| BIRTH | Robert was born circa 1531/1533 in Dodderidge, Sanford, Devonshire, England[10]. His birth year is estimated from the fact that he was "aged five years and more" at time of father's Inquisition post mortem in 1538/9[10]. |
| DEATH | Robert died circa 1604/1608; he was 73[2,6]. We know that he was dead by Michaelmas 1608, when his heir Thomas was named defendant in his place for an ongoing lawsuit. From that time until Michaelmas, 1615 Thomas, was named the defendant in fines concerning the ancestral lands at Prowse, Poughill and Higher Dodderidge[11]. |
| OFFICIAL RESIDENCE AND SATUS STYLING | Robert was of Prowse or Dodderidge in Sandford, Devonshire, England[7,9]. "Robert Gye, gent." was named a trustee of the will of James Mortymer of Sandford, Devonshire, England which was dated 19 October 1558[9]. This is the first legal mention which styles Robert as "Gent." |
| DISPOSITION OF DAUGHTER AFTER HIS WIFE'S DEATH | Some say that Robert "paid great sums" after his wife's sudden death (actual date unknown) to the Reverend Radford Maverick to ensure that Radford would bring up his youngest daughter, Mary. However, a manuscript of Charles Banks says that Radford, denied "receipt of great sums of money and says he brought her up from childhood and gave her an education"[7]. Given the extensive time Robert spent in court and constant fines to which he was subject, I believe Banks is correct and Radford received little or no money for his care of Mary Gye. |
| LEGAL MENTION AND REAL ESTATE |
Robert spent much time in court, usually squabbling over real estate. He invariably lost. He first took on
James Courtenay, Esq. over lands which his parents -- John and Mary Gye -- received from the estate of her
father, Thomas Prowse. All cases can be found in the Chancery Proceedings, "tempore Elizabeth" (late
1500s - early 1600s). File G-g-11 refers to the opening salvo in which "Robert Gie or Gye sued "James
Courtenay, Esq." claiming right "under settlement and will" to the tenement of Cheriton FitzPaine
(otherwise known as "Upcotts") and land referred to as "Frendlemore". Robert claimed
that this land was his via the fact that it was conveyed to trustees by his grandfather Thomas Prowse in
"anno 1 Henry VIII (1509-1510) He must have lost this case, because file G-g-15 states that
"Robert Gye sued James Courteney, Esq." over the same tenement in Cheriton FitzPaine -- the "sometime
estate of Thomas Prows". This time his claim was "...under settlement on marriage... by deed and
recovery... settled on John Gye and Mary his wife..." in anno 1 Henry VIII (1509-1510).
This squabble over Ceriton FitzPaine (a.k.a. Upcott) and Frendlemore continued for years and always to the Gye family's detriment. At the Michaelmas term (late September) of the Court in 1600, "a fine was levied by James Courteney, Esq., agains Robert Gye, gent." over the properties. Ten years later -- Michaelmas 1610 -- a fine was levied by the same James Courtenay, Esq. against Robert's son, Thomas Gye, gent., over properties in South Yawe and elsewhere[3]. Thomas continued to fight the Gye family court battles. At the Michaelmas term of 1608 and the Hilarymas (early January) term of 1610, "Richard Gover, gent. levied fines against Thomas Gye over the Poughill and Barbadon family properties. Further, at the Michaelmas term of 1615, John More, Esq. levied fines against "Thomas Guye and others" over lands in Poughill and elsewhere[9]. Robert also was involved in an inquisition over his son George Gye, "an Ideot", which was taken at Exeter Castle on 7 March, 42 Elizabeth (1599-1600). The transcript furnishes some interesting family information. For example, entered into evidence was an identure of 6 April 1587, filed at Crediton (next to Sandford), Devonshire, England, between "Robert Gye of Prowse, alias Higher Dodderidge, gent." and "Thomas Dowrish of Dowrish, Esq." The indenture concerned to manors of Poughill and Prowse. In addition, all twelve of Robert Gye's children by both wives are named. Finally, the trustees named in the inquisition were Walter Dowrish, Esq., William Bodleigh, Esq., John Northcott, gent. and John Norleigh. The first three are noted as being brothers-in-law of Robert Gye's wife, Grace Dowrish -- thus providing further evidence of their marriage. Yet again, at the instigation of these very trustees, Robert was subject to several fines. To whit: at the Easter term (April) in 1579; at the Trinity term (June?) in 1585; at the Michaelmas term of 1590 and at the Michaelmas term of 1597. This last set of court proceedings shows that Robert Gye also held lands in Kingsbridge in south Devonshire, England[11]. One final case from the Chancery proceedings show that circa 1554, one "Robert Gye of Dodderidge in Sandford" sued over a lease of the rectory of "West Allington" (just north of Kingsbridge, south Devonshire, England) which was made to him and his father, John Gye (long since deceased)[3]. |
| MARRIAGE #1 | Robert first married a woman whose name has been lost to time. |
| CHILD | 4. | i. | Thomas GYE | Thomas died between 1615 and 1624[13]. He was from Poughill, Devonshire, England and carried on the family court battles outlined in his father Robert's entry[13]. He and his wife had one known child named Jane. |
| MARRIAGE #2 | Robert second married Grace DOWRISH[2,12], daughter of Thomas DOWRISH, Esquire & Anne FARRINGDON[5]. Circa 1604, Grace died suddenly before she could make a will[7]. |
| CHILDREN | 5. | i. | Gilbert GYE | Gilbert was still alive in 1624. At that time, he and his brother Walter were the only two landlords listed named "Gye" in Poughill, Devonshire, England. Thus, it seems that Thomas and the other brothers may have died by 1624[6]. |
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6. | ii. | Edmund GYE | Probably dead by 1624. |
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7. | iii. | John GYE | Probably dead by 1624. |
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8. | iv. | Walter GYE | Walter was still alive in 1624. At that time, he and his brother Gilbert were the only two landlords listed named "Gye" in Poughill, Devonshire, England. Thus, it seems that Thomas and the other brothers may have died by 1624[6]. |
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9. | v. | Peter GYE | Peter witnessed the will of Edmund Northcott, 29 October 1604[13] but was probably dead by 1624. |
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10. | vi. | George GYE | George was named "an Ideot"[7] and declared non compos mentis[13]. He was probably dead by 1624. |
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11. | vii. | Robert GYE | He was the Robert Gye mentioned in the will of Jane Mortimer of Poughill, Devonshire, England in 1622[13]. In this will, dated 27 August 1622, Jane left the residue of her estate to "my cousin, Robert Gye, sole executor" and named Joan Philpe as her mother[3]. Robert was probably dead by 1624. |
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12. | viii. | Johan or Joan GYE | We know nothing more of her. |
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13. | ix. | Jane GYE | We know nothing more of her. |
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14. | x. | Anne GYE | We know nothing more of her. |
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15. | xi. | Mary GYE | Please see her own page. |
| GENERATION | Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G10) Grandfather (twice) |
| FAMILY NUMBER | 7466 (via Elias Maverick) and 7498 (via Moses Maverick) |
| SOURCES |
1. Weis, Frederick Lewis,
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonist Who Came To America Before 1700,
7th Edition With Additions & Corrections by Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr.,
(Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc.),
[WeisAR7], line 261-43. 2. New England Historic and Genealogical Register. Vols. 1+, (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Register, 1845+), [NEHGR], 115:248-253. 3. [WeisAR7], line 261-44. 4. Weis, Frederick Lewis, Colonial Clergy of New England, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.), [WeisCCNE], 137. 5. [NEHGR], 69:153. 6. Anderson, Robert Charles, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633., (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society), [GreatMig.], II:1242. 7. Torrey, Charles, New England Marriages Prior to 1700., (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Society). [Torrey]. 8. [NEHGR], ??(April 1915):153. 9. Suffolk Deeds, Volumes 1-14, (Boston, 1880-1906), [SLR], 4:328. 10. [NEHGR], 7:750-1. 11. Mary & John, vols. 1+, (Toledo, OH: Mary & John Clearinghouse), [MaryJohn], ??:29. 12. [NEHGR], 7:753; 69:153; 43:326, 49:214, 50:75, 69:153, 96:232. 13. Warner, Frederick Chester, The Ancestry of Samuel Freda and John Warner, 5 vols., (Boston, Mass.: 1949, 1955), typescript, [Warner-Harrington], 440. 14. Sumner, Edith Bartlett, Descendants of Thomas Farr of Harpswell, Maine and Ninety Allied Families, (Los Angeles: American Offset Printers, 1959), [Farr Anc.], 197. 15. Titcomb, Sarah Elizabeth, Early New England People: Some Account of the Ellis, Pemberton, Willard, Prescott, Titcomb, Sewall and Longfellow, and Allied Families, (Boston: W.B. Clarke & Caruth, 1882), [Titcomb], 245. 16. Noyes, Sybil, Charles Thornton Libby and Walter Goodwin David, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, (Portland, ME: Anthosensen Press 1928-1939; rpt Baltimore: Gen. Publ. Co., 1972), [GDMNH], 470. 17. Underhill, Lora Altine, Descendants of Edward Small of New England, and the Allied Families, (Cambridge: Riverside Press, 1910), [Small], 2:670-1. 18. Fish Frances Webster, Ancestry of Frances Webster Fish, (Oakland, CA: 1923), typescript, [FishAnc]. 19. Holman, Mary Lovering, The Scott Genealogy, (Boston, MA: 1919), [Scott (1919)], 185. 20. Tingley, Raymon Meyers, Some Ancestral Lines; Being a Record of Some of the Ancestors of Guilford: Solon Tingley and His Wife, Martha Pamelia Meyers, Collected by Their Son, Raymon Meyers Tingley, (Rutland, Vt.: The Tuttle Publishing Co., 1935), [Tingley-Meyers], 233. 21. Fuess, Elizabeth Goodhue, Cushing and Allied Families, (Andover, Mass., 1931), typescript, [Cushing (Ms)], 308. 22. Cresswell, Beatrix F., The Mavericks of Devonshire and Massachusetts, (Exeter: James Gen. Commin, 1929), [Maverick], 40. 23. [MaryJohn], ??:46.
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Return to the Gye Index page. |
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| Return to the Family Index page. |
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Return to the Surname Index page. |
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Return to the Maddison Side Tree page. |
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