He was a man of strong religious convictions . . .
Various spellings of Estey
Easte, Este, Estee, Estes, Estey, Esty
Salem is in Essex County, Massachusetts and was a significant seaport in early America. John Endicott obtained a patent from England and arrived there in 1628. Salem originally included much of the North Shore, including Marblehead. Salem Village also included Peabody and parts of Beverly, Middleton, Topsfield, Wenham and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
Jeffrey Estey was born in 1586 in Woolverstone Parish in Freston or Hinglesham, Suffolk County, England.
His father was Christopher Esty who was born in 1552 in Hintlesham, Suffolk County, England. His mother was Ann Arnold Esty who born in 1563 in Chattisham, Suffolk County, England.
He married Margaret Pott in 1606. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Jeffrey and Margaret Estey.
Jeffrey moved to Salem, Massachusetts in 1636, where he first appeared as a proprietor. He was admonished "for sleeping on the Lord's day in time of exercise." In February, 1645, he paid five shillings for being discharged from training.
He sold his home in Salem in 1651, and moved with his daughter and her husband to Southold, Long Island, New York.
In 1657 he moved with his daughter again to Huntington, Long Island, New York, where he died.
Jeffrey died on January 4, 1657 in Huntington, East Neck, New York. His will was probated on January 23, 1657. His will included the provision
. . . My great bible shall remain to young Jeffrey Esty, the son of Christopher Esty, if his father bring him up to learning...or for default thereof, so to remain to one of the rest of the kindred that can read and that it not be sold out of the kindred.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Colonial legislatures granted land to a group of settlers (proprietors) who chose how to divide the land. They had some rights of governance.
The Essex Antiquarian, Volumes 5-7 by Sidney Perley
Jeffrey Este was in Salem as early as 1636, and left there about 1651, settling in Long Island. The following copy of his will (copied from the town records of Huntington, Suffolk county, Long Island, volume I, page 7, by Orville B. Ackerly of New York City) proves that Isaac Estey of Topsfield, whom wife Mary (Towne) Esty suffered for witchcraft at Salem, Sept. 22, 1692, was his son. It seems that Catherine was the name of the daughter that married Henry Scudder of Huntington.
Jefery Este desceased the 4th of January 57 haveing mad his will and desposed of his estat as follueth:
1. he gave to his son Isak Easte sholled have A bedd and all that thar unto belonging.
2. 20 shillings in shewes of if henry skodar so can to his dafter.
3. he bequeathed his house and lote to Jonathn Skodar the son of henary Skodar and his father to be his gardenar [guardian] till his son com the age of 21 yeres and the rest of his estat to henary skodar of huntington.
I henary Skodar being exetar in the presunc of thes witneses the 23 of Jenuary 59 (7?)
The Salem witch trials were between February, 1692 and May, 1693.
Understand the Puritans better:
American Biography: A New Cyclopedia byWilliam Richard Cutter, American Historical Company, 1918
The American branch of the Esty family are lineal descendants of Jeffrey Esty, who was given a grant of land in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1637, and of his son, Selectman Isaac Esty, of Salem, and his wife, Mary (Towne) Esty, one of the martyrs of the Salem witchcraft.
Jeffrey Esty was born in 1587, at Freston, Suffolk county, England, and died at Little Neck, Long Island, New York which led him to become a Puritan, and leave his home in Freston to settle in Salem, Massachusetts, about the year 1636.
In early New England towns policy was set by a board of 3 to 5 selectmen. They oversaw public responsibilities such as the policing, roads, and fences.
