We at Pearsall-L are trying to establish the line of ancestry of one Thomas Pursell and of Henry Pearsall origins in England. We are trying to find out 1-Were Thomas and Henry from the same family, cousins perhaps, or not related at all? 2-How were either of them related to Edmond Pearsall of Staffordshire?

On the ship Constance which departed London for Virginia in October 24, 1635 there is one Thomas Pursell.

According to Clarence Pearsall, he states that one of Thomas Pursell's son was Henry Pearsall of Hempstead c1644. However, according to Herbert Seversmith and Arthur Wardwell in their article in the American Genealogist, "The Fabulous Pearsalls", Vol. 18; 78-90; 153-171; published 1942; there is no documentation stating this relationship.

In the NYG&B Record April 1990 "THOMAS IRELAND AND HENRY PEARSALL; AND ENGLISH CLUE FROM AMSTERDAM" by Harry Macy, Jr.; In this work Macy writes:
"1644, February 11 Rieter Evertss, from Hoorn, skipper, Pieter Jonass Bronck, from Sweden, as freeman, both having come her on the yacht ROYAL from New Netherland, declare, ath the request of Thomas Eirlandt and Henry Peersen, both of Warckschiet, also come here as free persons on the same ship, that they have each shown them, on the way from New Netherland, an act of assignation {ie., a draft}, obtained from the commander Willem Kievit, in order therewith to demand their money from the W{est} I{ndia} C{ompany}. At Vaelmuyden these drafts were taken away from them Copy in 1622/45. The "commander Willem Kievit" was Willem Kieft, Director-General of New Netherland. Other notarial entries made at the same time show that Bronck himself had a "wisselbrief" (bill of exchange) taken from him at Vaelmuyden, by the soldiers of the King of England, which suggest that Vaelmuyden was the English Channel port of Plymouth, where the ROYAL must have stopped on its way from New Netherland, Amsterdam."

Henry Pearsall was one of the 50 original settlers of Hempstead, Long Island, New York.
Nassau County Historical Society Journal 18:3 (summer 1957) 1-16; (summer- fall 1969) reprinted 24-37. "The Fifty Original Proprietors of Hempstead" by George D. A. Combes.

Clarence Pearsall also stated that Henry Pearsall married the wife of Moyles Williams and that her maiden name was Valentine. (This is incorrect) Please see the following:

ANN PANKHURST
MIGRATION: 1635 on the Abigailon 15 June 1635, "Anns Pancrust," aged 16 was enrolled at London as a passenger for New England on the Abigail[Hotten 87]. FIRST RESIDENCE: Lynn (assuming she resided initially with Dennis Geere).
REMOVES:By about 1637 Ipswich, by 1638 Newport, by 1644 Hempstead.
BIRTH:About 1619, daughter of Nicholas and Barbara (Geere) Pankhurst[NYGBR 120:211-13].
DEATH:In 1644 or soon after.
MARRIAGE:By about 1637 MICHAEL WILLIAMSON {1635, Ipswich}.
(2) By about 1648 Henry Pearsall [TAG 18:165-71].
CHILDREN:
With first husband
i Daughter WILLIAMSON, b. say 1637.
ii JOHN WILLIAMSON, b. say 1639.
iii JOSEPH WILLIAMSON, b. say 1641.

With second husband
iv NATHANIEL PEARSALL, b. about 1648 [TAG 18:171].
v DANIEL PEARSALL, b. about 1652 [TAG 18:171].
vi THOMAS PEARSALL, b. about 1654 [TAG 18:171].
vii GEORGE PEARSALL, b. about 1656 [TAG 18:171].

ASSOCIATION:Niece of DENNIS GEERE {1635, Lynn}.
COMMENTS: In his will, dated 26 April 1620 and proved 11 May 1622, "Nicholas Panckhurst of Iford in the County of Sussex" asked to be buried "in the churchyard of Iford" and bequeathed to "the poor people of the parish of Iford," 5s.; to "my daughter Joane Panckhurst all that my land together with the lease thereof and all woods and underwoods thereupon lying in Wivelfield called or known by the name of Rookhurst containing by estimation six acres," from which "during the time that Barbara my wife shall keep herself a widow & no longer" she shall have two loads of wood per year; to "my daughter Joane Panckhurst," 15lb.; to "my daughter Elizabeth Panckhurst," 40lb., which after the decease of the testator's widow is "to be paid into the hands of Thomas Ridge and Dennis Geere whom I do make overseers of this my will"; to "my daughter Annis Panckehurst," 40lb.; to "the child wherewith my wife now goeth if it shall please God to send it safe into the world," 15lb.; to "my maidservant Dennis Mershe," 10s.; to "my servant Thomas Mantle," 10s.; to "my godchildren Nicholas Stroud, John Adeane & Thomas Geere, I say unto every of them an ewe teg"; to "all the rest of my godchildren that shall be living at the time of my decease twelve pence apiece"; residue to "Barbara my wife," she be to sole executrix; "Thomas Ridge and Dennis Geere my loving friends" to be overseers, they to have 5s. apiece[ A18:56]. In her will, dated 4 May 1623 and proved 12 May 1623, "Barbara Panckhurst widow of Nicholas Panckhurst late of Iford deceased" asked to be buried "in the churchyard of the parish of Iford" and bequeathed to "Simon Johnson, Henry Strowd, Thomas Baker, William Mershe and William Morrice, poor men of Iford," 12d. apiece; to "the widow Collier and the widow Peckham, the widow Jeffery & the widow Peckham," 12d. apiece; to "the widow Lansing & to Tomson Colliar," 6d. apiece; to "my daughter Elizabeth," 10lb.; to "my daughters Anne and Barbara," household goods; to "my maid Dennis Mersh," 20s., "providing she be willing and do go dwell as servant where my children shall be kept"; to "my servant John Peckham," 2s. 6d.; residue to "my daughter Joane," she to be sole executrix; "my loving brother Dennis Geere" to be overseer[ A18:108]. On 2 October 1639, "Michael Williamson & Anne his wife make a letter of deputation & procuratorship to Anthony Stapley of Patcham in Sussex, Esq., to receive of Elizabeth Geere of Lewis [Lewes] in Sussex, widow, executrix of the last will & testament of Dennis Geere late of Saugost deceased 50lb. legacy given by him to the said Anne by the name of Anne Panckhurst"[Lechford 206].Lechford also prepared "a letter to Mrs. Geere. And a release conditional to Mr. Stapley"[Lechford 206].On 1 September 1640, "Michael Williamson of Rode Island in New England, locksmith, and Anne his wife otherwise called Anne Panckhurst releases the [said] Elizabeth Geere &c."[Lechford 302]. For further information on the children of Anne Pankhurst with her first husband, see the sketch of MICHAEL WILLIAMSON {1635, Ipswich}.For further information on the children of Anne Pankhurst with her second husband, see the 1942 article by Herbert F. Seversmith and Arthur S. Wardwell[TAG 18:165-71]. BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: In 1989 John G. Hunt published English data on the Pankhurst family[NYGBR 120:211-13].

MICHAEL WILLIAMSON
ORIGIN:
MIGRATION: 1635 on the Defenseon 2 April 1635, "Michell Will[ia]mson," aged 30, servant to George Giddings, was enrolled at London as a passenger for New England on the Defense[Hotten 46].
FIRST RESIDENCE: Ipswich.
REMOVES:Newport by 1638, Hempstead by 1644.
OCCUPATION:Locksmith[Lechford 302].
FREEMAN: "Michel Williamson" was included in the list of "Inhabitants admitted at the town of Nieu-Port since the 20th of the 3d, 1638 [i.e., 20 May 1638]," and , on 16 March 1640/1, "Michall Williamson" was listed on the Court Roll of Freemen for Newport[RICR 1:92, 111].
ESTATE: In a 1635 grant of Ipswich land to George Giddings, Paul [sic] Williamson was named as an abutter (the forename almost certainly incorrect either in the original or in the published version), and in another grant of the same year, to John Tuttle, Michael Williamson was named as an abutter[ITR DETAIL].
"Moyles Williams" was one of the original proprietors of Hempstead ["The Fifty Original Proprietors of Hempstead," The Nassau County Historical Society Journal 29 (1969):32].
In the summary of grants at Hempstead to "Moyles Williamson," there were five parcels of land: to "Thomas Williams," 100 acres; to "James Pine," forty-seven acres and twenty-eight rods, and another three acres; to "Joseph Smith," twenty-two acres; and to "the family of Pearsalls at Herrick's and their assigns one hundred and seventy-two acres"[HempTR 8:324].
Henry Pearsall left a will, dated 24 July 1667 and proved in March 1668, and this document was accompanied by a release in which "John Williams, Joseph Williams and Timothy Halstead ... acquit & discharge forever our late father-in-law Henry Pearsall ... from all dues or demands of houses or lands of inheritance or any other lands known by any other title soever, and all other goods & chattels whatsoever that formerly were our own father's Michael Williams deceased"[NYGBR 119:83, citing "New York Wills 1:51"].
MARRIAGE:By about 1637 Ann Pankhurst.
CHILDREN:
i Daughter WILLIAMSON, b. say 1637; m. by about 1657 Timothy Halstead[NYGBR 120:147].
ii JOHN WILLIAMSON, b. say 1639; m. about 1663 Miriam _____[NYGBR 119:133-38, and the sources cited there].
iii JOSEPH WILLIAMSON, b. say 1641; m. (probably) Phebe Wood[NYGBR 119:138-42, and the sources cited there].

ASSOCIATION:Servant of George Giddings {1635, Ipswich}[Hotten 46].
COMMENTS: On 2 October 1639, "Michael Williamson & Anne his wife make a letter of deputation & procuratorship to Anthony Stapley of Patcham in Sussex, Esq., to receive of Elizabeth Geere of Lewis [Lewes] in Sussex, widow, executrix of the last will & testament of Dennis Geere late of Saugost deceased 50lb. legacy given by him to the said Anne by the name of Anne Panckhurst"[Lechford 206].Lechford also prepared "a letter to Mrs. Geere. And a release conditional to Mr. Stapley"[Lechford 206].On 1 September 1640, "Michael Williamson of Rode Island in New England, locksmith, and Anne his wife otherwise called Anne Panckhurst releases the [said] Elizabeth Geere &c."[Lechford 302].
BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: In 1988 Matthew Wood published a detailed and complete study of this immigrant and his children, and we have relied heavily on his account[NYGBR 119:80-84, 133-42].

According to Matthew Wood "THE FAMILY OF MOYLES WILLIAMS, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PROPERIETORS OF HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND; 1988; published by the NYG&B;

"The name "Moyles Williams" appears on a list of the oringinal proprietors of Hempstead derived from the old "Mouse Eaten Book" of town records, which is now lost. The history of Moyles and his immediate family is exceedingly obscure, due to the fact he and his sons died in med-life. There is only one other record from Long Island which refers to Moyles. In 1667 the heirs of "Michael Williams" quit-claimed their interest in the estate of Henry Pearsall who had married their widowed mother Ann. Fortunately these notices can be enriched by reference back to New England. Moyles and Ann Williams of Hempstead are clearly identical to Michael and Ann (Pankhurst) Williamson of Ipswich, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island. This fact has not been brought out in previous work on the subject."

Abstracts of Wills Vol I 1665-1707

page 23.

--HENRY PEARSALL, Hempstead. "This being the last will and testament of Henry Pearsall, Hee being in his right senses, notwithstanding very weake in Body." Leaves to Joseph Williams "a pair of oxen I bought of Mr. Fordhams," also some land upon ye north side lying in the New Field. Makes wife sole executor, and mentions "the four youngest of my children." "I desire at the death of my wife the housing and land should be left to my son Nathaniel."

Dated July 24, 1667. Witnesses, Joseph Sutton, Clerk. Thomas Rushmore, Timothy Halstead. Proved March (???) 1668.

Page 24.--Wee, John Williams, Joseph Williams, and Timothy Halstead, do acquit and discharge our late father-in-law (step-father) Henry Pearsall, his heirs and executors, from all demands of houses or lands, and all other goods that formerly were of our owne father Michael Williams, deceased.

Dated July 28, 1667. Anne Pearsall is appointed executrix of the will of her late husband Henry Pearsall, deceased.

Another reference to the above:
"Change #8 Ann's husband (from Henry Pearsall) to Thomas Clements. Add as children of Richard: Nathan who was living with his widowed mother at the time of the 1698 census of Hempstead, and Mary, who married Thomas Cheesman. I agree with both Mr. Travo and Mr. Pine (as reported above.)"

SOURCE: Valentine by Beatrice Valentine Di Duca Family Tree Maker; Genalogies of Long Island Families 1600- 1800; CD #173 (Broderbund).

In the early Hempstead Town Records we find several reference to Henry:
1658, November 27.-The Town Clerk transmits to the Governor the names of Richard Gildersleeve, William Schadden, Robert Forman and Henry Pearsall-all men of honest life- and desires him to appoint two of them magistrates. He adds, "It hath pleased God after a sickly and sad summer to give us a seasonable and comfortable autumn, wherewith we have been (through mercy) refreshed and gained strength of God, so that we necessarily have been employed in getting winter food for our cattle and thereby have prolonged our wonted time of choosing magistrates." Gildersleeve and Forman were appointed.-Dutch MSS., xii, 98.

1659, February 3.-Some of the public debts and charge of the town for the year past, brought in by the persons undernamed.

Henry Pearsall, for a bottle of drams to the Sagamore, by order, ....... 5.

Goodman Pearsall, for the use of his team in carrying the corn to the town-house for the rent,........ 2.6

1659, January 2.
Henry Pearsall, three years ago, in making up his reckoning found half a crown charged, but he so far convinced Brudenell that he did wipe it out. A second time he charged so heavy that he bid him trust him no more: if he did he would never pay him.

The number of Cattell Turned to the neck Ano 1657 stylo novo 11 of June.

hinery parsall hath twelfe hed..............................12

For Henry's children click here