Thomas DODD, Birdbrook Parish

[doddman]

Good morning. How would I, an American, go about trying to locate records for one of my forebears who was born in Birdbrook in 1589?

Thank you for your help,

Phil

[Jan1954]

Hello Phil,

Although the church was first built by the Normans and then enlarged in the 13th century, the parish records for Birdbrook do not survive before 1633.

They are held by the Essex Records Office, who will also be able to advise you as to neighbouring parishes that you may wish to also search.

I have just tried to post the link for the Essex RO, but their site is "temporarily unavailable". Have a google for it tomorrow, and you should be in luck.

[BeeJay]

Hi Phil,

If there's an LDS Family History Centre nearby you can order the parish records on microfilm. There's a small charge ($7.50 here in Canada) and they take 2-3 weeks to arrive.

:)

[doddman]

I am very surprised to see the response here. You folks are wonderful. We are chuckling, my Wife and I, that the parish records "only" go back to 1633. How tragic. Here in the US we don't have one quarter of the history that those living in Europe have. We are so spoiled.

But again, thank you.

Phil

[Jan1954]

I am very surprised to see the response here. You folks are wonderful. We are chuckling, my Wife and I, that the parish records "only" go back to 1633. How tragic. Here in the US we don't have one quarter of the history that those living in Europe have. We are so spoiled.

But again, thank you.

PhilDon't be surprised, Phil - it never ceases to amaze me as to what the forum members know or can find out. ;)

(I have an interest in Essex, so that is why I was able to help.)

Good luck with your research.

[Vance Mead]

Phil
Did you know that there is a copy online of the will of Thomas Dod of Birdbrook, husbandman, made in 1649.

You can find it at the Essex site at:

http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/default.asp

Just input Thomas Dod, for example. Also try various other spellings, Dodde, etc.

In it he mentions:
wife Katherine
three sons Thomas Dod, Stephen Dod and Samuel Dod (at least it looks like Samuel)
daughter Susanna the wife of Henry Dunmow

Katherine and Stephen Dod to be executors

Regards
Vance Mead

[Vance Mead]

In his will Thomas Dod gives to his son Thomas a tenement he owns in Ridgewell, which is quite close by.

In 1627 Thomas Dod is mentioned as a labourer in a document concerning Ridgewell. So it's possible that he came from there, or at least lived there for some time.

[Vance Mead]

And here's the transcription:

In the name of God amen, the seventeenth day of September anno domino 1649, I Thomas Dod of Birdbroke in the county of Essex, husbandman, being sick in body but in good and perfect remembrance, thanks be to God for it, do therefore ordain and make this my last will and testament in manner and form following. First I will and bequeath my soul into the hands of almighty God and my body to the earth to be buried where it shall please God. Item I give and bequeath to Katherine my wife all my whole stock of goods and chattels moveable and unmoveable whatsoever for and during her natural life and after her death my will is that all the aforesaid goods and chattels moveable or unmoveable shall be equally divided betwixt my three sons Thomas Dod, Stephen Dod and Samuel Dod. Item I give and bequeath to Susanna my daughter, the wife of Henry Dunmow, the sum of forty shillings to be paid to her by mine executors within one year after my decease. Item I give and bequeath to Thomas Dod my son all that my tenement situate and being in Ridgewell with the yards and all appurtenances belonging to it, now in the use and occupation of Henry Dix and Edmund Warren, to him and his heirs forever, upon condition that he do pay unto Katherine my wife the sum of forty shillings within one month after my decease. Item I give and bequeath to Samuel Dod my son all that my other tenement situate and being in Ridgewell aforesaid with the yards and all the appurtenances belonging to it, to him and his heirs forever, lately in the use of Richard Perman, now deceased, upon condition that the said Samuel my son do pay unto Stephen Dod my son the sum of ten pounds of good and lawful money of England immediately after my decease, and further my will is that Katherine my wife and Stephen Dod my son shall be mine executors to see this my will performed, my debts paid and my body decently to be brought to the earth. In witness whereof I have set to my hand and seal the day and year first above written.

His mark
Thomas Dod

Sealed and delivered in the presence of us, Edward (smudge) Agnes alias Smith
and William Wode

[doddman]

Thank you for the link to the Essex site. I did input Thomas' name and came across a notation of him in a Richard Turner's will listing Thomas as a son in law. That would lead to the logical conclusion that Katherine was a Turner.

Now I just have to get used to the local governments so that I can figure out where they all lived. This is getting fun.

Thank you all.

Phil

[Vance Mead]

It must be a different Thomas Dod, since the will is from 1701/2. It could be the same family, though. Thaxted is not far away, 7 or 8 miles.

[Vance Mead]

These could be cousins of some sort. They are from Toppesfield, Essex,, which is just a mile or two from Birdbrook and Ridgewell, and some of the names, like Daniel and Samuel are the same. These are from IGI and the Essex site.
Vance

1613 Helen daughter of Samuel Dod

1616 Rebecca d of Daniel Dod
1618 William son of Daniel Dod

22 July 1620 Will: Daniel DODE of Toppesfield, collar maker

John Dod marries Mary Amye in May 1614
1615 John son of John Dod
1618 Henry son of John Dod
1622 Samuel son of John Dod and Mary
1626 Thomas son of John Dod and Mary
18 May 1628 Daniel Dod son of John Dod and Mary

[Vance Mead]

These are the wills of Dodds, 1550-1650. Only two of them are online, the rest you can order copies from the Essex Record Office. Birdbrook is in north central Essex, so a few of these villages are quite close by. Also Great Chesterfordm Great Baddow and Little Waltham are not very far away.


William DODD of Woodham Ferrers, 16 April 1559 (southeast Essex)
Margaret DOD of Shalford, Widow, 1573 (north central Essex)
George DOD of Great Chesterford, 27 December 1600 (northwest Essex)
John DODD of Purleigh, yeoman, March 1604/5 (southeast Essex)
William DODD of Little Waltham, husbandman, 2 April 1610 (central Essex)
Thomas DODDS of Great Baddow, Yeoman, 26 Feb 1627/8 (central Essex)
William DOD of Halstead, yeoman, 23 September 1638 (online) (north central Essex)
Rachell DODDS of East Donyland, widow, 27 January 1648/9 (northeast Essex)
Thomas DOD of Birdbrook, Husbandman, September 1649 (online) (north central Essex)

[amber]

i transcribe prs i have fiche of birdbrook, waiting for suffolk bpt co-ordinator to post the fiche back to me, so if you need anything looked up i could see if i can find it but i do know that its not possible to extract everything from the fiche as the state of the original registers were not in a good state.
amber

[amber]

have just seen that you have had several replies with info.new here and having to learn how to navigate this site amber