By Jared L. Olar
February 2019
The genealogy of our Marshe ancestors extends but two generations, commencing with John Marshe (c. 1505-c.1558), a wealthy yeoman and brewer of Chipping Barnet in Hertfordshire, England. The surname of Marshe or Marsh (sometimes written "Marche" or "March") is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word mersc, meaning "marsh" or "fen." Thus, beginning in the 1100s A.D. English families that lived at or near marshlands might take the designation "de la Merse" or "atte Mershe." Nothing is known of the ancestry of our John Marshe, however, though from his will we know the names of his brothers, and that their father have given John a "greate brasse panne." Knowing nothing of John's genealogy, we will turn instead to an account of John's life and family.
The following account of the Marshe genealogy is based chiefly on Eugene Cole Zubrinsky's "A Fresh Look at the Parentage of Mayflower Passenger Joan (Hurst) (Rogers) Tilley: With Her Mother’s Identity and Family of Origin," in The American Genealogist, Vol. 85 (2011), pages 1-8. I have also consulted sources such as Robert Leigh Ward's "English Ancestry of Seven Mayflower Passengers: Tilley, Sampson, and Cooper," in The American Genealogist, Vol. 52 (1976), pages 198-208, and Caleb H. Johnson's "The Manorial Records of Henlow Grey: New Information on the Tilleys, Coopers, and Hursts," in Mayflower Quarterly, Vol. 76 (2010), pages 124-34. Zubrinsky's and Johnson's papers represent the latest and best research on the Hurst and Marshe families, and both augment and occasionally correct Ward's study.
1. JOHN MARSHE, parentage and ancestry unknown, a yeoman and brewer of Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, died between 2 Dec. 1558 and 15 Feb. 1559 at Chipping Barnet. It was probably circa 1530-35 in Chipping Barnet that John married his wife JOAN (NN), who appears to have been the mother of the son and four daughters of John who are listed in John's will. On 13 June 1553, "John Marshe senior and Joan his wife and John Marshe junior" of Chipping Barnet bought two messuages there with garden and orchard. John Marshe made his will on 2 Dec. 1558, and the will was proved 15 Feb. 1559 on the oath of "Johanne Rel[i]c[t]e et executrics" (Joan, widow and executrix).
Eugene C. Zubrinsky's above cited 2011 paper, pages 13-15, summarises John Marshe's will as follows (my bold emphasis added):
The will first states his surname as Marche and is therefore catalogued under that spelling; Marshe, however, predominates in the document thereafter. It mentions wife Jone (executrix), children John Marche (under 24), Rose Marshe, Margarett Marshe, Elizabeth [surname omitted], and Jone Marshe (all unmarried); brothers William Marshe, Richard Marshe/Marche (overseer), and Allyn [surname omitted]; "ev[er]y one of my servannts dwellinge w[i]t[h] me at the date of my deathe"; brother Richard's children John, Robert, Margarett, and Jane; Agnes Norrys, daughter to Valentyne Norrys; Christopher Browke; John Shadle; witnesses were Valentyne Norrys, Richard Marche, William Rolfe, Christopher Browke, and others unnamed.
While Marshe's will fails to state his occupation or social position, his bequests (and multiple servants) indicate a man of substance. He bestowed houses and lands in the parish of Hendon (nearby, in Middlesex); the house in which his brother William then dwelt' "pett feldes" [i.e., peat fields]; a parcel of land and appurtenances called Myllys Crofte; and "my house that I dwell in w[i]t[h] the lands belonginge and all my Freholde lands and houses w[ith]in the lordship of Barnett." Specified monetary legacies totaled over 90 pounds, and bequests of other personal estate included ten cows (total); a "salte and silver and gilte w[i]t[h] the cov[er]inge belonging to ytt"; a "greate brasse panne whiche my father gave me"; twelve silver spoons, of which "six of my beste . . . [have] maydes heads gilted in the endes"; a silver goblet; a mazer; two coats (with the implications of others); a jacket "bounde about" with lace; two gowns; a camlet [goat's hair and silk] jacket; and a satin doublet. From the will's reference to "all maner of Brwenge vessels withall the kilderkyns [i.e., casks] and all other ymplements belonging to the brewhouse," it is apparent that Marshe was a brewer.After John's death, on 3 Nov. 1561 in Chipping Barnet, Joan Marshe married ROGER MARSHE, presumably a kinsman of her late husband John. Zubrinsky notes that Roger and Joan's grantor deed of lands at East Barnet on 28 Feb. 1562 describes Joan as the wife of Roger Marshe and executrix of the will of John Marshe of Chipping Barnet.
The known children of John and Joan Marshe were:
-- JOHN MARSHE JR., born after 1534 in Chipping Barnet, England, died between 8 June 1610 and 11 Feb. 1611 in Chipping Barnet, married Katherine Andrew.
2. ROSE MARSHE, born circa 1538 in Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England.
-- MARGARET MARSHE, married Edward Crawley.
-- ELIZABETH MARSHE, buried 12 Jan. 1605 in South Mimms, Middlesex, England, married Arthur Cockett.
-- JOAN MARSHE, probably buried 8 May 1600 in Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, probably married Michael Underwood.
2. ROSE MARSHE, daughter of John and Joan Marshe, born circa 1538 in Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, buried 23 July 1601 in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England. On 15 June 1560 in Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, Rose married a yeoman named WILLIAM HURST, born circa 1530 in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England, died between 3 June 1570 and 30 June 1571 in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England, son of Henry Hurst of Henlow Grey. William and Rose Hurst of Henlow had two sons and two daughters. After William's death, his widow Rose remarried on 4 Feb. 1572 in Henlow, England, to JOHN RUSHE of Henlow, who made his will in 1603 and made generous bequests to his step-daughter Joan and to Joan's children. Rose had John Rushe had two daughters and two or three sons. It is significant that Agnes Tilly of Henlow appointed John Rushe to supervise the execution of her 1 June 1582 will, in which Agnes refers to John as "John Rushe yeoman, my trustie freinde." Rushe thus was step-father of Joan Hurst who later married Agnes Tilly's grandson John Tilley of the Mayflower.
William Hurst made his will at Henlow, England, on 3 June 1570, and his will was probated in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 30 June 1571, showing that he had died between those dates. The text of his will is as follows:
In the name of God amen I William Hurste of Henlowe in the Countee of Beds being sick but in purfecte remembraunce god be thanked Unto Whose mercie only I commyt my sowle and bodie trusting thereby to be saved, doe make this my Laste Will the thurde daye of June in the yere of our Lorde God 1570 First I giue Vnto Agnes Vnderwood five poundes Item to my godsonne William Huls fortie Shillinges Item to the poore people in Henloe 11s. Item I giue to Rose my wief my Lease of the vicaredge Close in Henlow Item I giue vnto Henry my sonne my Lease of Mr. Gray[shold?] in Henlowe called Sydams. And I giue all the residue of my goodes not bequeathed Vnto Rose my wief and my children my Debts being payd and my Legacy performed Whiche Rose my Wief I doe make my hole executrice. Item I will that Rose my Wief shall haue the howse and Landes Which I purchased of John Awdeleye during her naturall lief only: In witness Whereof I haue cawsed this my Will to be made and signed the same: John Marshe Arthure Cockett Edward At[slowe?] by me William Hurste
The first two witnesses of William Hurst's will were his brothers-in-law John Marshe Jr. and Arthur Cockett, gentleman of South Mimms, County Middlesex, husband of Rose (Marshe) Hurst's sister Elizabeth.
The known children of Rose (Marshe) (Hurst) Rushe by her two husbands were:
-- HENRY HURST, baptised 10 June 1561 in Henlow at Henlow, England, buried 26 July 1608 at Henlow, England, unmarried.
-- JOHN HURST, baptised 8 May 1563 at Henlow, England, buried 31 Oct. 1565 at Henlow, England.
-- AGNES HURST, baptised 17 Aug. 1565 at Henlow, England, married William Albone.
-- JOAN HURST, baptised 13 March 1568 at Henlow, England.
-- ELIZABETH RUSHE, baptised 8 Oct. 1574 in Henlow, England, married Richard Ravens.
-- SUSANNAH RUSHE, baptised 1 Dec. 1575 in Henlow, England.
-- JOHN RUSHE JR., baptised 6 July 1578 in Henlow, England, married Grace (NN).
-- NICHOLAS RUSHE, baptised 12 Nov. 1582 in Henlow, England.
?? ROBERT RUSHE, buried 12 Aug. 1609 in Henlow, England, married Bridget (Squire) Dale.
Marshe Genealogy Resources:
Fleming Family History: Henry Hurst -- excerpts from Joy Forster, Gail Ann Adams, and Caleb H. Johnson. William Hurst and Rose (Hurst) Rushe Rose (Marshe) (Hurst) Rushe Find-A-Grave Memorial, with erroneous parentage and sibling. We Relate: Rose Marshe Visit East Anglia: Henlow Village St. Mary the Virgin Church, Henlow Parishes: Henlow GEN-UK-I: Henlow County of Hertfordshire: Chipping Barnet