Confidence sailed from Southampton 24 April 1638 with Master Mr. John Gibson with 84 passengers, eight of whom are our ancestors. The passenger list of the Confidence has the following entries that relate to our ancestors: John Stephens 31 of Gowsham, Co. Oxan Husbandman; William Stephens 21; Eliza Stephens his wife; Alice Stephens his mother; John Lowgie 16 servant; Grace Lowgie servant. William Stephens was John’s younger brother. Alice Stephens was Alice Atkins Stevens who was a widow. John Stevens's sister Barbara Stevens and her husband William Ilsley also traveled on the Confidence: William Ilsley, 26, of Nether Wallop Hants, Shoemaker; Barbara his wife. Also traveling from Nether Wallop was Stephen Kent and his wife Margery and their servant Hugh Marche age 20. Hugh March is our 8th great-grandfather. Augustin Bearce age 20 traveled in the party headed by Martha Wilder spinster of Shiplake. Augustine Bearse is our 8th great-grandfather.
All the ancestors, except Augustine Bearse, settled first in Newbury. John Stevens and Grace Lovejoy moved on to Andover from Newbury. William and Barbara (Stevens) Ilsley stayed in Newbury, and Hugh March was there for most of his life although he moved to Woodbridge, New Jersey with the first settlers of Woodbridge before returning to Newbury. Augustine Bearse settled in Barnstable.
Grace Lovejoy was baptized at Caersham, Oxfordshire 9 April 1620 daughter of William Lovejoy. Grace Lovejoy married William Ballard who was born about 1617. We are descended from William and Grace by four paths. They were parents of nine children and their children Joseph Ballard and Sarah Ballard are our ancestors.
John Stevens was baptized at Caversham 7 July 1605 son of John and Alice (Atkins) Stevens. He married Elizabeth Parker. Elizabeth was born at Caversham in 1611 daughter of Joseph and Anna (-) Parker. John and Elizabeth were parents of eight children. Their son John was our ancestor and he died in Casco, Maine in 1689 during the Indian wars.
Barbara Stevens was baptized at Caversham 11 Sep 1611. She married at Caversham 6 March 1637 William Ilsley who was born about 1610. Barbara and William were parents of eight children. Their oldest daughter Mary is our ancestor. Mary and her husband were early settlers in Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Hugh March and his wife Judith Knight were parents of Mary March. Mary traveled with her father to Woodbridge where she married Isaac Tappan.
Augustine Bearse settled in Barnstable. He married a woman named Mary (perhaps the daughter of Martha Wilder with whom he traveled on the Confidence). Augustine and Mary had eleven children including our ancestor James Bearse. James Bearse married Experience Howland the granddaughter of Mayflower passengers John and Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland. Goodman Bearse did what he honestly believed to be his duty; and was one of the very few against whom no complaint was ever made, which speaks well for his character; a farmer, lived on the products of his land; and brought up his large family to be like himself, useful members of society. Bearses Way to Hyannis is named for him.
These family groups also contain one of the several ways that Vera Esler and Fred Abbott are related. Both Vera and Fred are direct descendants of John and Alice (Atkins) Stevens who were the parents of John Stevens and Barbara Stevens.
References
Henderson, James R. 2009. "English Origins of John Lovejoy of Andover, Massachusetts." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 163: 27-32.
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild. 1999. Confidence. Accessed June 17, 2019. https://immigrantships.net/1600/confidence380424.html