My Key Ancestors That Opened The Door To English Royalty And The Jamestown Settlement

     
             William Tyng and Elizabeth Coytemore

I consider this couple to be one of my key sets of ancestors.  They are all key of course, simply because they were here and had children!  However, this couple is very special to me.  They are in a unique position of my family history.  Not only are they of that tough New England stock that were brave enough to face a New World, Elizabeth Coytemore is my link to Royalty, Jamestown, and other interesting events.

William Tyng was born about 1605 in England.  He came to the New World in the ship, Nicholas and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts on 03 July 1638.  He apparently didn't bring his wife and baby daughter at that time, but they followed soon after because his daughter was baptised in March 1639.  He was admitted as a Freeman 10 days after his arrival.  This was undoubtedly due to the influence of his brother, Edward who had been here since 1636 and who was quite successful.  William was married three times.  First to Ann Brown by whom he had two children that died young.  His second wife was Elizabeth Coytemore by whom he had four daughters and his third wife was Jane, widow of Enoch Hunt.  When William died, 18 January 1653, he left an estate that was larger than any other in the country of that day.   He was a successful merchant and served in the Braintree Militia and as a representative for many years.

Elizabeth Coytemore was born about 1615/1617 in England.  She was the daughter of Rowland Coytemore and Catherine Myles.  Her father, Rowland Coytemore was a stockholder in The Second Virginia Charter of 23 May 1609.  His name is listed among many other gentlemen that invested money to support this new Adventure in Virginia.  Rowland did not come to the New World, but through his children that did come to this country, his progeny in America is great and numerous.

Rowland Coytemore's mother, Jane Williams is my link to Royalty.  Seventeen generations back from Jane is William The Conqueror and from that all sorts of doors open on that fascinating time period.  The Coytemores and Williams' were from Wales and that tells us that, perhaps, they were from a line of illegitimate children of the Royals.  It seems Wales was used as a place to placate their claims and allow them to rule something.   It is a fun thing to research, but I have to keep my mind on more current people, and the more current folks are more of a challenge, but the Royals are fun and can be delved into when I have everything else done.

Elizabeth Coytemore's mother Catherine Myles left a will that named the grandchildren of her four Coytemore daughters, as well as, the grandchildren from her daughters of  previous marriages to Increase Nowell and Thomas Graves.  One thing I have learned in studying the people of this time is that they usually remarried after losing their spouse.  I presume it was the only way to survive for both the women and the men.  It was such a harsh environment that it was virtually impossible to handle alone.

Elizabeth Coytemore died between 1643-1649.  Her children would have been quite young when she died .  Her second daughter, Anna Tyng married Thomas Shepard. He was the son of the famous Minister, Thomas Shepard that had to be spirited out of England under the noses of the British authorities.  Anna's husband was the little six month old baby that accompanied his parents on the ship Defence.  

Yes, I consider William Tyng and Elizabeth Coytemore to be key ancestors.  They are like a bridge that spans two Worlds and a time that was new and wondrous and full of hope.  I am very proud to be their 10^th great granddaughter.