THOMAS and SUSANNAH (PARKER) FOSTER and family

HISTORY OF NEW LONDON, by Caulkins, pg. 312: " Of this sea-captain nearly all that is presented to our view is the registry of his marriage, and birth of his children. Thos., son of John Forster, of Kingsware, was m. to Susannah, dau. of Ralph Parker, 27 Mar 1665."

To this history, mentioned above, I have a list of the children of  Captain Thomas and Susannah (Parker) Foster and a few other vital statistics. Their marriage took place in New London, New London, Connecticut in 1665, as stated above. Their children, with the year of their births, below:

1667 Susannah
1668 Thomas, Jr.
1673 Johnathan
1675 Mary, our ancestor
1677 Edward
1678 Samuel
1681 Rebecca 
1683 Ebenezer

THOMAS FOSTER
BAPTIZED: 22 May 1642 in Edmonton, Middlesex, England
MARRIED: 27 Mar 1665 in New London, New London, CT
DIED: 14 Jun 1712 in Guilford, New Haven, CT

SUSANNAH PARKER
BORN: 1648 in New London, New London, CT
DIED: after 1685 in New London, New London, CT
SOURCES: Thomas and Susannah had 8 children WFT198,vol4.; Thomas Died June 14, 1712 in Guilford, New Haven, CT WFT6407,vol3=Died June 14,1712 in Guilford; ABBR Leon StilesWFT198,vol4=marriage place in New LonTITL Leon Stiles WFT198,vol4=marriage place in New London,CT and WFT 6407,#3; Name: Thomas Foster Birth Date: 1640 Birthplace: Connecticut Volume: 57 Page Number: 226 Reference: Gen. Column of the " Boston Transcript". 1906-1941.( The greatest single source of material for gen. Data for the N.E. area and for the period 1600-1800. Completely indexed in the Index.): 6 Nov 1912, 2882; 6 Dec 1915, 5097; 28 Feb 1923, 508; 6 Jun 1927, 5521; 13 Apr 1927, 5437; 28 Jun 1933, 6599; Thomas Foster Baptism Date: 22 May 1642 Parish: All Saints, Edmonton County: Middlesex Borough: Enfield Parent(s): John Foster Record Type: Baptism Register Type: Parish Register; "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP79-FV51 : 20 February 2019), Susanna Parker in entry for Thomas Foster, 27 Mar 1665; citing Marriage, New London, New London, Connecticut, British Colonial America, Compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut; FHL microfilm 008272231; Thomas Foster (1642-1712); Find A Grave
Citation: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=34521423 Source text: Birth: 1642 Death: Jun. 14, 1712 Burial: Unknown

ROBERT AND RUTH (HUBBARD) BURDICK AND FAMILY

"Robert Burdick, the immigrant ancestor of the Burdick family, came to Newport, Rhode Island from England in 1651. Robert Burdick was admitted a Freeman of Newport on May 22, 1655, and a Freeman of the Colony of Rhode Island on May 20, 1657. He married Ruth Hubbard, the first white child born at Agawam (now Springfield...the photo above is a view from Provin Mountain, the highest point in Agawan) Massachusetts on November 2, 1655. Robert Burdick gained early notoriety during a land dispute between the colonies of Rhode Island and Massachusetts over a tract of land known as the Pequot Country -- land taken by the English colonists in the Pequot War of 1637 -- which is now situated, largely, within New London County, Connecticut. Boundary disputes had been going on for some time between Massachusetts and Connecticut over land within the Pequot Country, but the conflict in this instance was primarily between Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The dispute was centered upon a small settlement located in Pequot Country, between Mystic and Pawcatuck, which, in 1658 was named Southertown, and which, today is mostly contained within Stonington, Connecticut and a small part of Westerly, Rhode Island. In October 1658, the colony of Massachusetts laid claim to this settlement, declared it to be a plantation with the name of Southertown, annexed it to Suffolk County, Massachusetts, and appointed special commissioners and a constable to administer the new plantation. In the meantime, the colony of Rhode Island purchased land in a transaction known as the Westerly Purchase to add to its Narrangansett settlement. Included in the Westerly Purchase was some of the land within the boundaries of Southertown. A group of Rhode Islanders, including the Newport farmer, Robert Burdick, and his neighbors Tobias Saunders and Joseph Clarke, laid claim within the new settlement. In retaliation for the Massachusetts claim to Southertown, the Rhode Island Assembly sent out the warning to all settlers within the area of dispute that their land would be confiscated if they put it under the governance of another colonial government (e.g. Massachusetts). On September 30, 1661, William Cheseborough, an early settler of Southertown from Plymouth Colony, testified before the General Court of Massachusetts of his concern that some thirty-six inhabitants of Rhode Island had come into Southertown and had divided and laid out lots. The General Court of Massachusetts issued a warrant to apprehend the Rhode Island men who had settled in Southertown. A stand-off ensued, and Robert Burdick, Tobias Saunders and Joseph Clarke were arrested (although Joseph Clarke was "upon extraordinary occasion ... set at liberty.") For two years, the colony of Rhode Island attempted, unsuccessfully, to negotiate the release of Burdick and Saunders. As a last resort, Rhode Island authorities abducted two Massachusetts officials, who were then exchanged for the release of Robert Burdick and Tobias Saunders. The issuance of the Charter of Connecticut by King Charles II on April 25, 1662 fixed the eastern boundary of Connecticut at the Pawcatuck River. Southertown was situated within this boundary, and thus under the jurisdiction of Connecticut. Later, the British Crown settled the conflict by dividing the disputed land between Connecticut and Rhode Island. The land where Robert Burdick had settled was awarded to Rhode Island, and became part of the area known as Westerly. The land that was awarded to Connecticut became part of the area known as Stonington. After his release from prison, Robert Burdick settled on the same land he was taken from and inprisoned over. He and his wife, Ruth, had eleven children, nine of whom survived to adulthood and had children of their own. He served as a deputy to the General Court of Rhode Island from Westerly for the years 1680, 1683 and 1685, and he was one of the earliest members of the Seventh Day Baptist Church (the Sabbatarians)." 

Below is the list of the Burdick children, all born in Rhode Island:
1656 Thomas
1658 Naomi
1660 Ruth
1662 Sarah
1664 Roger
1665 Sarah
1666 Benjamin
1668 Samuel, our ancestor
1670 Tacy
1674 Robert
1676 Hubbard

ROBERT BURDICK, SR.
BORN: 1625 in Devonshire, England
MARRIED: 1655 in Newport, Newport, RI
DIED: 25 Oct 1692 in Westerly, Washington, RI

RUTH HUBBARD
BORN: abt 11 Jan 1640 in Agawan, Springfield, Hampden, MA
DIED: 1691 in Westerly, Washington, RI
SOURCES: WFT742,vol.1Robert's birth information; Source comments:
ABBR 1998-Leon Stiles, researcher and WFT198,vol 4 marriage of Ruth Hubbard to Robert Burdick; ABBR 1998-Leon Stiles and WFT742,vol.1TITL re Robert's death information; : "A Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England", Vol. 1 pg 301; WFT198,vol4wft,E-1=AGAWAM Ruth's birth; Abridged Compendium of American Genealogies ppg. 907, 518, 970; Osgood: American Colonies in the 17th Century ppg. 367 -369; Rhode Island Records 1636 - 1663 vol. 1, ppg.302 - 303 - 356 -455 - 456 - 462;U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s about Robert Burdick, Name: Robert Burdick Arrival Year: 1651 Arrival Place: Newport, Rhode Island Source Publication Code: 1262 Primary Immigrant: Burdick, Robert Annotation: Date and place of settlement or date and place of arrival. Names not restricted to the Order of Founders and Patriots of America. Source Bibliography: COLKET, MEREDITH B., JR. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p. Page: 52; Collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society" vol. III pg. 117; Ruth HubbardBirth Date: 1640Birthplace: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode IslandVolume: 86Page Number: 75Reference: Elder John Crandall of RI. and des. By John Cortland Crandall. New Woodstock, NY, 1949. (20,797p.):7-8 A genealogical dict. of the first settlers of New England, showing three generations of those who came before May, 1692. By James Savage. Boston. 1861. (4v.)v.2: 485 Gen. Column of the \" Boston Transcript\". 1906-1941.( The greatest single source of material for gen. Data for the N.E. area and for the period 1600-1800. Completely indexed in the Index.): 24 Dec 1931, 2413; 27 Jan 1932, 2413; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, \"FamilySearch,\" database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : 1 Jun 2016), entry for Robert Burdick, person ID LC8X-PC7'

GEORGE and REBECCA (WHELPLEY) KNIFFEN and family

George and Rebecca were both born in Kniveton, Derbyshire, England which is a pretty, grey stone village sheltered in a deep hollow on the slope of madge hill.The church tower there was built in the 13th C., is unbuttressed and contains small lancet windows, battlements and a short spire.

"George's name is spelled various ways, including: "Knifton," "Kniffin,""Kniffen," "Sniffin," "Sniffen," and Snuffene." In 1650, George Kniffin came from England to Stratford, Connecticut. In 1664, he came to Rye, Westchester Co., New York, which was part of Connecticut at the time. In 1666, he bought a house in Rye, from John Budd, Sr. He married a sister of Nathan Whelpley c. 1660. On 12 May 1670, George Snuffene was made a Freeman in Rye. In 1678, he received about 100 acres of new land in Rye. In 1684, he conveyed land in Rye, to his son-in-law, John Statham. In 1690, his name appeared on the list of Proprietors of  Rye. His will was proved 7 December 1694." 

 "It is alluded to, as early as 1687 that  his father started calling himself senior. In 1705 Deliverance Brown, Sr sold to Geo. Kniffen four or five acres in the Great Swamp. This locality was between Ridge St. and Regent St., south of the road to Park's mill."

"Progenitor of the KNIFFEN family in America - an account of him can be found in Max Sniffen's book on the Kniffen/Sniffen family. !Arrived in Stratford, Connecticut in 1650, according to family legend - in 1670 he was "propounded for freeman" and called "George Snuffene of Rye  (NY).  Rye (CT Rec Vol ll, p128) His house-lot laid out in 1678 seems to have been situated where his descendant Jonathan Sniffin now lives. He died in 1694. A son Joseph, and a daughter who married John Stoakham, are known. Five others of the name are presumed to be his sons: Ebenezer, Jonathan, George, Nathan and Samuel."

Here is my accumulated  list of their children who were all born in Rye:
1660 George
1661 Hannah
1662 Joseph
1663 Mary
1668 Samuel
1672 Ebenezer
1675 Jonathan, our ancestor
1680 Nathan
unk Deborah

GEORGE KNIFFEN
BORN: 1632 in Poss, Kniveton, Derbyshire, England
MARRIED: abt. 1660 in Stratford, Fairfield, CT
DIED: 1694 in Rye, Westchester, NY

REBECCA MARY WHELPLEY
BORN: 1644 Poss, Kniveton, Derbyshire, England
DIED: aft 1694 in Rye, Westchester, NY
SOURCES: World Connect Project - Owen & Related Families Rebecca's birthdate:
1644; England, United Kingdom Source Media Type: Electronic re Rebecca's birthdate. Reason attached to person: Migrated from user-supplied source citation: urn:familysearch:source:2681100716; Rebecca's death: Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2K-N1J6 : 12 March 2019), null, ; Burial, , ; citing record ID 78537747, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.; !History of Rye Early Families of Westchester Co, NY History & Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield who bought land 1664 in Rye. HISTORY OF RYE,WESTCHESTER CO., NY 1660-1840; http://website.lineone.net/, Information on Kniveton village in Derbyshire; "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2K-N1J8 : 12 March 2019), null, ; Burial, , ; citing record ID 78537830, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com;  World Connect Project - Owen & Related Families
Source text: birth: Source Media Type: Electronic birth: 1632; Kniveton, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom Source Media Type: Electronic death: 1694; Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States Source Media Type: Electronic

The Family of Peter and Elizabeth (Smith) Brown

It's amazing, I think, to find information about people with the common surnames of Smith or Brown. This couple has both of these common names! In addition, they were born in the early 1600s, making it even more difficult to learn much about them. I credit FamilySearch.org for their efforts here, as you will notice in the list of sources at the bottom of this blog.

It seems that Peter used both of his given names, Peter and Thomas, interchangeably, in the available records about him. He was born in 1610 in Rye, Sussex, England. He married Elizabeth Clawson Smith about 1632 in England. I know of one child, a son,  Deliverance, who was born in 1650. Deliverance is our ancestor.

In 1683 Peter appears among the proprietors of Rye, Westchester, NY where he was a large owner. He was constable in 1696, justice in 1698 and suspervisor in 1701. When the inhabitants applied in 1697 to be taken back into Connecticut, he and Thomas Merritt were sent to represent their wishes. ( Mr. Merritt is another Shepard ancestor.) Peter was admitted as deputy to the next General Court. The records indicate he had left Rye by 1724 and died in or before 1727. 

In my original research re this family, in the 1990s, I have a note that Peter died in 1658, one year after his wife's death. I have to wonder if the same Peter Thomas Brown, born in 1610, was still living and so active in 1724, as indicated in the previous paragraph. Perhaps there was a son who was named Peter or Thomas? More work and research needs to be done on this family.

PETER THOMAS BROWN
BORN: 1610 in Rye, Sussex, England
MARRIED: abt 1632 in England
DIED: 1658 (or bef 1727)

ELIZABETH CLAWSON SMITH
BORN; 16 Aug 1612  in England
DIED: 21 Sep 1657 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT
Sources: www.familysearch.org Compact Disc #18 Pin #626118; Father of Deliverance: Thomas or Peter Brown b: 1610 in Rye, Sussex, England. Mother: Elizabeth b: 16 AUG 1612 in England; Legacy NFS Source: Elizabeth Smith's Death: - Individual or family possessions: death: 21 September 1657; Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States; Source text: Published information: Family genealogies: birth-name: Elizabeth Published information: Family genealogies:  Family genealogies: birth: 1612; England Published information: Family genealogies: death: 21 September 1657; Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States; Published information: birth-name: Elizabeth Jane Smith Published information: female Published information: birth: 16 August 1612; England Published information: death: 21 September 1657; Connecticut, United States; !Death of Elizabeth: Recorded in Stamford Ref: Huntington's History of Stamford. Peter was appointed a Justice 1698-1716 Commissioner of Arbitration 1697 Representative 1698. 

THE FAMILY OF ROGER I. PARKE

In genealogy research, it is always helpful to find a will of an ancestor, especially when the ancestor  lived in the early 1700s,  as Roger Parke did, in the years before census records, marriage records, and other civil records were created. Roger's will named his children and  grandchildren, for instance, which revealed the names of his daughters' married surnames:

"Roger Park, of Rye, Westchester, NY....
Leaves to sons Roger and Thomas all lands in Harrison's Purchase bought of Wm Fowler deceased.
'Roger is to have his part next to land of James 'Pine deceased, now Jonathan Brown's.'
Leaves to son Thomas 3 acres bought of Joseph Fowler deceased, 'where I now dwell, with houses, etc., and my salt meadow. Also my right in the Ferry from Rye to Oyster Bay, and my undivided lands in Rye.'
Mentions daughters Charlotte, Mary, Sophia, and Elizabeth.
'L5 [5 pounds] are to laid out in purchasing 5 Bibles of 20s each, and given to my grandsons Jesse son of Roger, Roger son of Thomas, Roger Purdy, son of my daughter Mary, Roger Haviland son of my daughter Charlotte, and Park Brown Son of my daughter Sophia.'
Leaves to son Thomas 30 acres in manor of Cortlandt.
'My daughter Mary wife of Joshua Purdy.'
June 11, 1768
Proved Feb 1, 1772"

Roger was born in 1654. His wife was Sophia Claes Jansa who was born in 1665. I know very little about their children but their names:

Mary, our ancestor, was christened 26 Dec 1686 at the Reformed Dutch Church in New York, New York, NY
Roger
Thomas
Charlotte
Mary
Sophia
Elizabeth

ROGER I. PARKE
BORN: 1654
MARRIED: unknown date and place
DIED: bef 11 Jun 1768

SOPHIA CLAES JANSA
BORN: 1665 in , ,NY
DIED: unknown
SOURCES: Birth of Sophia Jansa in New York Births and Christenings 1640-1962; Marie Park's christening: FHL Microfilm 17,503 of the Dutch Reformed Church's christenings; Early wills of Westchester County, New York - Roger Park Citation: "Early wills of Westchester County, New York, fr...." Early wills of Westchester County, New York, fr.... N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012..pp. 247-248