"The Barnett, Wood-Tunnell, Allison-Bixby Family" :Information about Joanna Blessing


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View Tree for Joanna BlessingJoanna Blessing (b. 1599, d. 1682)

Joanna Blessing (daughter of William Blyssynge Blessing and Joan Preaste)1308, 1308, 1309 was born 1599 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolkshire, England1310, and died 1682 in Topsfield, Essex, MA.She married William Towne on 25 Mar 1620 in Braceby, St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, England1311, son of John Towne and Elizabeth Clarke.
 Includes NotesNotes for Joanna Blessing:
Joanna Towne filed a series of lawsuits against the Rev. Thomas Gilbert, a Topsfield minister. She thought "People should not allow themselves to follow a corrupt minister." Gilbert gave testimony that he was not well, which he said was the reason for his erratic behavior. However, all the town knew that he drank too much, and that caused his erratic loud and abusive tongue. The court ruled in favor of Joanna and the other principal parishioners of Topsfield. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert, Capt. John Gould, Thomas Perkins, and their wives told of the Rev. Gilbert drinking of too much wine on that occasion after giving them all the sacrament.Joanna [Blessing] Towne was accused of witchcraft in Salem, MA., but was never convicted of the crime.
Her death date of 'Abt 1682' is from Genealogy Dictionary of Northeast (p. 316,7)
The chief inditement against her was her deafness.
Joanne came to the colonies with her sister Alice Blessing Firmage, and her brother-in-law, Robert Buffam who was married to Joanne other sister Margaret Blessing Buffam.Joanne Blessing was known as "Mother Goose." However, her sister, Mary may have been the real Mother Goose.
Joanne sister Mary married William Goose who was a mariner They also came to Salem from Great Yarmouth.
More About Joanna Blessing:
Date born 2: 1594, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.1312
Date born 3: 1599, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.1313
Died 2: 22 Jun 1675, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts, USA.1313
Died 3: 1682, Topsfield, Essex, MA, USA.1314
Died 4: 1682, Topsfield, Essex, MA, USA.1314
More About Joanna Blessing and William Towne:
Marriage: 25 Mar 1620, Braceby, St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, England.1315
Children of Joanna Blessing and William Towne are:
  1. +Rebecca Blessing Towne, b. 21 Feb 1621, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England1316, d. 29 Jul 1692, Salem, Essex, MA1316, 1316.
  2. +Martha Blessing Towne, b. 1622, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England1317, d. 21 Mar 1703, Andover, Essex Co. , Massachusetts1317.
  3. John Towne, b. 16 Feb 1623, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, d. 1671.
  4. Susannah Towne, b. 20 Oct 1625, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, d. 29 Jul 1630.
  5. +Edmund Towne, b. 28 Jun 1628, St Nicholas Par, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England1318, d. 03 May 1678, Topsfield, Essex, MA1318.
  6. Jacob Towne, b. 11 Mar 1631, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, d. 27 Nov 1704, Topsfield, MA.
  7. Mary Towne, b. Aug 1634, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, d. 22 Sep 1692, Salem, Essex, MA.
  8. Joseph Towne, b. 03 Sep 1638, Topsfield, MA, d. 1713, Topsfield, MA.
  9. +Sarah Towne, b. 03 Sep 1639, Salem, Essex, MA1319, d. 1703, Sudbury, Middlesex, MA1319, 1319.