Records of William Bunnell, the Original Ancestor

John Bunnell retrieved documents regarding William Bunnell from the Massachusetts State Archives. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff transcribed them in the 1850s and published them in Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. Vol. I covers 1628-1641 while Vol. 2 covers 1641-1649. John reports it was a good thing they were transcribed because the originals from the 1630s and 1640s are now in such poor condition that they are seldom legible.

John also reports none of the information is new. All of the documents in the Massachusetts Archives were referenced in Charlie Bunnell's write-up concerning the original ancestor on the Bunnell/Bonnell Family Web Page. John searched all of their indexes and found nothing we did not know about before.  

John reminds us this is the first record we have of William Bunnell in America, the court inquiry into the death of Austen Bratcher, for which William Bunnell was a juror, on 28 September 1630.

John matched the documents he copied with all of the relevant pages from Shurtleff. Again, the quality of the originals is very poor.  

It seems we are now stuck with Shurtleff's transcriptions from 164 years ago, before the passage of time had rendered the originals almost illegible.

Here are images of the Shurtleff pages, his transcriptions and the original images John obtained.

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*Septb'r 28th, 1630. 

                          [*60]

28 September

A Jury impanneld to inquire concerning the death of Austen Bratcher:

             Rich : Browne,                         John Johnson,

           Willm Aspynwall,                 Edward Converse,

           Abraham Palmr,                         Ralfe Sprage,

           Nich: Stower,                         Giles Sexton,

           Peter Palfry,                                Abraham Pratt,

           Roger Williams,                        Francis Smyth,

           Willm Bunnell,                        George Dyar./

           Nich: Vpsall.,

Austen Bratcher, dyeing lately att Mr. Craddocks, plantadon, was viewed before his buryall by dyvrs psons, viz:–

1630                   Tho: Graues,                      Thomas Reade,

                           James Crugott,                   Rich: Lynton,}

                           Thomas Ward,                   John Jarvis     }  Absent

                           Thomas Payntr,                 Arthur Ellis.   }

                           Willm Barsham,

The Juryes Verdict:–

Wee finde that the strookes given by Walter Palmer were  occationally the meanes of the death of Austen Bratcher, & soe to be manslaughtr./

Walter Palmer hath bound himselfe in 40, & Ralfe Sprage & John Sticklett hath bound themselues in 20 a peece, for Walter Palmers psonall appearance att the next Courte, to be holden att Boston the 19th of Octobr nexte, to answer for the death of Austen Bratcher./

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page 307   1640 7 October

…The country desires Watertowne to grant Willi: Bunnell a lot, & if hee do give chargeable, the country to beare it./

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page 134 1645 1 October

…Mr. Sparhauke & Leift Mason appointed a committee wth all powr to dispose of ye childrn of Goodman Bunnell, if their grandfathr will not take care of ym.

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page 139 1645 11 October

…It is thought meete yt those things viz, cotton woole, canvas, or else, wth returnees wn Capt. Bridges returnes, should be delivred to Mr. Sparhauke & Left Mason, to be disposed of to Goodman Bunnell & his use.

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page 149              1646 6 May

It is ordered, yt if Mr Maverick & Mr Maning shall please to lay out 30s in cloathing in England for Wm Bunnell at his arrivall, on their receit undr his hand for so much delivred by them to ye said Wm Buñel in England, this Corte determines it shall be repaid them again here.