THE GOOKINS OF KENT.
(Vol. i., pp. 385. 492.)
In the 1st volume of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, pp. 345., &c., and in subsequent volumes, an interesting account, by J. W. Thornton, Esq., of Boston, may be found of the "Gookins of America," who are descendants of Sir Vincent Gookin, Knt., to whom your correspondents refer.
Mr. Thornton explains the omission of the descendants of Vincent and Daniel in the pedigree found in Berry's Kent, p. 113., and which is from the original visitation in Heralds' College, by the fact, that they probably went to the co. Cork, and Daniel from thence to Virginia. He cites undoubted proof that Daniel arrived in Virginia in November, 1621, and was one of twenty-six patentees to whom, in 1620, King James granted a patent of land in that colony, they having "undertaken to transport great multitudes of persons and cattle to Virginia." In 1626 this Daniel is described in a deed as of "Carygoline, in the county of Cork, within the kingdom of Ireland, Esquire." In February 1630 a deed is recorded, made by "Daniel Gookin, of Newport Newes, Virginia, the younger, Gentleman." Upon the records of the Court of James City, held Nov. 22, 1642, Captain John Gookin is mentioned. Mr. Thornton infers that the elder Daniel returned to Ireland, and that Daniel the younger, and Captain John Gookin, were his sons. During the religious troubles which arose in Virginia, Daniel, junior, and Mary his wife, left for New England, where they arrived on May 10, 1644, and where he became, as he had been, a person of considerable influence. He was promoted to the rank of Major-General in the colony, and died March 19, 1686-7, æt. 75. For further mention of him, see Carlyle's Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell, Let. 143. and Note; Thurloe's State Papers, vol. iv. pp. 6. 440. 449.; vol. v. p. 509.; vol. vi. p. 362. He is spoken of, says Mr. Thornton, by an authority of the time, as a "Kentish soldier." Colonel Charles Gookin, whom Penn sent as a governor to his colony, is described by the latter in a letter, dated London, Sept. 28, 1708, as "of years and experience," "and of what they call a good family, his grandfather Sir Vincent Gookin having been an early great planter in Ireland, in King James First's and the first Charles's days." Governor Gookin assumed his duties in Pennsylvania in 1708, and was recalled in 1717. He was never married.
In a letter dated Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1709, Governor Gookin writes to a grandson of Major-General Daniel Gookin, of New England: "I assure you that the account you gave me of that part of our family settled in America was extremely satisfactory;" and again, Nov. 22, 1710, to the same he says: "By a letter from Ireland I am informed two of our relatives are lately dead, viz. Robert Gookin, son of my uncle Robert, and Augustine Gookin, eldest son of my uncle Charles." He subscribes himself "cousin," &c.
From Mr. Thornton's account, and the remarks of your correspondent, I think I may venture to deduce the following table:—
| SIR VINCENT G., Kt., Lived at Highfield House, Bitton, Gloucester, which he purchased in 1627, d. 1637, and bu. at Bitton. —married JUDITH, dau. of xx. Wood, d. 1642, bu. at Bitton. | | DANIEL, who went to Virginia. —married xv. | | |||||||
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| SAMUEL, | VINCENT, | FRANCES, | ROBERT. | CHARLES. | Maj.-G. | JOHN. | ||
| buried at Bitton, 1635. | publishes his pamphlet in 1634, left Bitton in 1646, living in 1655. —married Mary x. | baptized at Bitton, 1637. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DANIEL, —married Mary xx. | | | | | | | | | |||
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| ROBERT, conveys Bitton in 1646. | ROBERT, d. 1710. | AUGUSTINE, eldest son, d. 1710. | DANIEL, SAMUEL, NATHANIEL, &c., some of whose descendants still live in New England. | |||||
EDWARD ARMSTRONG,
Recording Secretary of the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
CURIOUS MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTION.
(Vol. iv., p. 20.)
The inscription on the tombstone of Christ. Burraway, in Martham Church, copied by your correspondent E. S. T., singular as it is, and startling as the story attached to it seems, is not without a parallel, for we have a similar inscription on another mysterious mother of the name of Marulla in ancient times, which is given by Boxhornius in his Monumenta Illustrium Virorum et Elogia, Amst. 1638, fol. 112. He appears to have found it on a ruined sarcophagus at Rome, of which he has given representation, and in his Index thus refers to it: