The Quakers and a few Hubbersteys? (Updated May 9/08)

This has been a surprise for me. I have to admit to not knowing very much at all about the origins of the Quakers before I came across the Hubberstey connection... during one of my many seemingly random searches. Here are the two main connections I have found so far.

1. Stephen and Miles Hubberstey

In George Fox's Autobiography, Stephen and Miles Hubberstey (Chapter 6: 1651-1652) are mentioned. We also have this

"From that county and North Lancashire he collected the first missionaries of the Society, namely, Edward Burrough, John Audland, Francis Howgill, John Camm, George Whitehead, Richard Hubberthorne, Thomas Holmes, Miles Halhead, and Miles Hubbersty, the majority of them were Westmorland men. "

In fact both Miles and Stephen Hubbersty are listed as members of the "Valiant 60", the first members of the Quakers. There is a short write-up on the Quakers here.
From the records I have found, both Stephen and Miles appear to have been born in Kendal, Westmoreland (Miles on Jan 1,1629 and Stephen on Nov 14, 1631).

2. Robert Hubberstey (Yealand Conyers).

There is an interesting book that is now available on line called "Early stages of the Quaker movement in Lancashire". This is a great format that allows you to read page by page, or search at will. Just click on the arrow on the right hand side to flip the pages.

We have a number of references to Robert Hubberstey in the book. It appears from the Yealand Conyers records that Robert had married in 1655 but that his wife (Siball Huggonson) and first son (Robert) died in 1656. The events in the Quaker text occur from 1660 on (note the variant spellings for Hubberstey).

a) On Page 31, in Yealand in 1660, 2 constables took into custody a group of people including Robert Hubberstey.

b) On page 54, in 1675 Robert Hubbersty and 4 others were committed to Lancaster Castle.

c) On page 111, we have Robert Hubersam (another Hubberstey variant?) taken into custody along with a group of others. All were demanded to take the oath and refused.

d) on page 122 William Hugginson and Robert Hubberstie "was taken out of their owne house and sent to prison for 9 weeks"

e) Page 185, January 10, 1692/3 "House of Robert Hubarsty of Yelland for an assembly of Quakers".

f) On Page 203 Robert Hubberstie is listed on a list of places to be searched for arms and ammunition.

On top of that we have a Richard Hubberthorn, which may or may not be a Hubberstey variant. There is a note on how Hubberthorne of Yealand was one of the foremost protagonists of early Quakerism.

There is more on Robert Hubberstey here, including this passage

He was a prisoner near five years, and after his release travelled in the work of the ministry — and visited the churches of Christ through most part of this nation ; exhorting and advising Friends, to feel in all their meetings the life-giving presence and power of God.

Update:

There is a "British Quakers" surname project over at FamilyTreeDNA that is offering discounted DNA tests for "Hubbersty"s! ($15 gift certificate). Soon DNA testing will get cheap enough that it will really be able to help with checking a family tree.


Update:
Here is a link to an on-line copy of a book called Biographical Memories of Friends. It has a chapter on Stephen Hubberstey and one on Richard Hubbersthorn . Link is HERE

Update 2:
This story may be of interest:

1656

Two Quaker preachers, George Harrison and Stephen Hubbersty had been "witnessing to the truth" in the streets of Bury St Edmunds in December 1656. The response was hostile and none of the inns or taverns would take them in, so they headed for the home of Anthony Appleby, a Quaker living in Haverhill, to pass the night. A mob soon assembled outside the house, shouting for the men to come out. Next day the mob re-appeared, broke into Appleby's house and dragged out the two strangers, beating and kicking them to the end of the town. The two men rode off to Kedington to lay complaints about their treatment to the local magistrate, Thomas Barnardiston. By now, Harrison was ill, partly from the beating no doubt, and partly from the winter weather and the long night ride to Haverhill. Barnardiston refused to hear their complaint because they would not pull off their hats to him, and they departed for Coggeshall. Six weeks later George Harrison died and the record book of the Society of Friends recorded "whose blood will be charged upon thee, O Haverhill".