Holbrook line: John Annable, Immigrant

I'm going to say a couple of things in this post that go counter to what is posted on many trees on line.  I'm even going to advance a theory, or half of a theory, as to who this gentleman really is.  What I am not going to do is answer the questions as to when and where he was born, when he came to America, and other questions about his origins. 

Most trees say that John's parents were Anthony Annable and Jane Mumford.  It is true that they were early immigrants, but I've seen no record of John being their child. Also, they settled in Barnstable which would mean John had somehow gone from Cape Cod, to the very northern part of Massachusetts to live, far from his family.  This would have been very unusual in those early days of Massachusetts. 

Furthermore, I've found evidence of a record that says John Annable was in Essex County, (probably in the area of Ipswich although it wasn't officially formed until 1634) as early as 1625.  He appears in court records as early as 1638.  This presents another problem.  John's birth date is given as 1618-1625, with only one giving a firm date and place.  If this ias our John Annable, then he came to America almost as soon as he was born, and it may be his father, who may be John Annable, that we are seeing in the early years at Ipswich.  Or, the alternate theory would be that he was born earlier than the guesses, for that is what they seem to be, and that he married late, or married a second time, fairly late in his life.  There don't seem to be any death records for John Annable prior to our John's death, so I'm suspicious that our John may have been born as early as 1603, in order to be at Ipswich by 1625.  And the date could go back further than that. 

What I have been able to learn about John is that he was a tailor, which implies he had learned a trade somewhere, presumably in England.  Would the very earliest settlers in Ipswich have needed a tailor, or did he do something else to support himself?  This was a town made up largely of farmers and fishermen, so he probably engaged in one or both of these occupations to start with. 

He appeared in court primarily as a witness but there are two cases in the 1650's that mention him.  In one, he was suing Edward Gilman, Jr. for withholding pipe staves, apparently paid for, and in another he is acknowledging a debt to Mr. John Ward of Haverhill of 14 pounds.  This may be more in the line of record keeping,  as in today's liens and mortgages, rather than an actual appearance in court.  He was also a witness several different times. 

He married, variously between 1647 and 1649, Anna Whipple, daughter of Matthew and Ann Hawkins Whipple, and they had at least seven children. (Matthew Whipple was a clothier.  Is this where John got his training, from or in connection with his father in law?)  John died October 6, 1664, intestate (without a will).  Administration of the estate was granted to Anna and the eldest son John, which was a bit unusual for that time and place.  The estate was to remain in her hands for the bringing up of the children, and John was to receive 20 pounds and each of the other children 10 pounds as they came of age. 

The inventory, taken by Robert Lord, shows a value of 181 pounds, which was pretty fair for a tailor.  It includes a "dwelling house, barne, and land about" it valued at 80 pounds, plus six acres of marsh and four of upland, and quite a few household good, a few items that may be related to the tailoring trade, several items of real furniture, books, farm animals, and food stuffs.  He was relatively prosperous for a tailor.

I am sure there are Annable researchers out there.  I'd sure love to hear from some of you, with your own questions and research, to see if we can give John a father and mother, and to understand how John came to be in Ipswich.  Please contact me or leave a message on this post!

The line of descent is:

John Annable-Anna Whipple
Elizabeth Annable-John Whittemore
John Whittemore-Elizabeth Lloyd
John Whittemore-Lydia Clough
Josiah Whittemore-Lucy Snow
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their  descendants