Pre 1600 records in Cambridge/Cambridgeshire

[Randy Chard]

I am looking for the parents and birth records of an Edward Chard, supposedly born in 1587 in Cambridge. Emigrated to the Massachusetts colony into the new century. Any help would be appreciated.

[Vance Mead]

In Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary, the first Chard in Massachusetts was William Chard in Weymouth, 1654. Is this your ancestor?

https://archive.org/details/agenealogicaldi00unkngoog/page/n384/mode/2up

Wikitree has him born in Devon, son of Thomas, but marked as uncertain. I can’t see anything for Edward Chard. Is there a source for this?

Some sources for Cambridgeshire:

Wills
Consistory Court of Ely
Archdeaconry of Ely
https://www.britishrecordsociety.org/publications/

County Archives
https://calm.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/calmview

For England generally:

National Archives
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search

Legal records
https://waalt.uh.edu/index.php/Main_Page
Here you need to search both “Smith, John” and “John Smith”

British History Online
https://www.british-history.ac.uk

[magslote]

Not born in cambs,surrey feet of fines,1558-1760
edward chard, year 1656, term easter, names mentined edward chard v john johnson,
gainsford, penniston, at lingfield surrey,
refs cp25/2
Margaret.

[Vance Mead]

There must have been several of this name. William Chard was in America, a freeman of Weymouth in 1654. This Edward is apparently supposed to be his father.

Not born in cambs,surrey feet of fines,1558-1760
edward chard, year 1656, term easter,

[Randy Chard]

In Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary, the first Chard in Massachusetts was William Chard in Weymouth, 1654. Is this your ancestor?

https://archive.org/details/agenealogicaldi00unkngoog/page/n384/mode/2up

Wikitree has him born in Devon, son of Thomas, but marked as uncertain. I can’t see anything for Edward Chard. Is there a source for this?

Some sources for Cambridgeshire:

Wills
Consistory Court of Ely
Archdeaconry of Ely
https://www.britishrecordsociety.org/publications/

County Archives
https://calm.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/calmview

For England generally:

National Archives
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search

Legal records
https://waalt.uh.edu/index.php/Main_Page
Here you need to search both “Smith, John” and “John Smith”

British History Online
https://www.british-history.ac.uk

Mr. Mead:

Yes, William is my direct ancestor. For the longest time I assumed that he was born in England, but just recently I have been told that he was born in Weymouth, meaning he was one of the first in the colony. I have been unable to determine which vessel they arrived on. If you have any info on that I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks in advance,

Randy Chard

[Vance Mead]

I don't have any particular information except what I can find online. According to the book linked below, "History of Weymouth", Weymouth, Mass. was settled by 21 families in 1635 who came from Weymouth, Dorset. So it would probably make sense to look for William Chard and his family in Dorset and nearby counties. When I searched in Ancestry for Chard born in Dorset 1615 to 1635, there were some born in Thorncombe, Bridport, and Chardstock. These are all within about 20 miles of Weymouth, Dorset.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101007767807&view=1up&seq=5

[Vance Mead]

There were people named Chard/Charde in Bridport back to the early 1500s.

There are some PCC/Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills of people named Chard in Bridport, Dorset available in the National Archives:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_aq=dorset&_or1=Chard&_or2=Charde&_cr=prob&_dss=range&_ro=any&_p=1500&_st=adv

PCC will of William Chard of Bridport, 1552
Mentions Ellen Chard, Edward Chard, Thomas Chard, Robert Chard
Robert and Edward to have residue of estate and to be executors
Here, in a Common Pleas case in 1524, William Charde is the bailiff of the town of Brydport   
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT3/H8/CP40no1042/aCP40no1042fronts/IMG_0919.htm

PCC will of Robert Chard, vicar of Bradpole (near Bridport), 1559

PCC will of Thomas Charde of Bridport, gentleman, 1575
Mentions John Charde, youngest son
Children of John: William, Richard, Joan, Margaret, Dorothy
John Chard the younger son of Edward Chard
Wife Joan Chard
This is probably Thomas Charde in Common Pleas, 1554, second entry:
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT3/M/CP40no1157/bCP40no1157dorses/IMG_0814.htm
Devon. John Moynes versus Thomas Chard of Byrdporte/Bridport, husbandman, and William Davyge of Bridport, chapman, for trespass.

[Randy Chard]

I don't have any particular information except what I can find online. According to the book linked below, "History of Weymouth", Weymouth, Mass. was settled by 21 families in 1635 who came from Weymouth, Dorset. So it would probably make sense to look for William Chard and his family in Dorset and nearby counties. When I searched in Ancestry for Chard born in Dorset 1615 to 1635, there were some born in Thorncombe, Bridport, and Chardstock. These are all within about 20 miles of Weymouth, Dorset.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101007767807&view=1up&seq=5

Thank You so very much for all of your help. I will read that book about the history of Weymouth during this new lockdown that is starting Boxing Day.

Again, thanks so very much.

Randy Chard