I have just returned from London, England. While there I went to the Public Records Office located in Kew just west of London. While there I did find John Bowton listed as having gone by sailing vessel to Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. However that was all the further the archives were able to help me at Kew. However in talking with one of the staff I was directed to two other organizations, the Hugenot Library and the Society of Genealogists in London. Unfortunately the Hugenot Library is currently closed and will reopen towrd the end of April. They are moving to a new location. However I did locate the Genealogists Society located off of Goswell Rd. Before going I took some copies of information that has been posted here on the Bouton Bulletin Board. One that intrigued me is the one citing a John Bowton born in Kempston Parish in Bedfordshire now Bedford County. I checked the parish records that had been typed up in the 1950's I believe. The document records baptisms (christenings), marriages and deaths.
One of the things that stands out is the spelling of the name, Bowton. It is interestingt to note that in all the source documents that I looked at regarding John Bowton sailing to these shores is that the surname is always spelled 'Bowton'. He sailed on the Assurance which was bound for Virginia and landed in Boston. He went to Hartford and died in Norwalk before 1647. The manifest indicvates that he was 20 years of age. So far I have found no other information, such as place of origin, for John Bowton with regard to his sailing over here.
In regard to the parish records for Kempston Parish the first record for the name Bowton is 1574 when on March 15 William Bowton died. The earliest christening of a Bowton is that of William son of Robert on Auust 12th in 1582. There is a John son of Robert who was also christened on February 9th, 1586. Indeed there are several children whose father is Robert all christened at Kempston from 1582-97. If you are in interested I can send you a list of all the christenings. There are 8 christenings for which Robert is listed as the father. As you may have noticed the mothers name is not listed. The next Bowton to be listed as a father is a Thomas with his first child, a daughter, being christened in 1594. However there is no Thomas listed as one of the sons of Robert. He has five children that are listed in the parish records for christenings going up to 1604. He had a son named John who was christened in 1601 on September 6. In 1616 there is a Thomas son of Edward who was baptised on the 15 of Spetember. The next father listed is a John Bowton whose son is named John and christened on December 15, 1616. I mention Edward because the last name is spelt both Bowton and Boughton. In a note that was made by the one who recorded Bowton/Boughton are cited as variations of the same name.
At no time is the name spaelled with a 'u' instead of a 'w'. According to the International Genealogical Index/British Isles I received a list of 90 John Bowton/Boughton/Bouton and other variations There was one John Bouton with a 'u' christened in Arlesley Parish in Befordshire in 1591. There was also a John Bowton christened on Februeary 2, 1601 in Boston Parish, Lincolnshire County. There is also a John Bowton christened April 2, 1606 in Chelsworth Parish, Suffolk County. As for John Bouton with a 'u' there are three others listed as approx 1607, 1609 and 1610 two of which are listed as having ocurred in Essex County which is located just west of Suffolk County. There is a John Bouton born in 1605 according to this index but there is no location given for that information.
Befordshire is located just north of London. John Bowton left England from Gravesend, England which is located on the Thames River just south of London. It would seem a logical route for John to go to London and Gravesend from Bedfordshire to make the trip to New England rather than to go East to Ipswich, Suffolk which is a seaport.
It is my tentative conclusion that the surname of John Bowton was spelled with a 'w' not a 'u'. It appaers likely from the christening records that John son of John Bowton christened in Dec 1616 is the most likely candidate for the John Bowton who crossed the Atlantic on the 'Assurance.' Angain this is only tentative but from the sources that I have researched the evidence points to the information recorded at Bedfordshire. If John was born in 1616 and went to Boston in 1635 he would have been 19 not 20. That is the one sticking point but numbeing is not always accurate for dates of birth or christenings or other dates as most of us have discovered. There is often a one year variance. At this time I am convinced that the name 'Bowton' is accurate and that some how the name got changed to Bouton on this side of the Atlantic. I find nothing to verify a 'French connection' at this point in time. I have yet to search the Hugenot Library but hope to get back to London before years end to spend a more concentated time at both libraries.
I look forward to any suggestions or criticisms of my reasoning with regard to what I have written.
I also found that a Matthew Marvin sailed on the ship 'Endurance' in April. He is from Bentley Magna Parish in Essex County. He sailed with his wife Elizabeth and their four children ages 8, 6, 3, and six months. Their names a re Matthew, Mary, Sarah and Hannah. Alng with them were two servants. They settled in Hartford. John as we know was in Hartford and would have met Matthew there. The information on Matthew is written in the book "Planters of the Commonwealth" by Edward E. Banks, Genealogical Publishing Company
Also I could find no information on an Alice Kellogg having come over from England. Ther are two Kellogg brothers whoa re listed in Daniel and Joseph. They lived in Norwalk dying in 1688 and 1707/8. ANy information anyone may have on Alice please let me know. Thanks. Hope this information is helpful. Dick Bouton or is that Bowton....