MIDDLETOWN UPPER HOUSES

a history of the north society of Middletown, Ct.
from 1650 to 1800
with genealogical and biographical chapters
on early families.

Charles Collard Adams
New York: Grafton Press, 1908.

THE EDWARDS FAMILY

[transcribed by Coralynn Brown ]

Howell's History of Southampton, Long Island, states that 1. William Edwards came from Lynn with his wife Ann in 1653, and died about 1685. 2. John Edwards, b. ____; d. 1693; m. Mary Stansbrough, dau of Josiah Stansborough, and had eight children. 3. Josiah Edwards, b. abt. 1670; d. Feb. 14, 1713, E. Hemp., L.I. m. Apr. 1699, Mary Churchill, b. Apr. 6, 1675, Wethersfield, Conn. Josiah Edward's father and grandfather lived in what became Easthampton, Long Island. The four volumes of land records refer to land gifts from grandfather to Josiah, a grandson, and to other dealings between Josiah and his brothers and father. Book G, page 57 1/2, refers to grants of land to heirs of Josiah Edwards. It is evident thta the widow and children returned to her Wethersfield home. Children: Josiah, b. Mar. 17, 1700. Churchill, b. Apr. 17, 1703. Jonathan, b. Jan. 13, 1704. William, b. 1706. David, b. Apr. 6, 1707. Mercy, b. Sept. 24, 1710. Nathaniel, b. Apr. 12, 1713. Mary, twin to Nathaniel. [Churchill Lineage - The lands of Josiah Churchill in Wethersfield were recorded to him "The 2d month & 28th daie 1641." Hill will was dated Nov. 17, 1683, and he d. before Jan., 1681, as the inventory was then presented in probate court. He m. Elizabeth Foote, dau of Nathaniel Foote and Elizabeth Deming, who d. Sept. 8, 1700. See Churchill and Foote Genealogies. Joseph Churchill, b. Dec. 7, 1649; d. Apr. 1, 1699; m. Mary ___, who d. abt. 1738. Children: Mary, b. Apr. 6, 1675, m. Josiah Edwards. Nathaniel, b. July, 1677; m. Mary Hurlbut. Elizabeth, b. 1679; m. Richard Butler. Dinah, b. 1680; m. Jacob Deming.] [Goodrich Lineage - John Goodrich, b. 1623, England; d. 1680; was in Hartford in 1643, and was given land, 1644, in Wethersfield; m. (1) 1645, Elizabeth Edwards, dau of Thomas, who prob. was uncle of Josiah; m. (2) Mary Foote, dau of Nathaniel Foote and Elizabeth Deming, and widow of John Stoddard; dau Mary m. Joseph Butler (Dea. Richard and Elizabeth Churchill. William Goodrich was brother of John. William Goodrich (William), b. Feb. 8, 1661; d. 1737; m. for second wife, Mary Ann, widow of Dr. Nicholas Ayrault, b. 1661; d. Aug. 27, 1741. Ephraim Goodrich (William), b. June 6, 1663; d. Feb. 27, 1739; res. in Rocky Hill. William Goodrich (Ephraim, William), b. Feb. 21, 1697; m. Rachel Savage (John, John). Sarah Goodrich (Ephraim, William), b. Aug. 3, 1689; d. May 6, 1785; m. Dec. 15, 1725, Richard Butler, who d. Oct. 27, 1757. In 1736 Richard Butler deeded to David Edwards land in Wethersfield. This deed was witnessed by Capt. David Goodrich and Charles Goodrich. The autograph of Charles Goodrich to this deed, teacher in the Upper Houses, is given elsewhere. It is very evident that he was a brother to William, Sarah, David, though his name is not given in the Goodrich Genealogy.] David Goodrich (Ephraim, William), b. Oct. 3, 1699; d. Jan. 7, 1779, Glastonbury side of Wethersfield; m. Feb. 13, 1729, Sarah Edwards, dau of John, d. May 11, 1799. Churchill Edwards (Josiah), b. Apr. 17, 1703; d. Feb. 28, 1794; m. 1738, Abigail ___, who d. Apr. 7, 1809. He purchased in Upper Houses, 1738, the dwelling house, barn and lot of four acres from Joseph Whitmore (Wetmore), what had been the latter's homestead, being one of the four acres distributed, 1711-12, to various persons. This homestead is now (1908) part of the homestead of Edward T. Johnson. Children: Churchill, bapt. Mar. 18, 1739. Abigail, bapt. June 15, 1740; m. Mar. 8, 1763, Capt. Jared Shepard (see the Shepard Family). Nathan, bapt. Nov. 15, 1742; d. "at the Havanas," 1762, prisoner of war. Daniel, bapt. Feb. 13, 1744. David Edwards (Josiah), b. Apr. 6, 1707; d. Jan. 7, 1795; m. Mary Butler (Joseph, Richard), b. 1705; d. July 10, 1786. He removed to Upper Houses, and purchased the four-acre homestead next south of his brother Churchill's first "granted" mar. 18, 1711-12, to David Hurlbut, "being one of the four-acre lots which the town gave liberty to the north society to dispose off and laid out by order of the committee." Children: Anna, b. 1735; m. Jan. 16, 1757, Jehiel Williams (see the Williams Family). Mary, b. ____; m. Nov. 25, 1760, Ebenezer Backus. Sarah, bapt. May 18, 1740; m. Jan. 27, 1763, Major Edward Eells (see the Eells Family). Martha, bapt. Mar. 18, 1744; m. (1) Apr. 10, 1765, Zebulon Stocking; m. (2) Hezekiah Ranney (see the Stocking and Ranney Families). David, bapt. Dec. 24, 1749; d. Oct. 23, 1825; m. (1) Rosanna Hubbard, who d. Oct. 1, 1795; m. (2) Sept. 8, 1796, Mary Wells, who d. Jan. 3, 1860, aged 92 years. He served in the Revolutionary Army, and was on the detail to Quebec Expedition. Children: David, m. July 6, 1841, Louisa Sage. Joseph, b. Oct. 1, 1805. Churchill Edwards (Churchill), bapt. Mar. 18, 1739; d. May 23, 1820; m. Oct. 14, 1762, Lucy Eells, d. Nov. 9, 1787. He served in the Revolutionary Army. Children: Nathan, bapt. Jan. 18, 1764; d. July 22, 1782, on prison ship. Lucy, bapt. Aug. 26, 1766; m. Joseph Ranney, and adopted her brother's daughter, Lucy A., who m. Jared Scranton. John, bapt. Aug. 13, 1775; m. Rebecca Ranney (see the Ranney Family). Daniel Edwards (Churchill), bapt. Feb. 11, 1744; m. Apr. 16, 1771, Jemima Hubbard (Samuel, Samuel and Joanna), who d. Feb. 15, 1815, aged 61 years. He d. July 29, 1800. Children: Daniel, bapt. Aug. 23, 1772; m. Nov. 16, 1795, Honor Bulkeley, b. May 5, 1774; d. Apr. 2, 1848, aged 74 years, dau of Stephen Bulkeley, a Rev. soldier, and Martha Marsh of Rocky Hill, Conn. Their dau Martha, b. Sept. 2, 1796; m. July 12, 1817, Aaron Roberts Savage (Josiah, Josiah, etc.). Their dau Margaret Randolph, b. Aug. 9, 1821; m. Oct. 18, 1842, William Wilshire Riley (see the Riley Family). Zenas, bapt. Oct. 27, 1776; d. May 9, 1836; m. Dec. 7, 1800, Caty Bulkeley, b. Sept. 2, 1780; d. Sept. 12, 1865, dau of Stephen Bulkeley and Martha Marsh. Their son Bulkeley, b. May 29, 1811, m. three times, and, like his father, kept the "Edwards" hotel; was a very prominent citizen. Their daughter Catherine, b. Mar. 6, 1813; d. Sept. 3, 1849; m. Joseph Edwards. Joseph Edwards (David, David), b. Oct. 1, 1805; d. May 26, 1881; m. (1) May, 1834, Catherine Edwards (Zenas, Daniel, Churchill), b. Mar. 6, 1813; d. Sept. 3, 1849; m. (2) May 16, 1850, Harriet White (Jacob, John, Jacob, John, Jacob, Nathaniel, John), b. Oct. 3, 1825. He was a prosperous farmer and dealer in cattle, and left a large estate. Widow res. in Cromwell. Children by 1st marriage: Jane, b. Mar. 12, 1885; m. Oct. 9, 1856, William Crumbie. Res. Lincoln, Neb. Children: Paul, m.; 5 children. Res. Meriden, Conn., William, m.; 2 children. Res Worcester, Mass., Frances, unm. Res. Lincoln, Neb. Robert Zenas, b. 1837; d. _____. Children by 2d marriage: Catherine Augusta, b. Feb. 11, 1851; d. Aug. 1, 1854. Mary Louise, b. Feb. 11, 1853; m. Nov. 26, 1872, Frank W. Bliss. Res. Middletown, Conn. Children: Nellie Cutler, m. H. Howard Warner, 1 child. Res. Middletown, Conn., Jennie Edwards, unm., Charles Louis, m. Helen King. Res. Middletown, Conn., Leroy Franklin, m. Marion Crossman. Res. Middletown, Conn. Susan Sage, b. Mar. 10, 1855; m. John F. McKinstry. Res. Cromwell. Children: Herbert L., m. Lary Levine. Res. Cromwell, Edward, unm., Irving, m. Francis Rogers. Res. Cromwell. Joseph Wells, b. Jan. 5, 1857; d. 1896; m. Louisa Meuter, who m. (2) John J. Ford. Res. Hartford, Conn. Children: Frederick Joseph, m. Emily Spear. Res. Hartford, Conn., Flora Louise, unm. Res. Hartford, Conn. Frederick Joseph, m. Emily Spear, Res. Hartford, Conn. Linus White, b. Jan. 17, 1859; m. Iva Bidwell. Res. Philadelphia, Penn. Child: Betha May, unm. Harriet Augusta, b. 1861; d. 1863 Harriet Anna, b. Sept. 10, 1863; m. 1881 Horace Lester Taylor, who d. May 13, 1897. Children: Ethel May, b. 1 Jun 1884; m. Dec 12 1906, , John P. Kimberly. Res. New Haven, Conn. Lester Stanley, b. Mar. 21, 1887. Florence Harriet, b. June 1, 1889.