Records found in London last year prove that Thomas Cary, the London
Merchant, who was baptized in 1613 and Thomas Cary, the Maryland Immigrant,
whose will was probated in 1686 were two different people. They were
erroneously assumed to be one by author Alfred B. Carey in his 1964 book
about the Maryland Immigrant's descendants. The records found in London
disprove his assumption.
Thomas Cary of London was the son of John Cary and Elizabeth Herford. He
was baptized on 27 Dec 1613, was married only once (i.e. to Susanna
Limberry), and died before Dec 1671. According to the records of St.
Margaret's Parish, Westminster, Susanna, as "relict of Thomas Cary", was
appointed to administer his estate on 15 Dec 1671. According to records of
St. Saviorelico in Jewry Parish, London, their son John Cary was appointed to
administer her estate on 4 April 1678. That son John, who married Jane Flood
in Virginia and Mary Cox of London, was a very distinguised London merchant
who, together with two cousins, submitted detailed pedigrees and supporting
documents to the Earl Marshall of England which resulted in confirmation his
right to bear the arms of the noble Carys of Devon (ref. College of Arms,
Book of Grants iv). Copies of those documents may be bound in the British
Library (Stowe MS 670, folio 229) and the Society of Genealogists Library,
London.
[The same pedigrees prove that John Cary, the Plymouth Pilgrim, was not the
son of John and Elizabeth Hereford Cary as some claim. Their son John was
married in 1613 (when the Pilgrim was about 3 years old) and died in Hackney,
Middlesex, England, before 1665.]
Thomas Cary, the London Merchant, received a provisional grant of 1000
acres in Maryland from Lord Baltimore, but never fulfilled its provisions and
forfeited the grant. According to Surry Co., VA court records, Thomas and
his son John were both in that county until at least 1657. The (other) John
Cary who bought land in Accomack Co., VA remained in that county as did
several generations of his descendants. The names of his parents are
unknown, but he was not the son of Thomas, the London Merchant.
According to a letter written to Gen. Samuel F. Cary, author of Cary
Memorials, by Judge John Carey, the gr.gr.gr.gr.grandson of Thomas the
Maryland Immigrant, that Thomas was born in Scotland and married in England
before coming to America. That Thomas died in Maryland leaving a will which
was probated in 1686. The names of his parents are unknown as is the surname
of his wife Jane. I am one of his eleventh generation direct descendants,
David Carey.