David Bush and wife Joan of Bristol, England

The Bush family appears in the St. Mary-le-Port neighborhood of Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, as early as 1580, with the baptism of George, son of Davyd Bushe.¹ A decade later, on 28 June 1590, Davy[d] Bushe, James Bushe and John Harryson were involved in the church’s collection for the poor.² Five years later James Bushe sued John Harrison for debt on demand.³ James Bushe also sued two others for debt: Thomas Prooberte in February 1598⁴ and Francis Maddox in 1599.⁵

David Bush, who served as a burgess,⁶ rented a house in St. Mary-le-Port from Sir Hugh Smith.⁷ When Simon Mayne, a St. Philip Parish yeoman, made his last will and testament in 1602, David Bush was indebted to him in the amount of 40 shillings.⁸

David Bush died in St. Mary-le-Port Parish on 24 April 1609, and he was buried that same day, but with interment in St. Phillip’s Parish,⁹ as requested in his Last Will and Testament. He left daughter Catherine £20 at marriage, while married daughter Margaret Pyland would receive £6 13s 4d. To James, Edward and Margaret, the children of Edward Pyland, he left £5 each. William Bagge, “my daughter’s son ” received the same amount as Margaret Pyland— £6 13s 4d. Grace Bush, daughter of son Richard Bush, would receive £10 at 19 or marriage. The residue of his estate would fall to wife Joan and son George, both of whom were named as executors. Walter Browne of Rudgwate and Edward Pyland were appointed overseers. Witnesses to the will were Abraham Edwardes, William Corye, and Edward Pyland. David Bush owed debts to six men, including Peter Muggleworth. It’s also apparent that David earned income as a money lender; 42 men, including James Bush, owed debts to him at the time of the will was written.¹⁰

On 2 February 1611 Joan Bush of St. Mary-le-Port Parish, in Bristol, Gloucestershire, a widow, made her last will and testament, giving bequests to the poor of St. Mary-le-Port Parish and St. Phillip’s Parish. She also left bequests to Peter and Margaret Muggleworth, the children of Peter Muggleworth. Although her relationship to the two children was not stated, the parish register reveals that they were her grandchildren. Executors were named as Edward Pyland, “my Sonne in lawe,” and her daughter, Catherine Bush.¹¹ Joan Bush died in St. Mary-le-Port on February 23, 1611,¹² and was buried that same day. Like her husband, she requested burial in St. Phillip’s Parish, Bristol.¹³

Joan, David’s wife, was presumably Joan Lathbury. In Westbury-on-Trym, in the north of the City of Bristol, a parish register recorded the wedding of David Bushe and Joan Lathberye on 19 October 1567.¹⁴

The Bush surname played an important role in the history of Bristol, and David Bush’s descendants also gained prominence by following in his political footsteps. His grandson, James Pyland, immigrated to the Colony of Virginia where he served in the House of Burgesses, while an English great-great-great-grandson, Henry Muggleworth, became the Mayor of Bristol.

David Bush, burgess, died 24 April 1609, St. Mary-le-Port Parish, Bristol, Gloucester; buried 24 April, St. Phillip’s Parish, Bristol; married 19 October 1567, Westbury-on-Trym, Gloucester, to Joan Lathbury (died 23 February 1611, St. Mary-le-Port Parish, Bristol; buried 23 February, St. Phillip’s Parish).

Their children:

1. Margaret Bush, born say 1575, who married (1) Marcus Bagge and (2) Edward Pyland.
2. Richard Bush, born say in the 1570s. His wife’s name is unknown.
   They had at least three children:
   • David Bush, christened (date unknown)—burial 23 May 1600.¹⁵
   • David Bush, christened 3 March 1601.¹⁶
   • Grace Bush, christened 23 January 1603.¹⁷
3. George Bush, christened 15 July 1580;¹⁸ his wife’s name is unknown.
   Child:
   • Alice Bush, christened 22 January 1611.¹⁹
4. Alice Bush, born say 1588, who married Peter Muggleworth Sr. on 1 May 1608.²⁰ He died in 1656 in Bristol.²¹ Bristol Staple Court records indicate that Peter Muggleworth was a butcher.²² His name also appears as the St. Mary-le-Port churchwarden as of 1649.²³ In 1651 Peter Muggleworth was among nearly 400 freemen of Bristol who protested Ralph Farmer and John Knight’s attempts to consolidate and assess the city’s parishes on behalf of the Presbyterian clergy—a pound rate on all houses and premises.²⁴
   Their children:
   • Margaret Muggleworth, christened 22 January 1609;²⁵ married at age nineteen to William Shephard Jr., on 5 April 1628.²⁶
     Children:
     • Alice Shephard, christened 9 February 1628²⁷—burial 11 February 1630.²⁸
     • William Shephard III, christened 30 July 1631.²⁹
     • John Shephard, christened 7 October 1632.³⁰
     • Peter Shephard, christened 4 January 1635.³¹
   • Peter Muggleworth Jr., christened 3 July 1611.³² He married Grace Barwick on 4 February 1638.³³ On 22 August 1656 he was granted administration of the estate of his father, Peter Muggleworth Sr.³⁴
     Children:
     • Alice Muggleworth, christened 25 November 1638³⁵—burial 2 December 1638.³⁶
     • Peter Muggleworth III, whose christening was outside of St. Mary-le-Port Parish. He was almost certainly the son of Peter and Grace, as he was referred to as Peter Muggleworth Jr. He married Hannah Gibbes in Bristol on 21 February 1671.³⁷ She was a daughter of Henry Gibbes, Sheriff of Bristol, and Jane Meredith.³⁸ Peter, a soap maker, made his last will and testament in Bristol on 12 June 1702, leaving bequests to his wife (not named), sons Henry and Peter, sister Alice Hind, and his wife’s relatives. He lived in the same parish (Christ Church) as his Pyland relatives, but his will requested burial beside his father in the St. Mary-le-Port churchyard.³⁹
       Children:
       • Peter Muggleworth IV, christened 4 January 1675, Christ Church Parish, Bristol.⁴⁰ On 10 December 1702 he married Anne Scrope in St Werburg Parish, Bristol.⁴¹ The 1709 will of Robert Henley, Esq., of Bristol, left a bequest to “My cousin M^r Peter Muggleworth & his wife. “⁴² In 1731 the will of William Yate, Esq., of Bristol, made bequests to several cousins, including “M^r Peter Muggleworth Sen^r,” £10, Peter Muggleworth jun^r, £25, and “Anne, Mary, & Henry Muggleworth, ” £25 each.⁴³
         Children:
         • Peter Muggleworth V
         • Henry Muggleworth, Mayor of Bristol, died in 1782.⁴⁴
         • Anne Muggleworth
         • Mary Muggleworth
         • Hannah Muggleworth, christened 2 November 1718 in Bristol.⁴⁵
       • Hannah Muggleworth, christened 21 December 1676, Christ Church Parish, Bristol.⁴⁶
       • Henry Muggleworth, christened 13 February 1678, Christ Church Parish, Bristol.⁴⁷
     • Alice Muggleworth, whose christening was outside of St. Mary-le-Port Parish, was identified as a sister in the last will and testament of Peter Muggleworth Jr. [III]. She was living in St. John Baptist Parish, Bristol, at the time of her marriage to Matthew Hind on 25 September 1678.⁴⁸
     • Grace Muggleworth, christened 4 November 1648;⁴⁹ presumably the same Grace Muggleworth who married Edward Briscoe on 23 May 1676 in Bristol.⁵⁰
     • Annis Muggleworth, christened 22 November 1649.⁵¹
   • Edith Muggleworth, christened 23 August 1613⁵²—buried 25 August 1613.⁵³
   • Alice Muggleworth, christened 23 November 1614⁵⁴—buried 5 September 1615.⁵⁵
5. Catherine Bush, who married Richard Hartnell on 6 March 1614.⁵⁶

The compiler gratefully acknowledges the help of Bernice Pegler, Marsha Stringer, and Sarah Wright

1. 1580 Christenings: George, son of Davyd Busshe, as transcribed in F. S. Hockaday, Hockaday Abstracts, Bristol St. Mary Le Port, Gloucester Public Library: Abstracts of Ecclesiastical Records Relating to the Dioceses of Worcester and Gloucester Compiled from Diocesan Records and Other Sources, unpaginated; Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah [FHL] microfilm 423357. [Note: The original parish register was destroyed in a fire during World War II.]
2. 1590: “The Collection for the pore in the parish of St. Mary Port from the 28th day of June 1590 . . . ” Hockaday Abstracts.
3. Edwin Ernest Rich, ed., The Staple Court Books of Bristol (Bristol: Bristol Record Society, 1934), p. 174.
4. Ibid., p. 232.
5. Ibid., p. 242.
6. Edward Alexander Fry, ed., A Calendar of Wills Proved in the Consistory Court (City and Deanery of Bristol Division) of the Bishop of Bristol, 1572—1792) and Wills in the Great Orphan Books, 1379—1674) (London: British Record Society, 1897), p. 119.
7. George Frederick Tudor Sherwood, Abstracts of Wills of the Bush Family, 1455—1780 (London), p. 32.
8. Sheila Lang and Margaret McGregor, Tudor Wills Proved in Bristol, 1546—1603 (Bristol: Bristol Record Society, 1993), p. 89.
9. 1609 Burials: “Davye Bushe dyed & was buried,” Hockaday Abstracts.
10. Last Will and Testament of David Bush, St Maryport [sic] (1609), PROB 11/113/455; The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey.
11. Last Will and Testament of Joane Bushe (1611); FHL microfilm 1565103, image 758.
12. 1611 Burials: “Jone Bushe, widow, ” Hockaday Abstracts.
13. Last Will and Testament of Joane Bushe, FHL microfilm 1565103, image 758.
14. Marriage of Davide Bushe and Joan Lathberye (1567), Westbury-on-Trym Parish Register, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England; microfilm 1596410 item 12.
15. 1600 Burials: Davyd Busshe, son of Richard, Hockaday Abstracts.
16. 1601 Christenings: Davyd Busshe, son of Richard, Hockaday Abstracts.
17. 1603 Christenings: Grace Bushe, daughter of Richard, Hockaday Abstracts.
18. 1580 Christenings: George, son of Davyd Busshe, Hockaday Abstracts.
19. 1611 Christenings: Alice Bushe, daughter of George, Hockaday Abstracts.
20. 1608 Weddings: Peter Muggleworth and Alice Bushe, Hockaday Abstracts.
21. B”ristol Wills, ” online abstracts, www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/bristolwills.html, accessed 30 December 2012.
22. “Petrus [Peter] Muggleworth, butcher, ” Bristol Staple Court, 1610—1620, item 5, p. 145; FHL 1657889.
23. John Taylor, Bristol and Clifton Old and New (London: Houlson & Sons, undated), p. 60.
24. J. F. Nichols and John Taylor, Bristol Past and Present, Vol. III—Civil and Modern History (Bristol: J. W. Arrowsmith,1882), pp. 28-29.
25. 1609 Christenings: “Margaryt Mugellworth, daughter of Peter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
26. 1628 Weddings: “Willyam Sheaphard & Margaret Muggleworth,” Hockaday Abstracts.
27. 1630 Christenings: “Alice Sheaphard, daughter of John,” Hockaday Abstracts.
28. 1630 Burials: “Alice Sheaphard, daughter of William,” Hockaday Abstracts.
29. 1631 Christenings: “William Sheaphard, son of William Sheaphard junior,” Hockaday Abstracts.
30. 1632 Christenings: “John Sheaphard, son of William Sheaphard jun., “Hockaday Abstracts.
31. 1635 Christenings: “Peter Sheaphard, son of William Sheaphard jurn., ” Hockaday Abstracts.
32. 1611 Christenings: “Peeter Mugellworth, son of Peeter, ” Hockaday Abstracts.
33. 1635 Weddings: “Peter Muggelworth & Grace Barwick,” Hockaday Abstracts.
34. “Bristol Wills,” online abstracts, www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/bristolwills.html, accessed 30 December 2012.
35. 1638 Christenings: &QUOT:Alice Muggleworth, daughter of Peter Muggleworth jun.,” Hockaday Abstracts.
36. Burials: Alice Muggleworth, daughter of Peter Muggleworth jun., Hockaday Abstracts.
37. W. F. W. Phillimore and Sidney J. Madge, editors, Gloucestershire Notes and Queries, Vol. VIII (London: Phillimore & Co., 1902), p. 84.
38. Rev. Francis J. Poynton, Memoranda, Historical and Genealogical, Relating to the Parish of Kelston, in the County of Somerset (London: Mitchell and Hughes, 1885), p. 63.
39. Last Will and Testament of Peter Muggleworth, soap maker (1702), PROB 11/465, National Archives, London.
40. England, Births and Christenings, 1538—1975, index, FamilySearch.
41. Peter Muggleworth and Anne Scroop entry, Boyd’ 1st Miscellaneous Transcription (Society of Genealogists); online abstract, findmypast.com.
42. Rev. Frederick Brown, Abstracts of Somersetshire Wills, Etc. (Frederick Arthur Crisp, 1889), p. 129.
43. Ibid., p. 96. Both Henley and Yate were probably related to Peter Muggleworth’ wife, Anne Scrope, as both testators made bequests to relatives named Scrope.
44. Rev. George Streynsham Master, Collections for a Parochial History of Wraxall (Bristol: 1900), p. 49.
45. Hannah Muggleworth, “daughter of Peter and Ann Muggleworth,” Register of Baptisms at Bridge Street Congregational Chapel in Bristol, Gloucestershire from 1714 to 1837, RG4/Piece 388/Folio 3, BMD Registers.
46. Hannah Muggleworth entry, England, Births and Christenings, 1538—1976, familysearch.org, accessed 30 December 2012.
47. Henry Mugleworth entry, England, Births and Christenings, 1538—1976, familysearch.org, accessed 30 December 2012.
48. Phillimore and Madge, Gloucestershire Notes and Queries, Vol. VIII, p. 93.
49. Christenings: “Grace Muggleworth, daughter of Petter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
50. Phillimore and Madge, Gloucestershire Notes and Queries, Vol. VIII, p. 84.
51. 1649 Christenings: “Muggleworth, daughter of Peter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
52. 1613 Christenings: “Eydeth Muggellworth, daughter of Peter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
53. 1613 Burials: “Eydeth Muggelworth, daughter of Peter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
54. 1614 Christenings: “Alice Mugglleworth, daughter of Peter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
55. 1615 Burials: “Alice Muggellworth, daughter of Peter,” Hockaday Abstracts.
56. 1614 Weddings: “Richard Hurtnell & Katherine Bushe,” Hockaday Abstracts.