HISTORY of
THE COLONY OF NEW HAVEN
To its absorption into
CONNECTICUT

by Edward E. Atwater
with Supplementary History and Personnel of the
Towns of Branford, Guilford, Milford,
Stratford, Norwalk, Southold, etc.

compiled by Robert Atwater Smith
assisted by Bessie E. Beach and Lucy M. Hewitt

Meriden, Conn.
The Journal Publishing Company
1902

STRATFORD & FAIRFIELD, PERSONAL SKETCHES

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

STRATFORD WILLIAM BEARDSLEY (1604-1660) a mason, came in the Planter in 1635, aged 30, with wife Mary, aged 26; children: Mary, aged 4 years. John, aged 2 years. Joseph, aged 6 months. He was a freeman of Massachusetts December 7, 1636; was a representative from Stratford in 1645; will dated Sept. 28, 1660; inventory taken Feb. 13, 1660-61; he had nine or more children. Rev. AARON BLAKEMAN (b. ___, 1657; d. Sept. 7, 1665) was born in Staffordshire; was matriculated May 28, 1617, at Christs' College, Oxford, in his 19th year; he preached in the Counties of Leicester and Derby before he came to New England about 1638; he was at Guilford, but in 1640 he became the first minister of Pequannocke (Stratford); he had a daugher May (1635-1709), who married Joshua Atwater (1612-1676) , and five sons. Bishop Phillips Brooks (1835-1893), was a descendant of this emigrant through his daughter Mary. RICHARD BOOTH (1607-169? last digit hard to read) was in Stratford in 1640; he married Elizabeth (?) Hawley, a sister of Joseph Hawley (1603-169? again, last digit hard to see); he had eight or more children. In 1688 he testified that he was 81 years old. Deacon JOHN BIRDSEYE (1616-1690) came from Milford in 1649. He died April 4, 1690; made his will Aug. 29, 1689; his second wife was Alice Tomlinson. ARTHUR BOSTWICK came from Chester County, England, with his son John and other children of his first wife. The sons Joseph, Arthur and Zecahriah may have ben children of the second wife, Ellen (d. 1678). JOHN BRINSMADE (Brinsmeade) (16__-1673) with his wife Mary Carter, whom he had probably married about 1639 in Charlestown, Mass., came from that town to Stratford; he was in Chalrestown in 1636. At his death in 1673, he left widow Mary, four sons and two daughters. His son Zachariah was drowned in August, 1667. WILLIAM BURRITT (16__-1651) who died in Stratford, 1651, left a widow Elizabeth (d. 1681); in her will of Sept. 2, 1681, she mentions sons Stephen and John and daughter Mary Smith. THOMAS FAIRCHILD (16__-1670) at Stratford in 1646; was a representative in 1659, 1660 and afterwards; by his wife Faith(?) Seabrook, he had seven or more children; five of them are named in his will of Dec. 7, 1670. He went to London about 1672, and there married Mrs. Catharine Cragg (contract of marriage Dec. 22, 1662); by her he had three children. His will was made Dec. 7, 1670, and he died at Stratford shortly after. PHILIP GRAVES (16__-Feb. 11, 1675). HENRY GREGORY was in Springfield in 1637; removed in a few years to Stratford, and perhaps after 1650 removed elsewhere. RICHARD HARVEY by wife Elizabeth(?) had Elizabeth, b. July 25, 1644; Mary, b. Sept. 15, 1647; Sarah, b. Feb. 12, 1650. Elizabeth married, 166_, John Hyde. Mary married Thomas Jeffreys. JOSEPH HAWLEY (1603-1690) was in Stratford in 1659, or before; by his first wife, Catharine (Birdsey written in pen), he had eight children; of the three daughters: Elizabeth (b. Dec. 17, 1651; d. May 10, 1696) married June 7, 1670, John Chapman. Hannah (b. May 26, 1657) married Joseph Nichols (1656-17__),Mbr<' Mary, (b. July 16, 1663) married Dec. 20, 1682, John Coe (1658-1741). He was a prominent man in Stratford, a Representative, etc. His tombstone is still in existence, an uncommon instance in the case of emigrant settlers. JOHN HURD (1614-1682) was in Windsor among the first settlers, and removed from there to Stratford; he was a Representative in 1649, '56 and '57; his first wife died before 1662, and was probably the mother of his daughters, Mrs. Mary Bennett and Abigail Bissell. He married, Dec. 15, 1662, Sarah Thompson (b. 1642), daughter of John Thompson (d. 1678) of Stratford, and had by her six more children. WILLIAM JUDSON (1597-1662) was in Concord in 1635; he came to New England in 1634 with his wife Frace (d. 1659), and sons: Joseph (b. 1619; d. Oct. 8, 1690), Jeremiah (b. 1621; d. May 15, 1701), Joshua (b. 162_; d. 166_). Removed to Hartford in 1639, and was in Stratford in 1644, and in that year was engaged in obtaining aid for the infant college at Camebridge. Some years later he went to New Haven, where his wife Grace died Sept. 29, 1659; he married, Feb. 8, 1659-60, Mrs. Elizabeth (_____) Wilmot, widow of Benjamin Wilmot Jr. (d. 1651) of New Haven, and died July 20, 1662. Mr. NICHOLAS KNELL (16__-1675) at Stratford in 1650 or before, married Mrs. Elizabeth (Newman) Knowles, daughter of Gov. Francis Newman (d. 1660) and widow of Thomas Knowles (d. 1647) of New Haven; she bore him four or more children and survived him. He died April, 1675; the will only mentions his wife and two sons. He was a man of importance, had Mr. prefixed to his name, and the mention in the town records of his death calls him "that aged benefactor of the country." In the History of Stratford, it is stated that he had John, b. 1651; d. 1652; Elizabeth, b. May 5, 1653; Isaac, b. Feb. 1655; John, b. May 17, 1654. Sergt. FRANCIS NICHOLLS (15__-1650) brought with him from England three sons, Isaac (d. 1695), Caleb (d. 1696) and John. He married after 1640, Anne Wines, daughter of Barnabas Wines of Southold, L.I.; he had two daughters, the youngest one, Anne, was a daughter of the second wife; his estate was small, and neither will or inventory is of record in the probate office. JOHN PEACOCKE (d. 1670) was in Milford before 1646, and in Stratford before 1650, where he died in 1670. In his will is mentioned his wife Joyce, daughters Phebe, wife of Richard Burgess; Mary, who married in 1673, Benjamin Beach, and Deborah, wife of James Clark, who removed from New Haven to Stratford. JOHN PEAKE (or Peat) (1597-1678) came in the Hopewell in 1635, aged 38, from Duffield Parish, County Derby, England. Was in Stratford before 1650 with his son John (b. 1638) who was probably the John Peake recorded in the list of freemen of 1669. He had a wife, Sarah Osborn, and daughter Mary, born in 1620, John, b. 1638, Benjamin, b. 1640, and probably other children. JOHN READER was in Springfield, Mass. in 1636; had a grant of land there, but did not remain long in Springfield. He is undoubtedly the same person who was in New Haven in 1638, and is there recorded as having a family of two persons and an estate of 140 pounds. In 1656 he is recorded at Newtown, L. I. ROBERT RICE was a freeman in 1664 in New London; he was at Stratford in or before 1648; on Feb. 8, 1660, he sold "one house lot, one dwelling house upon it, and barn to Thomas Wheeler, now of Paugusit," and removed to New London. ROBERT SEABROOK (1566-163_) of Stratford, had several daughters, one of them married William Preson (d. 1647) of New Haven, another daughter married Thomas Fairchild (d. 1671) and Alice (b. in 1587 [hard to read] [d. 1653 in ink], married Thomas Sherwood (1586-1656). [Note:-- According "The Parentage of Alice Tiler, First Wife of Thomas1 SHERWOOD of Wethersfield, Stamford & Fairfield, Connecticut", Leslie Mahler, FASG, TAG, Jul 2007, pgs 211-213, Alice was not the daughter of Robert Seabrook, but of John & Joan (SMITH) TILER, bap. 16 Nov 1585 in Hitcham, Co. Suffolk, England. Alice was named as the wife of Thomas SHERWOOD in her mother's will dated 11 Jun 1619. Courtesy of Genevieve Sherwood Bullock] THOMAS SHERWOOD (1586-1656) came to Boston in 1634, on the ship Francis, from Ipswich, aged 48 years, with wife, Alice Seabrook (1687-16(the 53 written in ink), aged 47 years, and children, Ann, aged 14; Rose, 11; Thomas, 10; Rebecca, 9. Of the eight remaining children, several of them were born in New England; they were Stephen, Matthew b. 1643, Isaac, Tamsen, Margery, Ruth, Abigail and Mary. THOMAS SKIDMORE (d. 1684) was in Cambridge, Mass. in 1642; in 1636 he had been engaged by John Winthrop in his preparation for planting at Saybrook. He was early in Stratford with son-in-law Edward Higby; soon after 1659 he removed to Fairfield. His will made April 20, 1684, was proved soon after; he had a first wife Ellen, and second wife Sarah, who is mentioned in his will, and left two sons and several daughters. JOHN THOMPSON (1613-1678) married in England, Mirabel (d. 1690) and had six children, two sons and four daughters. He came to New England for the first time, it is believed, about 1635, then returned to England to dispose of his property there, and before returning to New England married his wife there. DANIEL TITTERTON (d. 1661) was probably the person of that name who was in Boston in 1643; he was in Stratford before 1647; was a Representative in 1647, '49, '52 and '54; he died in 1661, probably in June, as his will was probated July 6, 1661. In the will are named three sons, Daniel (d. 1709), Samuel (d. 1711) and Timothy, (b. 1641); also three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary who married 1665 Samuel Sherman (1641-1717), and Johanna Wilcoxson, probably the first wife of John Wilcoxson (1633-1690). His wife survived him; he gave an estate and lands in England to his children; possibly Samuel and Timothy went to England to procure the property there belonging to them, but if so they both returned to New England and died here. THOMAS UFFORT (or Offitt) (15__-1660). came to Boston in 1632 in the ship Lyon, with his wife Isabel and children Thomas, John and a daughter who married Roger Terrill of Milford. THOMAS UFFORT, Jr. (16__-1683) married in Wethersfield, Frances Kilbourne (d. 1683). They left no children; she outlived her husband only a few weeks, and her estate in Jan. 1683-84, was divided among her brothers and sisters. The inventory of his property taken Dec. 26, 1683, amounting to 1,834 pounds according to his will of May 17, 1683, was given to his brothers, sisters and their heirs. HENRY WALKERLEE (or Wakelee) was in Stratford before 1650; in 1663 he had a son James, and was "attorney before the General Court in behalf of his son James, but the matter was withdrawn from court." JOHN WELLS was probably the eldest son of Gov. Thomas Wells of Hartford. He was made a freeman in 1645; married about 1647, Elizabeth Bourne, who came to New England under the care of Henry Tomlinson and Ellen, wife of Arthur Bostwick. WILLIAM WILKINSON (or Wilcoxson) came from England in April, 1635, in the ship Planter, in company with Richard Harvey and William Beardsley (1604-1660), both of whom settled in Stratford. He was a freeman in Massachusetts in 1636; came from Concord, Mass. to Stratford about 1639; he was a man of prominence in Stratford. In his will dated May 1651, he gave 40 pounds to the church at Concord; he left a widow and five sons. The name in some localities has been contracted to Wilcox. FAIRFIELD JOHN BANKS (16__-1685) was in Windsor previous to 1643, where he married Mary (?) Taintor, daughter of Charles Taintor of Wethersfield. He was a town clerk in Windsor in 1643; removed to Fairfield, and was a Representative several years between 1651 and 1666. He removed to Rye from that town 1670-73. He left a good estate; made his will Dec. 12, 1684, and died Januray, 1685. In the will he mentions wife Mary (possibly not his first wife), sons John (d. 1699), Samuel, Obadish (d. 1691), Benjamin (d. 1692) and daughters Susannah Sturges, Harriet Burr and Mary Taylor. A son, Joseph, died in 1682, probably unmarried, as he gave his estate to his four brothers and sister Mary Taylor. JOHN BARLOW (16__-1674) in his will of March 28, 1674, mentions his wife Ann, sons John, and daughters Elizabeth Frost, wife of Daniel F.; Martha, wife of James Beers; Deborah, wife of John Sturges; Ruth, wife of Francis Bradlee (d. 1689) and Isabella Clapham, wife of Peter Clapham. The poet and diplomat Joel Barlow (1754-1812) was a descendant. THOMAS BARLOW by wife Rose had Phebe, who married Francis Olmstead of Norwalk; Deborah, who married John Burritt of Stratford, and Mary. He made his will Sept. 8, 1658. The widow Rose married Edward Nash of Norwalk. JEHUE BURR, Sr. (15__-1672) came to Boston in 1630; was made a freeman in 1632 in Roxbury; removed to Agawam (or Springfield) in 1636, and from there he removed in 1644 to Fairfield, where he died in 1672, leaving four sons, Jehu, John, Daniel and Nathaniel. Captain JEHU BURR (1625-1692) eldest son of Jehue Burr Sr., married in Fairfield, Mary Ward, daughter of Andrew Ward (d. 1659). He married Mrs. Esther (_____) Boosey, widow of Joseph Boosey of Fairfield. In his will are mentioned his widow and nine children - Daniel, Peter, Samuel, Mary Wakeman, Ester____, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jonana and Abigail. Colonel JOHN BURR (16__-1694) came with his father, Jehue, to Fairfield. He married Sarah Fitch, daughter of Captain Thomas Fitch (1612-1704) of Norwalk. He had nine or more children; two sons died before their father. He was a Representative in 1666, and an officer of various grades in the militia. His wife is not mentioned in his will of March 19, 1694, and had undoubtedly died before that date. The children named were John, Samuel, Jonathan, David and daughters Sarah ____, Mary and Deborah. Colonel Aaron Burr (1756-1836), Vice-President of the U. S. 1801-1805, was a great-grandson of Col. John Burr. DANIEL FROST son of William Frost of Fairfield, had by his wife, Elizabeth Barlow, three sons and five daughters. He was living in 1670. The first child, Rebecca, born in 1640, married Simeon Booth, Sarah married Samuel Smith, Rachel married Robert Rumsey, Hannah married John Thorp and Esther married [trans note: the narrative just cuts off right there.] WILLIAM FROST (15__-1645) had sons Daniel and Abraham. He came from Northamptonshire and died in Fairfield in 1645. Will made Jan. 6, 1645, names sons Daniel and Abraham, daughters Elizabeth, wife of John Grey Mary Riley; Lydia, wife of Henry Grey; mentions estate and "all is goods" in England, which he devises to Mary Riley who lived in England. OBADISH GILBERT (d. 1674) brother of John Gilbert (d. 1690), and possibly son of William Gilbert of Windsor, married, 165_, Mrs. Elizabeth (_____) Olmstead, widow of Nathaniel Olmstead, who had one daughter, Sarah Olmstead. He had three sons, Obadiah, Benjamin and Joseph. GEORGE GOODWIN. JOHN GREEN _16__-1703) made a freeman in 1662, left a good estate. He had a wife Hannah and son John. In his will he gives his negro slave Harry his freedom, and a horse, and "the violin he calleth his." JOHN GREY the person mentioned above as husband of Mrs. Elizabeth (Frost) Watson, widow of John Watson and daughter of William Frost (d. 1645). He removed to Long Island and is probably the John Grey mentioned in Thompson's History of Long Island. he had a son Henry and probably other children. EDMUND HARVEY _15__-1648) See account of this settler in Milford list of emigrants. ROBERT HAWKINS A Robert Hawkins (b. 1610) was at Charlestown. He came in 1635 in the Elizabeth and Ann, aged 25 years, with wife Mary, aged 24. He had three children born after 1635 and possibly more. HUMPHREY HIDE or Hyde (16__-1679) in his will of Nov. 12, 1679, mentions wife Ann, son John, daughters Sarah, wife of Peter Coley, and Hannah, wife of William Sprague. WILLIAM HILL, Sr. (15__-1649), came to New England June 5, 1632, on the ship William and Francis with wife Sarah and probably most of the children mentioned in his will of Sept. 9, 1649, probated May 15, 1650, whose names were Sarah, William, Joseph, Ignatius, James and Elizabeth. Sarah mararied Sept. 17, 1646, Joseph Loomis of _____. WILLIAM HILL, Jr. (16__-1684) son of William Hill (d. 1649) of Fairfield, was a Representative in 16__, and left a good estate. The inventory was taken Dec. 25, 1684. He left a widow Esther and five children. SIMON HOYT (16__-1659) was living in Charlestown in 1629; made a freeman there May, 1631. He was in Scituate 1633-36, and about 1639 he removed to Windsor. While living in Windsor his son Benjamin was born in 1644. About 1650 he removed to Fairfield and died 1659 in Stamford. A son Joshua married Mary Bell, daughter of Lt. Francis Bell (d. 1690) of Stamford. PETER JOHNSON called a Dutchman, sold his house in Boston in 1638 to Richard Rawlings. He was in Fairfield in 1649 or before. His wife Elizabeth had a child, Moses, born in prison where she had been confined for some time. It is conjectured by Savage that she was imprisoned because she was or had been insane; that the son Moses was a posthumour child, and that John Johnson (d. 1659) and Col. Ebenezer Johnson were also his sons. THOMAS JOHNSON Rev. JOHN JONES (159_-1665) lived for some time in Concord, where he was ordained pastor April 6, 1637. He arrived at Boston Oct. 3, 1633, coming in the ship Defence from London. His name and that of a fellow-passenger, Rev. Thomas Shepard (1605-1649), do not appear on the "list at the custom house," probably for certain goods and sufficient reasons. His wife Sarah, aged 34, and children, Samuel, aged 15, John 11, Ruth 7, Theophilus 3, Rebecca 2, and Elizbeth 1 1/2 - "are all set forth in the document." At Concord he had one son Eliphalet, b. Jan. 9, 1641, and probably his wife Sarah and son Theophilas died at Concord. His will was made Jan. 17, 1665, and inventory taken Feb. 7, 1665. The will mentions the widow, Susanna, and all the children except Theophilus, viz: the four daughters, Sarah Wilson, Ruth James, Rebecca Hall and Elizabeth Hill and the sons John and Eliphalet (1643-1731). THOMAS JONES was first at Concord and removed to Fairfield. He was a freeman there in 1669, and a Representative in 1685. It is suggested by Savage that he might have been a brother of Rev. John Jones. ALEXANDER KNOWLES (16__-1663) was a freeman in Massachusetts Bay Colony Dec. 7, 1636; the town not stated. He sold land on the Piscataqua River Oct. 14, 1651, and appears in Fairfield in 1653 or before. Jan. 17, 1653, he bought a house and lot of Henry Whelpley. He was chosen an Assistant of the Colony of Connecticut in 1658. He died in December, 1663. In the will is mentioned sons John (d. 1673), Joshua, daughter Elizabeth Ford, widow of Thomas Ford (d. 1662), and possibly another daughter living in Milford. Deputy-Governor ROGER LUDLOW was first at Dorchester, Mass. He came in the Mary and John from Plymouth, England in May, 1630, was chosen an Assistant soon after, and in August, 1634, made a Deputy-Governor. In 1635 he removed to Windsor, Conn.; was chosen as Deputy-Governor in Connecticut Colony; about 1639 he removed to Fairfield. The people of Connecticut Colony were very desirous of grabbing all the excellent locations, although they were unable to occupy them for lack of people to settle on them, but still wished to keep them out of the hands of the New Haven, Milford and Stamford colonists, instructed Ludlow and others to possess as much land as possible along the coast west of New Haven and Milford Colonies. It was land rightfully belonging to the settlers of New Haven, who located in that section of country first in 1637, and who with the Milford and Stamford settlers would soon have spread out all along the coast from Quinnipiac to the Dutch possessions. These instructions Ludlow carried out to the best of his ability, and so Stratford, Fairfield and Norwalk were considered to be a part of Connecticut Colony politically, but geographically they belonged to the New Haven Colony and their business intercourse was with New Haven, and to some extent New Haven Colony people settled among them and the young men married the daughters of the New Haven and Milford colonists. Deputy-Governor Ludlow had a daughter Sarah, who married Rev. Nathaniel Brewster (d. 1690) of Brookhaven, L.I. He removed from Fairfield in 1654 to Virginia and died there. Lieut. SAMUEL MOREHOUSE (16__-1733) son of Thomas Morehouse (d. 1658), married Rebecca Odell, daughter of William Odell (d. 1676). he had Samuel, Jonathan, Thomas, John and probably others. He was marshal of Fairfield in 1673, and "held offices of trust and usefullness." THOMAS NEWTON one of the first five settlers; was chosen Representative in 1645. In 1653 he removed from Fairfield. In 1656 he was in Newtown, Long Island. While living there was a captain under Governor Stuyvesant. JOHN NICHOLS (16__-1655) son of Francis Nocholls of Stratford (d. 1650), was in Watertown in 1636 or 1637. He may have resided at Wethersfield before settling in Fairfield. By wife Grace he had Isaac, Sarah, John and Samuel; probably the children Esther, Elizabeth and Hannah, mentioned in the inventory of June 19, 1655, were the children of a former wife. The widow Grace married about 1655 Richard Perry (d. 1658). RICHARD PERRY (16__-1658) was in New Haven in 1638 with his wife Mary Malbon, daughter of Richard Malbon, whom he married in England. He had recorded in the New Haven list an estate of 260 pounds and a family of three. His name ceases in the New Haven records in 1649. He married about 1655 Mrs. Grace Nichols, widow of John Nichols (d. 1655), and died in 1658. In New Haven he had : Mary, baptized Oct. 4, 1640, Micajah, b. Oct. 31, 1641, Samuel, b. June 8, 1643, John, b. July 11, 1647, Grace, b. Sept. 2, 1649. FRANCIS PURDY and his wife Mary were in Fairfield in 1644. On January 6, 1645, they are witnesses to the will of William Frost. GEORGE SQUIRES (16__-1691) was in Concord in 1642; he removed after that year to Fairfield. In his will of Aug. 7, 1691, he gives his estate to his sons Thomas, John, Jonathan, Samuel, a grandson George, a child of his son George (d. 1674) and John Seely, husband of his daughter Sarah. THOMAS STAPLES had by wife Mary: Thomas. Mary, who married Josiah Harvey (d. 1698). another daughter who married John Beach. Mehitable. John. the order of succession is not known. "He was a man of importance, and of spirit enough to prosecute Deputy-Governor Ludlow for defamation in reporting that his wife was a witch. The trial for satisfaction of both parties was in the neighboring Colony of New Haven, where the court wisely held, "that there was no proof that Goodwife Staples was a witch, and mulcted Ludlow to pay 10 pounds to the husband for reparation of his wife's name, and 5 pouns for his trouble and cost." JOHN THOMPSON (16__-1657) had a wife, Elizabeth Sherman, and children: Elizabeth, b. 1644. Mary, b. 1649. John, b. 1651. Esther, b. 1654. The widow made a contract of marriage on December 25, 1657, with Daniel Finch (d. 1667) of Fairfield. Captain ROBERT TURNEY (1633-1690) eldest son of Benjamin Turney (d. 1648), of whom by his will of Dec. 31, 1689, and inventory taken Jan. 7, 1690, we learn that he had a wife Elizabeth and seven daughters, viz.: Elizabeth. Mary. Ruth. Martha. Rebecca. and the wives of Joseph Jennings and of Ephraim Wheeler, called sons-in-law, while their wives were not mentoned, but undoubtedly these wives were the daughters and probably were dead. R. WESTCOAT Mrs. SARAH (JONES) WILSON probably the widow of Thomas Buckley (d. 1658), and who married about 1659 Anthony Wilson (d. 1662). She had sons John and Joseph Buckley, and daughters Sarah, wife of Eleazer Brown, and Rebecca, wife of Joseph Whelpley. HENRY WHELPLEY was at Stratford in 1645 and removed soon after that year to Fairfield. In 1653 he sold his house and lot to Alexander Knowles (d. 1663), and possibly removed to some other town. His widow Sarah married Ralph Keeler (1613-1672) of Norwalk. He had Joseph, Rebecca, and probably other children.