Sources and Bibliography - Isaac Allerton

BIRTH
Isaac Allerton gave his age as "about 53" in a deposition from September 1639 recorded in the notebook of Boston lawyer Thomas Lechford.  Allerton’s origins at Suffolk are discovered in New England Historical and Genealogical Register 173(Summer 2019):197-205

FIRST MARRIAGE
Isaac Allerton's marriage to Mary Norris on 4 November 1611 is recorded in the marriage records of Leiden, Holland.  The original Dutch record, along with a transcription and translation, can be seen in Mayflower Descendant, 7(1905):129-130.

SECOND MARRIAGE
Isaac Allerton's second marriage to Fear Brewster about 1626 at Plymouth predates Plymouth's marriage records.  The marriage is derived from the fact that William Bradford reports that Allerton "married again with the daughter of Mr. Brewster."  In the 1627 Division of Cattle, his wife's name was listed as Fear.  The date of "about 1626" is based on the fact they were married and had one child, Sarah, by the Division of Cattle in May 1627.  Fear (Brewster) Allerton had died by December 1634, when John Winthrop noted in a letter that she had recently died of a fever at Plymouth.

THIRD MARRIAGE
Isaac Allerton's third marriage to Joanna Swinnerton, widow, is based on a New Haven deed from Isaac's daughter Elizabeth (Allerton) Eyre, dated 23 December 1703, which mentions she was the "Grandaughter & heir at law to Joanna Swinerton after Joanna Alderton [i.e. Allerton] late of N Haven deceased."  For further details, see Newman A. Hall, "Joanna Swinnerton: The Third Wife of Isaac Allerton, Sr.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 124(1970):133.

DEATH
Isaac Allerton was alive on 1 February 1658/9 when he appeared in court in New Haven to dispute a debt.  He was deceased by 12 February 1658/9, when the inventory of his estate was presented.

PROBATE
Isaac Allerton's will was presented 5 July 1659 at New Haven.  His estate inventory was dated 12 February 1658/9 at New Haven.

GENEALOGY RESOURCES

SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLES

  • Caleb Johnson, Sue Allan and Simon Neal, “The English Origins of Mayflower Passenger Isaac Allerton at East Bergholt, Suffolk,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 173(Summer 2019):197-205

  • Leslie Mahler, "A Clue to the Parentage of Isaac Allerton," Mayflower Quarterly 75(2009):54-56.

  • Newman A. Hall, "The Children of Isaac Allerton," Mayflower Quarterly 47(1981):14-18.

  • Newman A. Hall, "Joanna Swinnerton: The Third Wife of Isaac Allerton, Sr.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 124(1970):133.

OTHER SOURCES OF INTEREST
Isaac Allerton, due to his numerous business and legal dealings, is referenced in a large number of primary sources.  These include the Plymouth court, town and church records; Records of the Massachusetts Bay; Records of New Amsterdam; Historical Manuscripts of New York; Salem Court and Town Records; New Haven colonial, town, and church records; Thomas Lechford's Notebook and William Aspinwall's Notorial Records; William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation; Winthrop's Papers, Letters and History of New Enlgand.  Two resources that do a great job summarizing them all are Susan Roser's Mayflower Passenger References (Ontario, 2011), and Lora Underhill in Descendants of Edward Small (Cambridge, 1934).