John Jessup - John Jessup

Yes, I do not agree with Wiki Tree either and my notes describe John Jessup Sr.. There are several book written about the Jessup family, but people seem to want to follow the book "History and Genealogy of the Old Fairfield Families of Connecticut that says John Jessup had unfinished business and died in 1637. I find other genealogy books that dispute this claim. The American Genealogist Vol 91 No. 1 page 47 titled More unfinished business by Harris also argues this narrative and believes Jessup was not killed by Indians in 1637.. I find that John Jessup SR was at the district courts where Matthew Craddock had claims against John Oldham's assets.(Connecticut Records confirm this) Also the marriage to Joanna Kerrich who I believe never existed can also be disputed.

In 1627 Massachusetts Joint Stock Company was established by Puritan Merchants at St. Stephen Church on Coleman St. in London that had become a Puritan Strong hold. The Company was established after Charles I, ascended to the throne in 1625 with Queen Henrietta Maria the Catholic daughter of Henry VI of France. The marriage brought England in alliance with War with Spain and during a secret marriage treaty he agreed to restrict recusancy laws. Almost immediately after coming into power he began the arrest and conviction of Puritan Theologians, He argued constantly with Parliament who did not want to finance his ambitions and eventually ruled without Parliament.

Joint Stock Companies were created during the reign of Edward VI 1549-1553, to share the finance risk of exploration and enterprise for colonization. The members of the Joint Stock Massachusetts Company had interests in other ventures. Some of the members stayed in England and sent family members or agents to take care of their business in New England. Many of the members of Massachusetts Company had interests in other Joint Stock Companies. Mathew Craddock was voted Governor of Massachusetts Company and was also the director of East India Company. Mathew Craddock was called a Skinner, and involved in the Skin & Fur Trade among several other company ventures. He was very wealthy and owned a Fleet of Ships and employed a group of agents that he sent to take care of his business in New England.

Rev. Isaac Johnson a patentee and biggest contributor of Massachusetts Company arrived to New England on the ship Arabella named after his wife Dame Arabella Clinton the sister of Theophilus Clinton 4th Earl of Lincoln his wife was Bridget the daughter of William Fiennes, 1st Viscount of Say & Sele who was sympathetic to the Puritan cause. In 1630, Fiennes established the Joint Stock Providence Island Company that later settled Puritans at the Island known today as Isla de Providencia in the Caribbean Sea but failed in 1640 when it was taken by Spain. William Jessop was secretary of the Company and Robert Hunt a Military Officer was sent as colonial administrator. In 1635 Massachusetts general court granted William Fiennes 1st Viscount Say & Sele and fifteen other Lords permission to establish a Plantation along the Connecticut River. John Winthrop the younger was appointed governor and set up a Trading House and a Fort at the mouth of the River called Fort Say & Sele. William Pynchon a patentee of Massachusetts Company, who had a trading house called Agawam on the Connecticut River in Massachusetts and five others were given the authority to govern the River Towns of called Springfield, Hartford, Windsor & Wethersfield. The settlers grew wheat & rye that was collected and traded with the Indians for animal skins and fur.

On July 20 1636 John Oldham and five members of his crew were murdered on board his ship at Block Island by the Narragansett Indians. The Indians took revenge on Oldham as they had been treated unfairly and were traded sacks of sand instead of grain. The murder of Oldman by Indians made the Government angry this eventually started the Pequot War in 1637.

(Winthrop Records) John Winthrop Jr. wrote a letter on the 1st of April to the Gov. of Plymouth asking for advise on how to proceed against the Pequot Indians and received a reply some weeks later, in which he states that he had talked to Mr. Jessup who arrived in Plymouth Colony on the Barke (sailing vessel) with Mr. Harding, and advised him to talk to Mr. Jessup about the matter, saying that there are some English that are ready to furnish the enemy by the way of Trade. If you enquire of Mr. Jessup you may get some information. Mr. Harding, merchant traveling with John Jessup Sr. was a member of the Harding family who first immigrated to New England in 1623 with Capitan Robert Gorges.

John Jessup gave them a warning about Oldham's trading practices. John Oldman had some business with Thomas Morton of Merrymount a servant of Sir Fernando Gorges, the Governor of Port of Plymouth involved in English Trade and the settlement in North America and the founder of the Providence of Maine.

Thomas Morton of Merrymount was accused of selling firearms to the natives and was banished twice and returned each time after his banishment, he could not be executed because of his powerful connections. In 1631 he brought a suit against the Massachusetts Company but nothing became of it.

In 1628 John Oldham & John Dorrill obtained a lease by John Gorges, the son of Sir Fernando Gorges that was the same tract of land offered to the Massachusetts Company that later embraced Massachusetts Bay Colony territory and the cities of Charlestown & Cambridge. This issue was taken to Plymouth district Court and the lease ruled unlawful. Matthew Craddock may have been given his 500 acre Farm in Watertown Massachusetts as an exchange, that ended up given to Matthew Craddock's family for debts unpaid.

John Jessup Sr. is most likely related to William Jessop 1603-1675 Government Official & Politician baptized in Stanford England on 22 Sept.1603 the son of Thomas Jessoppe and his wife Margery who moved to London becoming a Law Clerk and then confidential man of business to Robert Rich (also secretary of Providence Island Company & a clerk for the House of Commons)

I believe John Jessup was a representative of Matthew Craddock from Stafford, who lived in London Gov. Massachusetts Company & director of East India Company his nephew Mathew Craddock was a wool merchant and was Mayor of Stafford and also served several years in Parliament.