The Bobbitt Family In America
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[9]The first Bobbitt in America was Edward Bobet who was born in 1627. According to our records Edward was born in the Glamorganshire area of Wales. Edward lived in Taunton, Massachusetts and his descendants are well documented. The first Bobbitt to appear in any record south of Massachusetts was William Bobbitt born in 1649 who received a land grant in Virginia in 1673. One of William Bobbitt's descendants had papers which showed that his ancestors came from the Glamorganshire area of Wales.
In my efforts to find the early history of the family, I researched all the available books and literature in the Library of Congress pertaining to families and genealogy of the British Isles. In addition I engaged professional genealogists in England to search for basic information about Bobbitt families of the British Isles prior to the year of 1673. Most of the information I received could not be positively related to our Bobbitt families of America.
When I was a boy, my family told me that the Bobbitt family came from England and that they sailed to America from the port of Liverpool. My eldest uncle, Lee Otis Bobbitt, said many times that we were from Somersetshire England. Somerset is across the Bristol channel from Glamorganshire, Wales.
One of the professional sources I engaged sent me the following records, which he believed were the earliest records of the Bobbitt family in England.
RECORDS FROM THE PARISH CHURCH OF NORTH PETHERTON,
James Bobbitt buried Jul. 12, 1564
Agnes Bobbett buried Feb. 28, 1569
Eleanor Bobbett buried May. 4, 1577
Margery Bobbett buried Apr. 4, 1591
John Bobbett, buried August 5, 1688 was married to Elizabeth Woodland on October 20, 1617. She was buried on April 7, 1628.
Thomas Bobbett buried Sep. 26, 1619
John Bobbett baptised Jan. 1621
James Bobbett buried Dec. 14, 1712
Jane Bobbett baptised Apr. 1628
Arthur Bobbett baptised Nov. 7, 1585
Many of the records of this parish church were recorded into the late 1700's.
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