William Tatam/Tatham of London, England (~1565 to 1603)
Born: Not known, estimated roughly ~1565; birth location - ?
Married possibly 1st to Ellen Kerke in 3 August 1589 and definitely to Anne __ .
Occupation: Named twice a carpenter; at his 1603 burial and when son Samuel was apprenticed as a haberdasher in 1604.
Died 1? August 1603 and within days of one-another - wife Anne, sons Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and servant Mary Reynolds - who was first to die by two weeks. Cause – bubonic plague epidemic.
Surname spelling varies phonetically, although “Tatam” is more common and will be used here generically. 16th and 17th century written lettering is easily misread, so that care must be made to correctly identify individuals and locations.
Children of William Tatham per St. Michael Crooked Lane Parish (wife not named):
(1) Samuel Tatam (5 July 1590 and died young, but no burial record)
(2) Anne Tatam (24 August 1593 to 5 October 1593)
(3) Samuel Tatam (8 October 1594 to __)
Children of William Tatam per Holy Trinity the Less Parish (wife is Anne):
(4) Jerome Tatam (27 February 1597 to 8 August 1603)
(5) Nathaniel Tatam (3 August 1599 to likely >27 January 1676 Virginia)
(6) Nehemiah Tatam (25 April 1602 to August 1603)
Relatives: Parents are not known. A questionable brother might be Leonard Tatum per Francis’s Tatam’s 1603 will. Will is vague on relationships and may not be our subject William Tatam.
This chapter: James R. Murphy, 16 December 2016, planetmurphy.org. This author is greatly indebted to Cecilie Gaziano and Ed Tatum for their researches into William and Samuel Tatam, emails courtesy Sept-October 2016. An additional thanks go to Cecilie for the finding the William Tatham children - Emanuel, Anne, and Samuel Tatham; and to Ed Tatum for his comments, ability to read 16th-17th century English, haberdasher finds, etc. What a fine job both of you are doing on Tatum history.
Part 1 - Overview for William Tatam (~1565 to 1603)
England’s William Tatam (~1565 to 1603) and wife Anne (died 1603) and their three children have been known for some time. These three children are Jerome Tatam (1597 to 1603), Nathaniel Tatam (1599 to > likely 1676 Virginia), Nehemiah Tatam (1602 to 1603). Recently Cecilie Gaziano found three more children: Samuel Tatam (1590), Anne Tatam (1593 and lived a few days), and (again) Samuel Tatam (born 1594).
Church parish records show the following: On 3 August 1589 at St. Benet Gracechurch of London, William Tatham married Ellen Kerke. Between 1590 to 1594 at St. Michael – Crooked Lane, William Tatham (wife not mentioned) is recorded as the father of three baptized children. Problem is whether Ellen or Anne is the mother. Records 1597 - 1603 at Holy Trinity the Less Parish show William and Anne Tatam to be the parents of three children baptized there. In 1635, Collegiate Church of St. Katherine by the Tower records a burial of Ellin Tatam, wife of William Tatam. But…is she or is she not the same person?
In 1603, four members of their family (plus their servant) died of a bubonic plague raging in London. The Church Register of St. Peter’s Cornhill (London) stated that in the year 1603 in 8 parish districts, 30,578 out of 38,204 burials were due to plague (page 159). What happened to the rest afterwards becomes part of this search.
Samuel Tatam, “son of Willm. Tatam carpenter” became a haberdasher apprentice in 1604 and by 1619 was a master haberdasher in London. Speculation exists that this Samuel Tatam migrated to Bermuda on or before 1626 and was the progenitor of the Bermuda and Norfolk, Virginia Tatems. This Samuel Tatam named one son, “Nehemiah.” Additional evidence would be useful.
To the reader: Events are so far back in time that these English Tatams are full of complexities and puzzles. Hopes are that future Tatum researchers will come forward and expand these English Tatam/Tatham origins.
Part 2 - Details for William Tatham/Tatam and Wife(s):
St. Benet Gracechurch Parish Register Records, City of London
Comment: If the 1589 marriage is our William Tatam, then other Tatams in this same church might be of interest.
1575 September 25 – St. Benet Gracechurch, City of London: “Christened Richard Taytam, sonne of Laurence Taytam.”
1578 January 4 – St. Benet Gracechurch: Christened Mary, daughter of Laurence Taytam.”
1582 September 23 – St. Benet Gracechurch: “Christened Benjamin, sonne of Laurence Tattam.”
1582 September 23 – St. Benet Gracechurch: Buried Margaret Tattam, “daughter of Laurence Tattam.”
1582 November 28 – St. Benet Gracechurch: Buried Richard Tattam, “sonne of Laurence Tattam.”
1589 August 3 – St. Benet Gracechurch: Marriage of William Tatham to Ellen Kirke. Notice that Ellen is not named in the St. Michael, Crooked Lane baptisms which follow, but certainly the timing of the first child at St. Michael - Crooked Lane is an excellent fit.
St. Benet Gracechurch Parish Records, City of London, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, images 7, 8, 8, 87, 87 and 60.
Addendum: Parish records of St. Mary Magdalene, Old Fish Street show Mary Tattam was baptized July 1572, daughter of Lawrence Tattam and then in March 1572 (modern year 1573), Mary Tattam was buried. Katherine Tattam was baptized on 22 March 1573, father being Lawrence Tattam. Alice Reynolds was buried 21 December 1573, servant to Laurence Tatam. (William Tatam had a servant named Mary Reynolds who died 1603.)
St. Mary Magdalene, Old Fish St. Parish, City of London, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, images 8, 9, 96, 97 of 138.
St. Michael, Crooked Lane Parish Register Records, City of London, England
1590 July 5 - St. Michael, Crooked Lane: Baptism of Samewell (Samuel) Tatham, “sonne of William Tatham.”
1593 August 24 - St. Michael, Crooked Lane: Baptism of “Anne Tatham, the daughter of William Tatham.”
1593 October 5 – St. Michael, Crooked Lane: Buried – “Anne Tatham, daughter of William Tatham.”
1594 April 20 – St. Michael, Crooked Lane: Buried – John Tatham. There are no other details, but he may be related. Since no father is named, this John Tatham is thought to be an adult.
1594 October 8 - St. Michael, Crooked Lane: Samewell (Samuel) Tatham, “sonne of William Tatham” was baptized 8 October 1594.
St. Michael, Crook Lane Parish Register Records, City of London, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, images 114, 117, 244, 244, 117 out of 361.
Comment #1: Wife Ellen is not named in the above St. Michael records, which didn’t include mother’s names. Question arises where the St. Michael mother could be Anne Tatam who is found in the Holy Trinity the Less Parish records which follow next.
Comment #2: There two “Samewell Tatham,” sons of William Tatham who are baptized. Ancestry.com indexes the 1590 Samewell Tatham as Emanuell Cotham or Totham, but Cecilie Gaziano states: “Ed (Tatum) persuaded me that the record for the birth was really for a Samuel or Samewell Tatham, so that William Tatham had two sons named Samuel, and the first one died in infancy.” After examination of the 1590 Emanuel = Samuel Tatham, this writer agrees that the name looks like “Samewell Tatham.” The capital “E” in several nearby Elizabeth’s have a different character. The parish book makes its capital “S” with a final swing of the pen from the bottom of the letter to the top on the left side. In the case of 1590 Samewell Tatham, the final swing ended in the mid part of the “S.”
Email courtesy Cecilie Gaziano, 15 November 2016.
Holy Trinity the Less Parish Records, City of London, England
1596/97 February 27 – Holy Trinity the Less: Baptism - Jeremiah Tatam was baptized 27 February 1596/97 at the Holy Trinity the Less in London, England and died 1603 – see below. Parents: Anne and William Tatam.
1599 August 3 – Holy Trinity the Less: Baptism - Nathaniel Tatam was baptized 3 August 1599 at the Holy Trinity Church the Less in London and died after 27 January 1675/76 Charles City County, Virginia. Parents: Anne and William Tatam. This is thought to be the Nathaniel Tatam who immigrated to Virginia in 1618 – see his separate chapter.
1602 April 25 – Holy Trinity the Less: Nehemiah Tatum was baptized 25 April 1602 at Holy Trinity the Less Church in London and died 1603 – see below. Parents: Anne and William Tatam.
1603 July 16 – Holy Trinity the Less: Burial of “Mary Reynolds, servant unto Wm. Tatam.” Next entry is:
1603 July 30 – Holy Trinity the Less: Burial of “Anne wife of William Tatam.
1603 August 1(?) – Holy Trinity the Less: Burial of “William Tatam carpenter with date appearing to be 1st day August 1603.” Two entries away is:
1603 August 8 – Holy Trinity the Less: Burial of “Jeremiah, sonne of William Tatam,” Next entry is, but exact date unclear:
1603 August _? – Holy Trinity the Less: Burial of “Nehemiah, sonne of William Tatum,”
Holy Trinity the Less Parish Records, City of London, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, images 25, 26, 28, 29x5 out of 71.
Collegiate Church of St. Katherine by the Tower Parish Records, London
1635 August 9 – Collegiate Church of St. Katherine by the Tower: Buried “Ellin – the wife of William Tatam.”
Collegiate Church of St. Katherine by the Tower Parish Records, London; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book image 316 of 323.
Is this the same Ellen who married William Tatham in 1589? This writer (J. Murphy) notices that “Ellin” is recorded as the wife of William Tatam. Speculation: If her husband was already dead, the church record would more accurately state “Ellin – widow” or just simply “Ellin Tatam” without anyone else’s name. This record likely suggests Ellin’s husband was still living.
Part 3 – Sightings for Samuel Tatam and Emanuel Tatam after 1603
Haberdasher, Apprentices, and Freemen – City of London
(information courtesy of Ed Tatum on 8 and 10 October 2016)
1604 January 12 - London: Apprentice: Samuel Tatam, file (filius? or son) of Willm (William) Tatam, carpenter London (to) Richarde Sanders haberdasher, 12th of January (1604).
1613 January 24 - London: Freeman: Samuel Tatam (of) Rich. Sanders
1619 May 2 – London: Roger Blay, (son) of Thome Blay of Linford, Buck(ingham), yeoman,…(became an apprentice to Master) Samuel Tatam haberdasher London 2nd day May.
City of London, Haberdashers, Apprentices, and Freemen 1526-1933, section of Register of Apprentice Bindings 1602-1613, London Metropolitan Archives; indexed and info at findmypast.com; folio/page 65/133/68
Part 4 - Other Sightings for any William Tatham/Tatam in London
1603 Will of Francis Tatam – London, England
1603 August 13 – London, England: Will of Francis Tatum. Thanks go to Ed Tatum helping to read the difficult old English wording and names. The will still needs further translation.
In the name of God Amen, I, Francis Tatum sick in body but in perfect memory….my body to be buried in Shoreditch Churchyard. I give to my brother’s son John Tatam…land…from Richard Fogge with dwelling at __.... I give to Leonard Tatam my brother’s sonne __ to be retained(?) of his brother William Tatum in Ingelton…. Of all else with my goods moveable and unremoveable, make my wife (unnamed) sohole (sole) and full executrix(?). Witness this…to this my will Robert Potter, Clerk. (Next separate paragraph, also most difficult to read, concerns when the will was probated - 13 August 1603.
London, England Wills and Probate – 1507-1858, indexed as “Frances Tatam 1603,” found on ancestry.com
From Ed Tatum: This (1603 will) could relate, but hard to tell. He’s asking to be buried at Shoreditch Churchyard which was about a mile from Holy Trinity the Less, but the property he’s referring to is along the Yorkshire/Lancashire border (i.e. Ingelton, which is about 6 miles from Tatham). He mentions his brother’s son John Tatam, as well as nephews Leonard Tatam and William Tatam. The last two are brothers but impossible to tell if they were also John’s brothers or not. Richard Fogge is also mentioned, and if you google him, you’ll come across the same name in Lancashire wills. The will is dated August 1603, and I believe the day is Roman numeral Xiii, which of course is a few days after our William was buried.
From Ed Tatum, email courtesy 27 October 2016
Ingelton can be found in the National Geographic Atlas of the World – 3rd edition, page 61, and is just inside the North Yorkshire County border with Lancaster County. Ingelton fronts today’s Yorkshire Dales National Park on its west.
City Land Estates – City of London to its
(and) St. Bololph Aldgate Parish Records, City of London
Comment: The following records show other William Tatam/Tathams in London which the reader should be aware.
1593 March 27 – City Land Estates, London: The City Lands Committee is the oldest standing committee of the Corporation of London. The city lands formed an extensive estate and provided a major source of income for the city government. There is a grant on 27 March 1593 for a messuage (tenement) in Smythee Lane in the Parish of St. Andrew in Eastcheap, heretofore demised to John Prince, c. & Merchant Taylor for 21 years after expiration of lease to William Tatam, Draper, and death or willing departure of Agnes Tatam, his wife, on surrender of interest in lease to John Prince and on same terms Margaret Buvneleye.
London Metropolitan Archives Collections Catalogue, CLA/008/EM/02/01/001/0121/02
St. Mary Le Bow, London Parish Records show on 8 April 1543, “married Wm. Tatam and Agnes Ca__(cut off).”
St. Mary Le Bow, London Parish Records, City of London, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, image 5/94
1595 February 11 – St. Bololph Aldgate: William Tatum, “sonne of William Tatum a minstrel” christening/baptism at St. Bololph Aldgate, City of London. The 1595 date can be confusing. The old calendar year ended sometime in March or early April, making the actual modern date most likely 1596.
1606 June 30 – St. Bololph Aldgate: Burial, William Tatum. (No other details.) Possibly, this William Tatum burial may be William Sr., as church records usually name a parent with a children’s burial.
St. Bololph Aldgate Parish Records, City of London, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, images 16/291 and 188/581
Part 5 - Samuel Tatam – English Sightings for Anyone With This Name:
Ed Tatum noted the following Samuel Tatam records which may or may not be the same person as the Samuel Tatam in the Holy Trinity the Less records. (Ed Tatum, email courtesy 8 October 2016). On the other hand, Master Haberdasher Samuel Tatum in 1619 is recorded in London.
1613 May 16 – St. Savior, Surrey County: Marriage of Samuell Tatum to Elizabeth Tomson
St. Savior Parish Records, Southwark Borough, Surrey County, England; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book images, image 10 of 520
1617 January 25 – St. Olave, Surrey County: Burial of Thomas Tatam, “son of Samuel Tatam.
St. Olave Parish Records, Bermondsy, Southwork Borough, Surrey County; London Metropolitan Archives Source, ancestry.com, “London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812,” with index and original book image 227 of 296.