GENERATION 12

GENERATION 11

Biography

THOMAS INGERSOLL was born probably in Derby, Derbyshire, England, about 1593. It appears he moved from Derby to the Greater London area, where he became a ropemaker in Stepney. He married MARGERY EATON at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, Middlesex, England, on December 15, 1620.

They returned to Derby about 1625, where he was a shoemaker and the town crier. A town crier was not the figure of legend who called out the hours throughout the night. He was instead a paid town official who made official announcements at specified times to a populace that was still largely illiterate. The Derby rental rolls include yearly payments by the borough; the rolls for 1677, 1677/78, 1680, and 1682 show that he was paid £2 12s a year for performing his duties.

THOMAS paid 2s at the Free and Voluntary Present of 1661 (a voluntary gift on the restoration of Charles II after the Commonwealth Period), and he was assessed for one hearth, 1662-1670.

He executed his will on Aug. 12, 1673, when he was sickly and weak, but he recovered and continued to perform his duties as town crier. When he died in 1681, he was about 88 years old. His son, Samuel, succeeded him as town crier and may well have been performing the duties earlier.