vital records sources
go to Eleanor Ellinwood's page

Jonathan was both a cordwainer (ropemaker) and a "shoreman" or maritime trader along the East Coast. Deeds in which he and Eleanor granted land refer to him with one or the other occupation.1 He must have been the captain of the sloop Katherine when it left from Rhode Island (which port not specified) in May 1720 for Jamaica.2

By the time he died at 91, he referred to himself as a "husbandman" or farmer, as seen in his will.Jonathan Woodbury

Jonathan Woodbery's will:

In the name of God amen, I Jonathan Woodbary of Beverly...husbandman, being in helth & through divine goodnes of sound mind & memory do make this my last will & testament & first I do resign my soul to God through Jeses Christ in hoome alone I hoope for salvation unto eternal life & my body to the earth to be desently buried at the discresion of my executor herein after named & as for my temporal estate I am blesed with all I do hereby dispose of the same in the following manner

Imprs my will is that my just debts & funaral charges be all paid & discharged out of my estate by my execur.

Item I given unto my son Nathaniel Woodbary one acre of land situate on the north side of the pasage way thro my hoome feald the same to be sat of to him or his heirs next to the high way leeding down to the salt water

Item I give unto my son Cornelias Woodbary one acre of land situate on the north side of the pasage way thro my hoome feald the same to be sat of to him or his heirs next adjoying on the above mentioned acre which I by this my will give to my sd son Nathaniel

Item I give unto my son Jonathan Woodbary one acre of land scituate on the south side of the pasage way thro my hoome feald the same to be sat of to him or his heirs next adjoyining on the high way down to the salt water

Item I give unto Hannah the daughter of Abigail Bowen the reputed child of my son Edward Woodbary late of Beverly decd the one eighth part of my estate she the sd Hannah to alow out theirof ten pounds lawfull money as a recompenc to my son Cornelias Woodbary for his paying a debt which was due from my son Edward sd Hannahs father after his deth my sd son Cornelias to have liberty to receive the sd ten pounds in land at the apprizement also the sd Hannah to allow for the payment of the one eighth part of my just debts & funaral charges the remaining part of the sd eighth part of my estate I give to har the sd Hannah & her heirs forever. Also I give to har one fether bed & its furniture also one case of draws one ovil table being the same her father bought also one iron pot sd Hannahs eighth to be one eighth of what is left aftar my sons three acres is sat of as aforsd

My will further is that if my parsonal estate shall prove not sufficiant to pay & discharge my just debts & funaral charges in such case I do hereby authorize & impower my executor herein after named to make sale of & pass deeds to convey so much of my real estate where it will be least hurtfull as shall be sufficiant to pay & discharge the same

Item I give unto my seven children vizt Jonathan Cornelias & Nathaniel Woodbary Ellinor Ellinwood Elizabeth Ellinwood Eunce Dike & Anna Lovit all the remainder of my estate which in this my will I have not before given after my just debts & funaral charges are paid & discharged to be to them their heirs in equal proportion alowing always to each of my children the benefit of water in my spring they to pass thierto for water in the path which now leads to the spring

My will further is & I do hereby give the liberty to my daughter Eunice Dike if she thinks best to purchis to her self forever the eastern most half part of my dwelling house together with conveniant yard roome she my sd daughter paying theirfor such sum of money as the same may be apprized at & to grant conveniant privaledge in the sellor for the western end of the house

And lastly I do nominate & appoint my son Cornelias Woodbary to be my soul executor of this my last will & testament...In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand & seal this twenty ninth day of April...AD 1762

[signed] Jonathan Woodbery

signed sealed & published by Jonathan Woodbary to be his last will & testament in presents of

Anthony Wood [who appears to have written the will, judging by the handwriting]
Benja Bickford
Elizabeth Bickford

     Jonathan's homestead was in the Beverly Farms area. His estate inventory shows a modest household and some farm implements, maybe reduced to the basics given his age and that he was a widower. It could be that his children provided for him when and where necessary. It's not apparent why Eunice Dike was given first to buy part of his house. It's unlikely she was living there, being married and with a family of her own.
     This family name in the 17th and early 18th centuries is spelled variously depending on the document and the gravestone. There were varying degrees of literacy, even among town clerks and ministers. Spelling was fluid and often reflected phonetics, but the prevailing spelling amongst family members was decidedly "Woodbery." Since there is no ambiguity about this, I see no reason not to use it. I do so with the note that other spelling were used, uncommonly by Woodberys themselves, more commonly by others. This spelling eventually shifted to "Woodberry," and now "Woodbury" is favored.Jonathan Woodberry - Jonathan Woodbury

children of Jonathan Woodbery and Eleanor Ellinwood:

i. Benjamin b. 4 April 1709, d. 11 September 1710
ii. Hannah b. 2 November 1710
iii. Eleanor b. 4 February 1711/12
iv. Jonathan b. 11 December 1713
v. Elizabeth b. 15 May 1716
vi. Cornelius b. 11 June 1718
vii. Nathaniel b. 1 April 1720
viii. Edward b. 1 December 1721, d 13 December 1721
ix. Johanna b. 5 June 1725
x. Eunice b. 21 June 1727
xi. Anna b. 20 March 1729
xii. Edward b. 21 April 1731, who intented to but did not marry Abigail Allen and had a child with her out of wedlock named Hannah
xiii. Susannah b. 16 September 1734

vital records sources: Jonathan's birth and marriage records are in Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts to the Year 1849, vol. 1 (Topsfield:1906), 388; marriage and burial record from ibid. vol. 2 (Topsfield:1907) 352, 619, the latter taken from a First Parish Unitarian Church record, age 91.

1. Essex County, MA, deeds, 77:166, 39:131. Other deeds given him these occupations, but those with Eleanor prove this is the same man. Also, he appears to have been the only
2. Boston Gazette, issue 2 May-9 May 1720, 2.