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HUMPHREY & DOROTHY NEED

THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Humphrey Need was baptized Aug. 15, 1590 in Arnold Nottinghamshire. It is on the north side of Nottingham. Today it is a very busy suburban town. His parents were Humphrey Need and Mary Melford. re Parish Register of Arnold marriages, transcribed by Thomas Courtney. Humphrey, our subject of this story, is named as son of Humphrey Need the elder, in his will dated 25 July 1591 and proved 7 October 1591. His wife Mary was named executrix. He gave her the tuition, governing and bringing up of children Humphrey and Agnes during their minorities. So Humphrey was just 1 year old when his father died. His sister was probably older. His father was a Yeoman so they had standing in the community.

About 1615 Humphrey Need married Dorothy. His parents marriage is listed in the Parish records, but there is no marriage of our Humphrey Need. Perhaps he married in Nottingham, as his daughter later did.

In Magna Carta Ancestry: A study in Colonial and Medieval Families by Douglas Richardson and Kimball G. Everingham, on page 607 can be found a bio of our study with a lot of detail. Humphrey Need became Constable of Arnold. It was in the family. His grandfather, William Need was also a Constable of Arnold and Humphrey's son Nathaniel became a High Constable of Arnold.

                                    The bio said Humphrey and Dorothy Need had 4 children:
                                        1. Nathaniel Need, baptized April 2, 1617 they listed 2 so I'm assuming this first Nathaniel died
                                        2. Joseph Need was baptized in 1619, re Nottinghamshire Baptism Index 1538-1917
                                        3. Nathaniel Need, baptized July 8, 1622
                                           Joseph Need was the son of Nathaniel- he emigrated to America in 1686 and died near Chester Pennsylvania 1741. The Paper Makers, page 36, by Jane Levis                                                     Carter
                                        4. Mary Need born 1624, wed Christopher Levis. She died 1664.

Humphrey was a religious man. He served as a church warden in Arnold in 1629. This area was early attracted to the ideals of Quakerism and the Levis/Need families were very much involved. In a History of Quakers in Nottingham 1648-1948 by James Lomax, on pages 14-15 reports the visits of George Fox to this area, and lists the earliest set of names known to be active elders/preachers etc in 1668. Humphrey Need is on the list. According to In the bio, Humphrey became a Quaker in 1647.

Dorothy Need died Aug. 29, 1640. She was buried in St. Mary's the Parish church cemetery. re Find a Grave. Humphrey then remarried July 10, 1641 by license at St. Peter's church in Nottingham, where his daughter Mary would later marry. His second wife was Anne, widow of Mr. Hawton of Mansfield.

Humphrey Need died 11/8/1668. He died intestate. He is buried in the Friends Burial Grounds of Arnold. His wife, Anne Need "widow" is also buried there. She died 10/26/1671.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1. Get the actual documentation of his birth and marriages.
2. What was Dorothy's maiden name?
3. Get documentation of Dorothy's death.
4. Find the Arnold Friends cemetery and look for stones of Humphrey and Anne Need.
6. What was Anne's maiden name.

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Doc; gpnee020.html
Date Created: 7/15/2011
Date edited 7/8/2013
date edited 11/28/2014
date edited 9/21/2017
Date edited 10/26/2019