MARY NEED (NEDE)
THE STORY AS I KNOW IT
Mary Need was born 1624/25 in Beeston
Nottinghamshire. She was baptized in
Arnold on April 18, 1625. re Plantagentet Ancestry:
A study in Colonial and Medieval Families by Douglas
Richardson, page 602. That is on the
southwest side of Nottingham. Her parents
were Humphrey and Dorothy Need. The will of Gervas Melford,
yeoman, dated 16 March 1637/8, proved 9 May 1639,
mentions among others George
Melford, brother Robert Melford, to whom he left 5s., Thomas Charlesworth,
children of William
Haulton, and
Mary Need, dau. of Humphrey Need (PCY, Original Wills, May
1639, FHL microfilm 0099525).
On July 22, 1648 Mary
Need married Christopher
Leavis at St Peter's in Nottingham, her birth
year was 1624, his was 1621. From Nottinghamshire Extracted
Parish Register of Marriages 1572-1812. St.
Peter's is a very old church founded about 1100. The
present building was built between 1340-1485.
Mary and Christopher lived and had a family in Harby,
Leicestershire, which is just beyond the Nottingham
border, maybe 10 miles from Notthingham town.
Much of the information in this story comes from The Genealogist, Volume 13, pages 30-36 Samuel Levis Immigrant to Pennsylvania : His Descent from Edward III by Leslie Mahler
They had the following children:
1. Samuel Levis
born July 30, 1649 in Harby
2. Mary Levis
born march 8, 1651
3. Richard Levis
born Oct. 1654
4. Hannah Levis
born July 30, 1663 twins
5. Sarah Levis
born July 30, 1663
All the children but Richard
are mentioned in Christopher's
will noted below. Mary Need Levis, his wife was not. Leslie Mahler, stated
that she died May 16, 1664. It is also noted in Plantagentet
Ancestry: A study in Colonial and Medieval Families by
Douglas Richardson, page 602.
This area was early attracted to the ideals of Quakerism
and the Levis/Need
families were very much involved. They were married
in the mainstream protestant church of the area 1648, but
within a few years suffered from their dedication to the
new way of life they had adopted. 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 easilest set of
names known to be active elders/preachers etc in
1668. Humphrey Need
is on the list. Then recorded by Joseph Besse in
his Quaker Sufferings, "Christopher Lewis of Harby was cited in
1652 “before a Justice by the Priest of that Parish (who
had before taken out of his Fields what Corn he pleased)
for 18s. 2d. pretended to be yet due for Tithe: The
Justice granted a Warrant, by which the Officers took from
him a Cow worth 3l. 10s."
Christopher Levis died
December 1677 in Harby. His will was dated Oct. 19, 1677 from Leicestershire
& Rutland Index of Wills, Jurisdiction of Broby 1580-1800.
Much of the information in this story comes from The Genealogist, Volume 13, pages 30-36 Samuel Levis Immigrant to Pennsylvania : His Descent from Edward III by Leslie Mahler
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
If you know the answer please CONTACT US
1. What happened to son Richard?
2. Get documentation of her death. - It may be in
the Friends records.
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Doc; gpnee010.html
Date created: 7/15/2011
Date Edited 11/28/2014
Date Edited 9/21/2017
Date edited 6/2/2024