Richard GOULD

                       SOURCE: Article from the "New England Historical & Genealogical Register - 
    July 1965," by Read H. Putnam of Evanston, Wyoming.

    PRISCILLA GOULD

    For many years those interested in the distinguished and widely spread  family
    of PUTNAM, descended from JOHN PUTNAM, who came from Aston Abbots,  Co. Bucks,
    England, to Salem, Mass., in the fourth decade of the 17th  century, have
    sought in vain for the maiden name of his wife PRISCILLA,  the mother of his
    children.....

    Over the past several years Mr. A. Vere Woodman, F.S.A., noted antiquarian 
    and descendant of the Putnams of Wing, Co. Bucks., England, has made an 
    exhaustive search....  He discovered that the name PRISCILLA was very much  in
    evidence among the GOULDS, a family long settled in Bovingdon midway  between
    Hemel Hempstead and Chesham.

    The will of JOHN GOULD of Bovington, dated and proven in 1602, mentions  among
    other children his daughters REBECCA and PRISCILLA.  His eldest son,  NATHAN
    GOULD of Tring, Co. Herts., whose will was dated and proved  1611/12, mentions
    his brother JEREMY's daughters SARA and PRISCILLA, both  under 18 yrs. of age,
    and his sister PRISCILLA GROVER's two children, JOHN  and PRISCILLA.  He makes
    his cousin JEREMY GOULD an overseer.  This cousin  was probably identical with
    JEREMY, son of RICHARD GOULD of  Bovingdon(ton), deceased, who married in
    Chesham, 27 Nov. 1604, PRISCILLA,  daughter of WILLIAM and MARGARET GROVER of
    Codmore.  PRISCILLA GROVER was  baptized in Chesham 3 June 1582.  The baptism
    of a son HENRY GOULD, 12  July 1631, son of JEREMY and PRISCILLA GOULD, is
    recorded in Aston Abbots,  where JEREMY may have been dwelling for a time
    with, or near, JOHN PUTNAM.  These facts suggest that RICHARD GOULD of
    Bovington may have had a  daughter or daughters in addition to the sons
    mentioned the known  works of this family.

    But since the early register of Bovingdon has disappeared and RICHARD  GOULD's
    will has not been found this was a matter of conjecture until the  recent
    discovery of the following case concerning the administration of  RICHARD
    GOULD's estate in the records of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon  (Act Book,
    II, pg. 62.)

    "Court held in Baldock Parish church 25th May 1597.  The Lords official 
    against ELIZABETH GOULDE, widow of Bovingdon, administratrix of the goods  of
    RICHARD GOULDE of the same, deceased, in a matter of the account.

    "The citation is issued,.... and on the 5th May 1597 a Notary Public  appeared
    and exhibited his proxy in writing for the said ELIZABETH and  took his oath. 
    At whose petition the Lord (Judge) decreed that SARA and  PRISCILLA GOULD of
    Bovingdon, the natural and lawful daughters of the  deceased in particular be
    cited to be at the next court.... to be in the  parish church of Bovingdon to
    see the account of said ELIZABETH  exhibited......"

    The matter was finally settled at the court held in the parish church of 
    Berkhamstead St. Peter, 1 July 1597, when the account was presented.

    In view of the above discovery there can be no doubt that PRISCILLA, wife  of
    JOHN PUTNAM, was the daughter of RICHARD GOULD of Bovingdon, and sister  of
    ZACCHEUS GOULD.
    Merged General Note:
    SOURCE: Article from the "New England Historical & Genealogical Register - 
    July 1965," b