Searching for the origins of the Howe/How family that resided in Hatfield Broad Oak mid to early 1600S.
Head of the family was Robert Howe, wife's name unknown. He was (according to legend) the father of Abraham and James who immigrated to Roxbury, Mass around 1630 - 1649. Wife of Abraham unknown. James Howe married Elizabeth Dane, daughter of John Dane of Bishop's Stortford. HBO church records are non-existant, ERO has not been able to help me find Robert's family. ERO did provide Quarterly Session Rolls that showed a Robert How 1632 defaulters in the highways in Woodrow, 1633 Rob. Howes' wife of Takley, for recusant, not at church for 12 months. (Convicted). From the Account Book of Thomas Barrington, there are entries indicating he provided, on April 3, 1637, money to John Dane, and Goodman Howe monies for going to New England. No Howe's were listed as tenants of the Barrington Family in 1624. From miscellaneous ERO sources I have gleaned Robert (b. abt 1572 and Mrs. Howe (b. abt 1576) their children; Robert (b. 1593?), James (b. 1593, m. May 27, 1637), Abraham (b. abt 1602, m. Miss Howe abt 1636) There is the other James that m. Elizabeth Dane on June 7, 1628. There are many Howe's listed for Boxted, Waltham Abbey and nearby villages. Also listed by the Takely Historical Society is the will of a Robert Howe, shoemaker, dated 25 Jan. 1568/69, wife Joan and three daughters, no male children mentioned. Midsummer Session Rolls 1631, shows in Hatfield Broad Oak, Account of Surveyors, in Hatfield Heath, laborers, Abraham Howe. Surname mail lists have not helped, Essex, and England mail lists have not helped me solve this mystery.