Abigail HOYT

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: Between 11 Jan 1712 and 1713, Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

Abigail married Joseph BLACHLEY on 27 Jan 1736/7 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Joseph (son of Samuel BLATCHLEY and Abigail FINCH) was born about 1707; died on 04 Dec 1750 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
John was active in community affairs. He was first referred to as Deacon John Hait in a deed dated 14 February 1718. He represented Stamford in the Connecticut General Court every year, from 1715 to 1724, except 1718, and four of those years was a representative in both the May and October sessions. he was a representative again in October 1731 and May 1732, the year of his death. He was selectman 13 years, first in 1714, and was one of a committee for laying out land in 1721. In 1729, he was one of a committee to discuss with Rev. Davenport a misunderstanding about his salary. He was to assist Capt. Bishop as moderator of a special town meeting after Mr. Davenport's death in 1731. The "widow of Deacon Hait" was named on a list of Stamford church members in 1746.

John's deeds were signed with a signature rather than a mark, indicating he could read and write. He was involved in at least twenty-five real estate transactions inStamford from 1702 to 1732, twenty-one as the grantee but only four as a grantor. He bought or was granted sixty-three acres and sold just fifteen acres. he received a two-acre homelot and six acres of outland including five acres on the east side of Noroton River from his father in 1702. In 1708, e returned the five-acre parcel to his father in return for a different parcel of four acres, also on the east side of Noroton River. He received two grants from his mother-in-law, Martha Holmes, four acres of land, meadow and swamp in the East Field in 1719 and three-quarters of an acre of swamp in the East Field in 1720 He bought land from his brother Nathan twice and from his brother Jonathan once. With two exceptions, a purchase of twelve acres from John Webster in 1708 for 14.2 pounds, and a purchase of eleven acres from John Scofield in 1724 for 10 pounds, all of his purchases and sales involved parcels of five acres or less. John's surname was spelled "Hait" in all of his real estate deeds.

John married Abigail HOLMES on 30 Apr 1702 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Abigail (daughter of Stephen HOLMES and Martha ?) was born about 1682 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died after 1746 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Also known as Samuel Hait
• Fact: Also Known as Samuel Hoit

Notes:

Name:
Samuel was living in Stamford by at least 1667 when he was on the Stamford town lists and then received a share in the horse pasture. He held a number of offices in the town. On 25 February 1668/9 he was appointed one of the viewers of the fence for the south field. In April 1677, he was appointed one of a committee to lay out land to Mr. Bishop. He was again appointed a fence viewer in 1674 and 1679, was a collector in 1678 and 1679, and received a house lot for his services as a soldier September, 1676. He was a "townsman," or selectman for 14 yers, first in 1676. He was Deputy for Stamford, April and May 1690, May 1692, May 1693, May and October 1697, January 1697/8, May and October 1699, October 1703, May and October 1704, October 1716. He was an ensign in the Stamford Trainband, May 1698, Justice of the Peace 1699-1702. 1707-1711, and Deacon. Samuel Hoyt was one of a committee to treat with Mr. Davenport about his settlement as a minister in 1692/3, to sign a grant of land to him 1701, to build a new meeting house in 1792(?) and to seat the congregation in 1710. Samuel was called a Deacon as early as 1702.

Samuel married Hannah HOLLY on 16 Nov 1672 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Hannah (daughter of John HOLLY and Mary WAITSTILL) was born on 18 Apr 1651 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 07 Dec 1710 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: 1640

Notes:

Name:
"Connecticut Ancestry": Stephen Holmes was born about 1633 and died at Stamford on 15 May 1710. His widow Martha ?, whose maiden name is still unknown, died at Stamford on 13 March 1727/28.

Stephen Holmes and his brother John were on the list of 21 Stamford residents nominated and approved as freemen of the State of Connecticut at the General Assembly of 14 October 1669 at Hartford.

As the single recipient of his father's farmland in Stamford, Stephen Holmes acquired additional property in newly-divided sections of Stamford over the years through those original property rights. Paul Prindle found that Stephen received specific properties from the town directly in 1667, 1674, 1685 and 1687, and commonage from the town in 6 other layouts; was the grantee of other properties in 4 other deeds from individuals; and was the grantor in 25 deeds and one exchange.

As often happened in colonial times and even today, stephen Holmes disposed of most of his property by deed to his children and their spouses over a period from 1702-1704. Some of these properties were in later settlements away from Stamford center - for example, his gift to his son Samuel in 1706 was of 10 1/2 acres east of the Noroton River, therefore in what is now the town of Darien.

He provided for a homestead for his eldest son Samuel Holmes during his lifetime, but for some reason never transferred the title to Samuel. His widow Martha Holmes who was also the executor of his estate, rectified this on 10 December 1711, when she gave "all that lot of land whereon ye said Samuel Holmes now dwelleth" to Samuel on behalf of herself and her husband's estate.

The sons-in-law Elisha Holly, John Slason and John Hait also received property from Stephen Holmes, either during his lifetime or from his estate. Because of our particular interest in John Slason and the daughter Mary Holmes, we may note that on 8 October 1703, Stephen Holmes gave his daughter "Mary the wife of John Slason one acre of meadow in part of her portion." the deed was witnessed by Steven Holmes Jr. and Sarah Holmes, her H mark, and acknowledged as a deed of gift by David Waterbury, J.P.

Stephen married Martha ? before 1665 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Martha was born about 1645; died on 13 Mar 1727/8 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Son of John Hoyt and Ruth
• Occupation: Planter
• Birth: 20 Jan 1590, Upway, Dorchester, co. Dorset, England
• Immigration: 1629, Ship "Lyons Whelp"
• Fact: 18 May 1631, Freeman

Notes:

"The Hoyt and Haight Families in America": It appears, therefore, that Simon Hoyt landed in Salem in 1628 or 1629, perhaps by the ABIGAIL or the GEORGE, and very soon, in 1628 or 1629, probably the latter year, went to Charlestown as one of its first settlers. He could not have remained there more than a year or two, however, if he was one of the first settlers of Dorchester, in 1630. ....
It seems that Simon Hoyt left a widow named Susanna, who married a Bates, and died before Feb. 1674. From the fact that a Smith at Scituate is called his brother, it appears that either Simon, or a sister of his, married a Smith. It is probable that Simon had two wives, and that Walter, Nicholas, and John were the sons of the first wife, as will appear from the following agreement, found on the Stamford records: "Witnes these presents an agreement made & concluded between vs viz; Moses Hoyt, Joshua Hoyt, Samuell Hoyt, Benjamin Hoyt, Thomas Lyon, Samuel Flinch,Samuel Firman conserving yye distribution of ye Estate of our deceased mother Susana Bates, ye contents followeth
That Moses hoyt receive of Joshua Hoyt ye Just sum of four pounds, thirteen shillings & sixpence which ye said Joshua doth agree to pay. & Samuel Hoyt to have ye beding in his hands & ye horse & wels is in his hands. Benjamin Hoyt to have ye ten pounds left in his hands by our mother Susana afresaid. Thomas Lyon & Samuel Flinch to have ye horses & mares young and old running in ye woods of norwake equally between us, & twenty shillings to each of vs, paid by our brother Joshua Hoyt which ye said Joshua agrees unto.
Samuel Firman to have ye horses & mares runing in fairfeeld limits, & twenty shillings more paid by our brother Joshua Hoyt unto me. The Residue of ye Estate of our forsaid mother remaining in ye hands of our brother Joshua Hoyt being four pounds thirteen shillings & six pence, which ye said Joshua to hae as his pie in ye distribution of ye forsaid Estate mutually agreed unto. -- The distribution as above of ye Estate of our mother Amongst us to our mutuall satisfaction, in consideration whereof we the above named doe hereby Joyntly & severally release, discharge & aquit our borther Joshua Hoyt, & one another from all & any further demands of any right, title or interest in ye Estate aforesaid, & from all & any trouble or molestation in & about ye same.
Joyntly desiring ye this our agreement may be comited to publique record for the further establishment of ye same, further more it is agreed by us fore-named ye if ye shall arise any Just debts due fro our mother in her widdow-hood ye wee or any of us now not of, ye we ye forenamed will contrybute equally to ye payment of ye said debt. In witness of thrugh unto ye premises we ye piyes forenamed doe binds our selues firmly, as witnes our hands this 1st 12: Anno: 1674. Signed thus
Moses Hoyt
Joshua Hoyt
Samuell Hoyt
Benjamin Hoyt
thomas Lyon
Samuell Flinch
Samuell Firman

Witness - Abram Finch
Jonas Seely

From all that has been learned about Simon Hoyt, it is evident that he must have been born before 1600, probably as early as 1595. Hence he was probably thirty or thirty-five years of age at the time of coming to America, and sixty or sixty-five at the time of his death.
The chronicles of the time give us some idea of the hardships endured by the first settlers at Charlestown and Dorchester, - the sufferings of the winter; the conspiracy of the Indians t cut off th eEnglish, when "all hands, of men, women, and children wrought t digging and building," until a fort was completed; and the perils of pestilence and famine, when they were compelled to live on "clams, and muscles, and fish." In all these Simon Hoyt must have participated.
It also appears that he was an early settler of seven different towns in New England; and in most of them he was one of the first white residents. What an experience of pioneer life he must have had!! Scarcely was he settled in one place before he gave up his home, with all its comforts, and started to subdue a new portion of the wilderness. Most of his children seem to have shared the spirit of their father; for in twenty years after his death no one bearing the name of Hoyt was left in either of these seven towns, except Stamford. the hardy and courageous character of the family is shown, not only by their frequent changes of residence, but by the fact that they lived, in Windsor, at least, away from the other settlers...

Simon married Susannah SMITH about 1632 in (Prob) Scituate, Massachusetts. Susannah was born about 1597; died before 1 Feb 1674. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
John Holly, of Stamford, was an early settler of the town and was employed almost constantly in the affairs of the town or colony. In 1647 he was appointed marshal of the settlement, an office requiring great intelligence and business tact. Later he was made collector of customs and excise, which office he discharged with great satisfaction to the General Court from which he received the appointment. He represented the town at the General Court, and was frequently one of the selectmen of the town. he was often appointed on important commissions, both by the town and by the General Court. He came of a distinguished family in England, one of whom, Dr. Luther Holly, was born in St. Leonard's parish, Shordith, London, Oct. 29. 1556.

John married Mary WAITSTILL. Mary was born about 1621; died after 1692 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: 14 Feb 1675/6, Inventory of his estate was taken

Notes:

Name:
"Connecticut Ancestry": Francis Holmes is another early resident of Stamford for whom English origins have not yet been identified. He died at Stamford in the winter of 1675/76.

The name of his first wife and mother of his children is completely unknown. He married (2), sometime after 19 August 1658, Ann (?) Stevens, widow of Thomas Stevens who died on that date in Stamford. Her maiden name is also unknown. On 20 December 1686, the brothers Obadiah, Benjamin and Joseph Stevens agreed that their mother, "the widow Homs," would live with her son Benjamin Stevens, with some support being provided by the other two brothers in the form of certain specified gifts of animals. And, on 1 April 1689, Ann holmes, widow, signing with her X mark, gave "asartain ox" to her son Joseph stevens. Francis Holmes had died at Stamford before 14 February 1675/76 when his inventory was taken.

He first appeared in the Stamford records in 1648 when he and a night watchman were both verbally abused by robert Pennoyer, who was "overcom wt. wine." Francis Holmes himself was accused for misconduct years later (1665) in another Stamford incident, and his son Richard was similarly charged in 1684.

According to Paul Prindle, Francis Holmes was a blacksmith, and always signed with his mark, indicating that he could probably neither read nor write.

His will was made at Stamford on 6 September 1671 and proved at Fairfield on 14 March 1675/76. His wife (unnamed) was to receive the house for life or until "Change of Condition by marriage;" his son John receive the shop with tools, iron, and steel; his son Stephen to receive the farm, horses, and farm implements; and both sons to share equally in the cattle and the remainder. His son Richard, daughter Ann Dean, and servant Cornelius were each to receive 5 shillings. He also referred to his son John's oldest son (not named) who was to receive "my short gunn." He signed with his "FH" mark, in the presence of witnesses Henry Smith, Ann Smith, and Matthew Bellamy. His inventory was presented on 14 March 1675/76, and verified by his widow on the same date. The small legacy to his son Richard suggest that he may have set Richard up in business as a blacksmith during his lifetime, possibly in Norwalk, and therefore considered that Richard had already received his portion.

Francis married ? UNKNOWN. ? died before 1658. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]