686 IsaacRobinson, son of the Leyden pastor, conveyed land to his " naturalson" Peter, — meaning his son by nature.) Armstrong died at Plymouth, November, 1650. From The Pilgrim Republic By John Abbot Goodwin