|
a.
|
Note: t appearance in Wethersfield, Conn., on theoccasion of his marriage. He may have been there some timebefore that event and probably had been, but we have found noevidence of his presence until then. We have found no evidenceof his parent age, birthplace or previous condition. There is noevidence that he was related to either John of Plymouth, who wasnear his own age, nor William, the ancestor of the New Yorkbranch of the family. Some hints or suggestions of a possiblesolution of the question of his nativity will find mention inthe prefatory part of this volume, but since they are purelyspeculative, we do not place them here. The first entry relatingto his real estate in Wethersfield, CT is the following record: The 2d month & 28th daie 1641 the lands of Josias Churchelllying in Wethersfield on Connecticut River. One pece whereonhis howse standeth con; six acrs more or less the ands (theends) abutt against the hie waie west & great mea: east the sidsagainst the waie into the great mea: south & the howse of JohnJessiope(Jessup) north. (town records B pg 204) The homestead was on the east side of high street, on the northcorner of an ancient road leading to the "Great Meadow" and theriver. It faced the southern extremity of the common, whichstretched north from his house to the river. But he did notreside here all his life, for, under the date December, 1659, wefind this entry in the records: The hom lot of Josias Churchell which he bought of Mr. Tantor(Taintor) which was Gildersleeves formerly living inWethersfield, on Connecticut River. (town records B pg 205) This homestead of Richard Gildersleeves was on the west side ofHigh Street, a few doors south of Mr. Churchill's earlier home.
* The old records have the name Churchell for the first threegenerations, but we have adopted the later, general form, inthis and in other names.
It is difficult to glean biographical material from the meagreand matter of fact records of our forefathers. Inn Hinman'sgenealogical account of the early Connecticut Settlers, he saysJosiah Churchill "He was a gentleman of more than a mediumestate for the time in which he lived, and of reputation in thecolony." He was active and useful in public affairs, though notholding the highest positions. He was a juror of the ParticularCourt in 1643, 1649 and 1651, at the Quarter Court 1664 and 1665and at the County Court 1666, 1670 and 1675. He was chosen aConstable in 1657 and 1670, and was elected one of the two townsurveyors in 1666 and 1673. He executed his will on the 17 th of November, 1683 and diedbefore January 1687. The inventory of his estate was takenJanuary 5 1687 by James Treat and John Buttolph, selectmen ofWethersfield, and was found to amount to 618 pounds, 12shillings and 6 pence. This inventory shoews that at his deathhe owned two home lots and two hundred and ten acres of land. Heleft his son Joseph "that house and home lot he now lives on"together with "all other buildings thereon." He left to Josephalso several other pieces of land, and a fifty acre lot, "at yewest end of Wethersfield bounds" in the newly settled tractwhich later became the parish of Newington. He left to his sonBenjamin a number of pieces of land, and the old homestead atthe decease of his mother. According to the custom of the timeshis daughters were given certain shares of "movable estate."Among the items in the inventory are " a great Chist," and "2bibells and other books." This "great Chist" probably reappearsin the inventory of his son Joseph whis specifies a chest withthe initials "J. C." as well as a piece of "Turkie work" Mention is made of his children Joseph, Benjamin, Mary Church,Elizabeth Buck, Anne Rice and Sarah Wickham.
Josiah Churchill, above mentioned, married Elizabeth Foote,daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Deming) (Foote), who diedat Wethersfield, Sept, 8, 1700, aged about eighty-four years.
Note: Josiah Churchill * (or Churchell, as he himself spelled thename) makes his firs
|
