Ancient Tufts - Who were Peter's parents?
I'm cleaning up some genealogy files and am working on my Tufts lines. From Tufts Kinsmen, Vol II, No. 3, Autumn 1976 and other secondary sources I have:
1. Peter Tufts of Wilby, Norfolk, England m. Elizabth
Children:
2.1 Elizabeth m. Thomas Lynde
2.2 Francesca Tufts
2.3 Peter Tufts
2.3 Peter Tufts m. Mary Pierce
Children:
3.1 Peter
3.2 Henry
3.3 James
3.4 John
3.5 Mary
3.6 Jonathan
3.7 Jonathan
3.8 Martha
3.9 Elizabeth
3.10 John
3.11 Mercy m. 1. Joseph Wait and 2. Lemuel Jenkins
3.12 Sarah
3.13 Lydia
My questions is: I have found some family trees that say Peter's father was James. Some that say his mother was Frances, possibly Frances Bridges. So what is the proof that Peter's parents were Peter and Elizabeth? And if none is there proof that James was his father or Frances the mother?
Also in an old New England Historical Genealogical Register (April something -- I can't read the year) I found the will of Thomas Birde of Tybenham, Norfolk, yeoman, dated Dec 1619, proved 20 Oct. 1620 that mentions "James Tufts" his son Peter and Peter's two daughters (unnamed), James' children James and Anne as well as Henry Tufts of Moulton and his son Thomas. The widow of Peter Tufts, "late of Wilbe deceased forty shillings and to her three children forty shllings apiece." This later Peter sounds like Peter #1 from Tufts Kinsmen. Yet, some people seem to think the first Peter, son of James is the ancestor of the Peter Tufts who came to the Americas. Is this the "proof" that one of these Peters mentioned is the ancestor of Peter of Malden, Mass. Who is Thomas Birde of Tybenham? I have some notes that Peter Tufts of Malden was born in Tybenham. Peter had a son named James but no daugthers named Ann. He had a daughter named Elizabeth but no Frances. But Elizabeth was also Mary Pierce's mother's name so why did they wait until the third daughter to name a daugther Elizabeth? Daughter three was Martha -- who was she named for?
Thanks for any suggestions or for just untieing the mess I've made of my "proofs" or lack there of.