Personal | Pedigree | |
John Cram was born ABT 1596 in Bilsby and Farlsthorpe, England. He died 5 MAR 1681/82 in Hampton, New Hampshire. He was the son of Thomas Cram (c1563-<1639) and Jane (?-1612/13). His siblings were Richard Cram (1589-c1636), Thomas Cram (1595-?), Samuel Cram (1598/99-1638), Jane Cram (1602-?), Thamar Cram (1604-1654), Sylvester Cram (1610-1611).
John Cram's wife was Hester (Esther) White. They were married JUN 1624 in Bilsby, England. They had one known child named Benjamin Cram (c1640-?).
He was baptized 29 JAN 1596/97 in Bilsby, England. The full address was From "The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 68".
He resided 1638 in Muddy River (Brookline) Near Boston.
He resided 1639 in Exeter, NH.
He resided 1650 in Hampton. The full address was Followed Wheelwright to Hampton in 1650 where he died..
John Cram Thomas John of Bilsby and Farlsthoq e baptized at Bilsby 29Jan 1596 7 married at Bilsby 8 June 1624 Hester or Esther White andcame to New England He was at Muddy River Brookline near Boston in1638 of Exeter in 1639 followed Wheelwright to Hampton in 1650 anddied at Hampton 5 Mar 1681 2 His wife Hester died in 1677 Children IElizabeth bapt at Bilsby 11 Mar 1625 6 II John bapt at Bilsby 15 Feb1627 8 d young III John bapt at Bilsby 13 Apr 1629 bur at Farlsthorpe16 Apr 1633 Iv Joseph bapt at Farlsthorpe 5 Oct 1032 drowned atExeter in New England 24 June 1648 v Benjamin b abt 1640 in ArgentineCromlom or Cromwell dau of Giles of Newbury lived at Hampton vlThomas b abt 1644 in Elizabeth Wkare dau of Hon Nathaniel of Hamptonlived at Hampton vll Mary b abt 164C m Abraham Tilton of Hampton vlliLydia b at Exeter 27 July 1648
Several of the American Crams have attained distinction in art letters and military affairsThey all descend from John Cram or Gramme who is first found near Boston at MuddyRiver where his house lot was bounded in Jan 1637/8. He went to Exeter withWheelwright and his name is attached to the Combination of 1639. Later he was ofHampton.
Family genealogists have identified him with a John Cram born at Felling in co Durham in1607 son of Burchard Cram who was perhaps descended from the Von Cramms aGerman baronial family. This theory has rested mainly on a lease of certain fish pools inco Durham said to have been made in 1634 by John Cram who is therein mentioned asbeing about to travel to foreign parts and who was entitled to his share when he shallhave returned from over seas.
As our John Cram was one of a group of Lincolnshire men at Muddy River and later atExeter and Hampton and as the name of Cram is still found in Lincolnshire I questionedthis presumed identification.
First I found the will of which an abstract is given above of Thomas Crambe of Bilsbydated in 1638 and mentioning a son John. Then the Bilsby transcripts showed thebaptism of this son John in 1596/7 and his marriage in 1624 to Esther White. TheWilloughby transcripts disclosed a connection between these Crams and the Wheelwrights.Finally in the transcripts of Farlsthorpe the next parish to Bilsby I found the baptism ofJoseph the sonne of John Crame and Heaster his wife in 1632 the very son Joseph whowas drowned at Exeter in New England 24 June 1648.
Bell quotes from some Exeter record which I cannot identify the death of this son Josephdescribing him as aged 15 years the son of John and Lide Cram On the strength of thisBell and Pope credit our John Cram with a first wife Lydia besides the wife Hester withwhom he lived so many years Luckily the death of this son Joseph is also entered in theold Norfolk County records and there he is called Josepth son of John and Hester CramThus the alleged Exeter record is proved to be a mere scrivener's error and theidentification of our John Cram with the John of Bilsby and Farlsthorpe is complete.
He was undoubtedly the son of Thomas Cram or Crambe of Bilsby and his pedigree maybe thus constructed
1 John Cram of Well in Alford born about 1540 Children
i Thomas b abt 1563
ii William bapt at Alford 10 Nov 1565
ill Francis bapt at Alford 21 Dec 1572
Iv Christian bapt at Alford Jan 1582
v Mary bapt at Alford 16 Sept 1587
vi Nicholas bur at Alford 14 Feb 1588 9
vii Elizabeth bapt at Alford 16 May 1590 bur there 24 Apr 1592
2 Thomas Cram or Crambe John of Alford and Bilsby the testator of 1638 born probablyat Alford about 1568 died between 3 Apr 1638 and 30 Mar 1639 He married Jane whowag buried at Bilsby 17 Feb 1612/13