Short history of a long family tradition

rfcnews.com

6/28/2005

__A pilgrimage to the Crusader’s Font, Circa 1200 AD, in Great Bentley, Essex, England, where
our Marvin ancestors were christened—Reynold Marvin in 1594, and son Reynold in 1631 …
and how this helps explain who we are.__

_Notes by Bob Cramer, June, 2005._

In the early 1970s, when I was living and working in Europe, I visited Ramsey and Great
Bentley, Essex. In both places, and in several other towns in the area, Marvins had resided
since as long ago, perhaps, as the 13th century.

–––––

This is a note about why I’m going to visit there, again, this time with my wife, Judy. It’s a high
point in the history of our family that includes the Marvins, but also (these will have to wait for
other notes) the Silvernails, the Gonyas, and the Cramers.

All four family lines had plenty of liberal seekers of freedom of soul and individual dignity. The
Silvernails left Catholicism even before Luther. They were well ahead of the curve of those
seeking liberty. The Gonyas were Huguenots, forced out of Europe like Puritans and Pilgrims. I
know too little about the Cramers, but there is evidence that they, too, are soulmates of those
with our rugged strain of independence of spirit who nonetheless belong in caring
communities, if they can find them.

I confess that I’ve grown really close to those whose rugged strain of independence of spirit led
to our own generation and that of our children. I’m proud of that. I hope that all those who can
manage to do so will make pilgrimages to shrines that have much more than family interest,
for we are closely allied with some of the most powerful humanistic movements in history.

–––––

So: the Marvins.

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Records exist for our ancestors from the 15th century, but intriguingly, beyond that, is the fact
that a fine mansion and lands were owned by another Marvin line, which died out; those
Marvins lived in the same place, and had similar substantial holdings in the town where all
were honored just a bit less than the local nobility. The other Marvins’ records go back another
couple of hundred years before our branch is clearly recorded.

In our Marvin line, Thomas (1450-1503) appears to have been welcomed as an immigrant from
Wales, where the name was Mervyn. John (1480-1533), Rynald (1513-1557), Edward (1540-
1615), Reinold (1594-1662), and Reinold (1631-1676) followed, all but the latter two Reinolds
being christened in St. Michael’s Church in Ramsey.

Edward, however, moved from Ramsey to Great Bentley before the births of his youngest sons,
Reinold and Matthew. Those two sons were christened in St. Mary’s Church in Great Bentley.

— It is the baptismal font in St. Mary’s Church, Great Bentley, that I want to see again. Perhaps
Don’s family may have visited it even before Judy and I get there this time, for they are
traveling a month ahead of us.

The font was commissioned and installed in St. Mary’s Church by Robert DeVere, third Earl of
Oxford, on his return from a Crusade to the Holy Land about 1200 AD. The DeVere family
owned the Great Bentley Green and other lands. Edward Marvin bought a mansion on DeVere
land next to the Green, called “Edons, alias Dreybrocks.” The house is no longer there. It was
willed to Matthew Marvin, brother of our ancestor, Reinold.

When I saw the font, and touched it, more than 30 years ago, I had an overpowering feeling of
“connection” with our forebears. It was similar to a later experience of standing on the grave
of one of the earliest Marvins to have moved to Connecticut. That was in the Duck River
Burying Ground in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and Judy shared that experience with me: she felt
something, too, she said. That’s why I want her to visit the font in Essex.

— In Keith Marvin’s “Our Marvin Heritage” (1977), can be found facsimiles of the church
records of the baptisms of Reinold and Matthew Marvin.

There can be no doubt that their parents had held them at that very font while the priest
performed their initiation into the church. Certainly there must be very few people anywhere
who can see and touch such an artifact.

Additionally, it’s a miracle of preservation, because that font is just about the only surviving
element in the sanctuary of St. Mary’s Church, Great Bentley!

When Henry VIII removed the Church of England from the rule of the Pope and re-established it
as the Third Way, or Via Media, of western Christianity — maintaining a Catholic ethos but not
as a Roman Catholic one, and also making sure it was not as far removed from Catholicism as
Protestantism was — he experienced a good deal of recalcitrance on the part of congregations
which didn’t intend to make the change.

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Stubbornness — that of the Marvins, and others — was met with force. Oliver Cromwell
commanded troops in what could have been called the Holy English Empire, and he stabled
horses in some of the churches, destroying their interiors and intimidating the parishes into
compliance.

The miracle is that the Crusader’s Font, dating from the very early 13th century, should have
been spared.

But it was, and I can’t help identifying us, somehow, with the inner strength of an ancestor,
Reinold Marvin, with his six year old son, Reinold, who followed Matthew to the New World to
find religious and political liberty.

— Keith Marvin and others have unearthed other stories of the firm integrity of the Marvins —
like a church deacon who finally decided not to pay his church tax because it wasn’t voluntary,
and rode his horse bareback around Old Lyme from then on because his brother deacons in
the Old Lyme Congregational Church had seized his fine saddle in lieu of his tax!

For now, a pilgrimage to the Crusader’s Font should increase our own self-understanding and
appreciation of family history.

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 Page 1
of 1

Janice R Cramer
From: <BOB_CRAMER@ecunet.org>
To: <jcramer@wnynet.net>
Sent: Saturday. July 30, 2005 12:45 PM
Subject: RE: They've found the murderer

hi jan, saving to read later, thanks thanks. lovely time in u.k., learning keith and the present church
people in Great Bentley disagree about crusader's tomb but boy are we glad we got there, and Eden
Farm (not "Edons alias Dreybrocks") still exists and we toured the whole ground floor and the owner
considers it the Marvin house and it goes back to 12th or 13th century. Edward Marvin bought, not built,
it, evidently. Wunnerful! love, j and b.

7/30/05
Edward M. Marvin
geni.com/people/Edward-Marvin/6000000002447191360

Matthew Marvin was baptized a Great Bently, England 23 March 1659-60. Salisbury's "Family
Histories and Genealogies" says: "Mathew Marvin embarked with his family for New England
15 Apr 1635, on the "Increase," having taken the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacie. It
appears the he was then 35 years of age. He is called "husband-man," and his party consisted
of his wife, Elizabeth, aged 31, daughter Elizabeth, 11, son Mathew, 8, daughters Marie, 6, Sara
3 and Hanna 1/2."

Mathew settled in Hartford, CT, where he was an original proprietor in 1635. He died about
1678.

UK, Extracted Probate Records about Mervin, Mervyn, Edward Text: 1633 Mervin, Mervyn,
Edward, surgeon, Ramsey 313 CW 11 Book: Marriages at Curry Rivel, 1642 to 1812. (Marriage)
Collection: Essex, Hertfordshire: Chelmsford - Wills, 1620-1720

Edward owned several farms in Ramsey, Great Oakley, Tendering Hundred, Frating and the
mansion "Edons" alias "Dreybrocks" which was in Great Bentley. The mansion is still standing
in good repair. Edward may have been born a little earlier than 1550 either in Ramsey or
Wrabness. His will was dated 13 Nov 1615 and he was buried 15 Nov 1615 so he died either
the 13th or 14th. Marvin is also found as Meruin - occasionally spelled "Maroon". GenCircles
website - (Rodrick-Culver and related families)

Edward Marvin, son of Reynold, was born about 1552 in Ramsey, England and married
Margaret_______. He was a man of considerable property.

Edward married Margaret Gilly at about 1580. Margaret was born in 1550 in
,Ramsey,Essex,ENG. She died on 28 May 1633 in ,Ramsey,Essex,ENG. She was buried on 28
May 1633 in St Marys,Great Bently,Essex,ENG.

U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 about Edward Marvin Name: Edward
Marvin Gender: Male Spouse Name: Margaret Marvin Number Pages: 1

Source Citation: Source number: 362.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages:
1; Submitter Code: JBH.

Source Information:

Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line].
Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: This unique collection of
records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic
databases. Originally, the information was derived from an array of materials including
pedigree charts, family history articles, querie.
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Edward A. Mervyn Marvin

INH: the homestead, optained several other farms AF#: FNBZ-ZT and P5F2-H8
www.essexcc.gov.uk/heritage/ero/seax/ 8Jan1599 Ref Code: Q/SR 144/61 Edward among
others is witness against 2 who assualted constable and others in church yard after justice
serves warrant

A fellow Marvin researcher recently supplied me with a copy of the will of Edward-A Marvin,
the father of Matthew-1 Marvin, the immigrant ancestor. I am in the process of transcribing it
(it's written in the very hard-to-decipher "secretaty hand" of the 16th Century). While I have
transcribed most of it, there are some problem words I am still working on. But I wanted to
post what I had as soon as possible to allow others to have the information. I have retained
the original spelling and punctuation; brackets indicate a word which is presently illegible to
me. The will itself is filed in the Essex (England) Record Office ref: D/AC/W11-313. " In the
name of God amen the xiijth daye of november 1615 I Edward Marvin of [Great] Bentley in the
County of Essex & [church jurisdictional term like diocese] of London Beinge sicke in bodey but
[yet?] of goode & pfette Remembrance Thanckes be to Allmightey god do ordaine & make this
my prsente Testement & Laste wille in manor & forme following furste & above all I comette
my Sowle in to the hande of Allmightey god by the merettes of Jessus Cryst & my bodey to be
bered in the church yard of the prishe of [Great] Bentley. Imprimes I geve & bequethe unto the
pore pepolle of the prishe of [Great] Bentley the Sume of x£ to be payed unto theme by my
Executor the daye of my berealle & to be [destrebbeted?] equally unto theme as by the
descrection of my executor & [Sux...] it shall be thought fette. Item I geve & bequethe unto
Edward my sonne all my houses & Lande free & copey Lying in Wrabbnes & Weickes to heme &
his heires for ever and all so I give unto the fornamed Edward my sonne five Pounde of good &
Lawfull money of England to be payed unto heme by my executor wthin one quartor of a yere
next after my decease. Item I geve & bequethe unto Thomas my sonne five poundes of good &
Lawfull money of England to be payed unto heme by my Executor wthin one quartor of a yere
next after my decease all so I do [acknowledge?] that the saide Thomas my sonne have
prformed all condections [line creased] to acartain Surrender wch I made unto heme of one
tenement [line creased] and Lande Leying in Ramsey. Item I geve and bequethe unto R[ichard]
my sonne five pounde of good & Lawfull money of England to be payed unto heme wthin one
quartor of a yere nexte after my decsece by my Executor All so I do acknowlege that the saied
Richard my sonne have prformed all condictions acording to a cartaine Surrender wch I made
unto heme of one tenement called Item I geve & bequethe unto Robart my Sonne all my Free
Lande Leinge in Fratting as it is now in the Tendor & ocipaction of [Richard?] Barnes or his
Assignes to heme & to his heires for ever. Item I geve & bequethe unto Renowld marvin my
sonne all my Lande meddow wood & pasteur called [Moyses?] nowe in the tender &
ocupaction of me to heme & to his heieres for ever upon condiction that the fornamed
Renowld my sonne his heires executor Admenestrattor or Assignes shall paye or causse to be
payed unto Margrett my wiffe or to her assignes yerley & everey yere dwueringe here nattrall
Life the Summe of Sexe Pounde of Good & Lawfull money of England at two [usuall?] taimes of
the yere that is to saie at the feste daye of the Blessed virgin St marey & st michell the
arkangell beinge Lawfully demanded by evened & equall porshons. Item I geve & bequethe
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unto Mathewe my sonne my howse that I nowe Dwelle in wth all the Lande thereunto
belonginge called Edons alles Dreybrockes & ij croftes of Land called Hartles & Brocken
Heddes to heme & to his heires for ever upon condiction that the fornamed mathewe my sonne
his heires executors Administrators or assignes shall paye or cause to be payed unto margrett
my wife or to here assignes yerley & every yere deueringe heir natturall Life the fulle Sume of
Sexe Pounde of good & Lawfull money of England at two [usuall?] taimes of the yere that is to
saie at the feste dayeof the Blessed virgin St. mary & st michael the arkangell beinge Lawfully
demanded by evened & equall porshons as the mentchon howse called Edons alles
Draybrocks provided that if mathewe my sonne or his heires executors Administrators or
assignes [shall?] & [] [] paye or cause to be payed unto the fornamed margrett my wife or to
here assigns in manor & forme above [] that then I welle that the [] [] of all my forenamed
[howse ... fold makes line illegible] Edons alles Draybrocke & ij croftes of Land called Hartles &
Brocken hedes to [line smudged] to heme & to his heires [] their [] & bequethe all my fornamed
howses & Lande unto Renowlde my sonne & to his heires & [] or [his?] heires or asignes to
prform this [] of Sexe pounde yearly unto Margrett my wife out of edons alles dreybrockes [] []
acording to the [] [] of this my will & [further?] I do apoynt by this my will that upon the
[Ricaving?] of any money every half yere margrett my wife shall make [eachone?] of my sonnes
a [] for [] [] [] [] or their assignes shall recave. Item I geve & bequethe unto margrett my wife the
cowes or [] & tenn ewes [] & wchever of the beste of my [] & more over I geve & bequethe unto
the fornamed Margrett my wife all my household stuf beinge with the howses. Item I geve &
bequethe unto John Bishop the Sonne of Zacherey Bishop vi s. viij d. to be payed unto heme
by my executor. Item I make to this my Laste welle for executor John Hayes my sonne in
Lawe. Item I make & ordain to this my will Thomas marvin my sonne to be my [Sux....]. All the
Reste of my goode & chatteles unbequethed I [wholey?] geve & bequethe unto my wife & my
fower cheldren Robart Renowld mathewe & Elizebthe to be equaley devided Betweene them. In
witness where of I have to this my prsnte Testament & Laste well Sette to my hand & selle []
the daye & yere furst above written & in the presence of us whose names are hereunder
wrettin. Thomas [Berysse?] Edward marvin Stephen Kole Sener X his marke"

INH: the homestead, optained several other farms AF#: FNBZ-ZT and P5F2-H8
www.essexcc.gov.uk/heritage/ero/seax/ 8Jan1599 Ref Code: Q/SR 144/61 Edward among
others is witness against 2 who assualted constable and others in church yard after justice
serves warrant

Eden Farmhouse was built in 1593 by John Marvin just East of Great Bentley, and then called
Edon or Dreybrockes. It was occupied by Edward Marvin and passed to his son Matthew. The
front was remodeled in 1717 and seems to have been remodeled again in modern times. The
interior beams may have been ship timbers. The large chimney is obscured in this view (see
Profile photo).

The surname of MARVIN was a baptismal name 'the son of Marvin or Mervin' an ancient,
although now forgotten personal name. During the Middle Ages, when people were unable to
read or write, signs were needed for all visual identification. For several centuries city streets in
Britain were filled with signs of all kinds, public houses, tradesmen and even private

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householders found them necessary. This was an age when there were no numbered houses,
and an address was a descriptive phrase that made use of a convenient landmark. At this time,
coats of arms came into being, for the practical reason that men went into battle heavily
armed and were difficult to recognise. It became the custom for them to adorn their helmets
with distinctive crests, and to paint their shields with animals and the like. Coats of arms
accompanied the development of surnames, becoming hereditary in the same way. Early
records of the name mention Mervin (without surname) rector of Chester-le-Street in the year
1085. Johannes Myrfin of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. Since the
dawn of civilisation the need to communicate has been a prime drive of all higher mankind.
The more organised the social structure became, the more urgent the need to name places,
objects and situations essential to the survival and existence of the social unit. From this
common stem arose the requirements to identify families, tribes and individual members
evolving into a pattern in evidence today. In the formation of this history, common usage of
customs, trades, locations, patronymic and generic terms were often adopted as surnames.
The demands of bureaucracy formally introduced by feudal lords in the 11th century, to define
the boundaries and families within their fiefdoms, crystallized the need for personal
identification and accountability, and surnames became in general use from this time
onwards. Later instances of the name mention Danyell Ashpoole and Agnes Morfyn who were
married at St. James's, Clerkenwell, London in the year 1564. Mervin Perry was the vicar of
Dyram, County Gloucester in the year 1699. The name is also spelt as MURFIN, MERVIN,
MEVIN and MIRFIN

show less

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From http://stagge-parker.blogspot.com/2011/08/edward-marvin-1545-1615.html

Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Great

Bentley, Essex, England
Church were Edward Marvin was buried in 1615.

Eden Farmhouse
modern, Great Bentley, Essex, England
Eden Farmhouse was built in 1593 by John Marvin just East of Great Bentley, and then called Edon or Dreybrockes.
It was occupied by Edward Marvin and passed to his son Matthew. The front was remodeled in 1717 and seems to
have been remodeled again in modern times. The interior beams may have been ship timbers. The large chimney is
obscured in this view.

Edward Marvin (1545-1615)

This is taken from the GenCircles website - (Rodrick-Culver and related families):

" Edward owned several farms in Ramsey, Great Oakley, Tendering Hundred, Frating and the mansion "Edons"
alias "Dreybrocks" which was in Great Bentley. The mansion is still standing in good repair. Edward may have been
born a little earlier than 1550 either in Ramsey or Wrabness. His will was dated 13 November 1615 and he was
buried 15 November 1615 so he died either the 13th or 14th. Marvin is also found as Meruin - occasionally spelled
"Maroon". "
found on ancestry.com
POSTED BY ARN AND JODY AT 5:43 PM