Sarah AMBLER

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: 06 Sep 1693, Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA

Notes:

Name:
The line of Abraham Ambler is hazy due perhaps to the destruction many years ago of valuable Westchester County land records, and of the records of North Castle and Pound Ridge.

No trace of Abraham Ambler is found after the deed of 4 Dec., 1750, but he was dead by 25 Nov., 1771, as is shown by a deed given by his son Samuel Ambler on that date. Abigail Ambler appears on first List of Bedford Congregational Church, 1737-43.

Abraham married Abigail CLASON on 04 Apr 1717 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Abigail (daughter of Samuel CLAWSON and Hannah DUNHAM) was born about 1697. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Abigail Clawson

Notes:

Name:
Abraham Ambler was dead by 15 Nov. 1694, for on that date his father Abraham Ambler drew up a general deed of gift to Abraham Ambler: "These may certify ****that whereas my son Abraham Ambler deceased before he had any housings and land confirmed unto him and leaving one child, I Abraham Ambler of Stamford, do give grant and confirm unto my grandchild Abraham Ambler all of the particulars hereafter named as ye whole of his portion and interest in my estate viz: The house in East part of Town where he now lives" together with various other parcels of land. It is of interest to note that on 31 July 1699, Abraham Ambler as Justice, took the acknowledgment of Abraham Ambler, the grantor, as signer. "This deed of gift" was entered 22 Jan. 1699/1700, by Samuel Holly, recorder.

On 20 Jan., 1699/1700, John Ambler, executor of his father Abraham Ambler's estate, acknowledged the previous grant of his father Abraham Ambler, deceased, "to son of my brother Abraham Ambler," gave young Abraham an extra L30 and also granted to the boy's mother the use of all lands granted her "by my father Abraham Ambler, until the said child Abraham Ambler do come of age, viz., 21."

Hannah Ambler, widow of Abraham Ambler, married second at Stamford 8 Sept., 1697, Jeremiah Andrews, son of Francis Andrews. On 5 Aug., 1713, Administration on the estate of Abraham Ambler was granted to Jonathan Gold. On the same date administration on the estate of Jeremiah Andrews, deceased, of Stamford, was granted to Jonathan Gold and Daniel Weed, Jr. thus the estates of the two deceased husbands of Hannah Gold Ambler Andrews were settled simultaneously at about the time Abraham Ambler came of age. Inventory on Abraham Ambler's estate was taken 13 Aug. 1713, and filed 25 Aug., 1713.

Abraham married Hannah GOLD on 12 Jan 1692/3 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Hannah (daughter of John GOLD and Hannah SLAWSON) was born about 1672 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 12 Dec 1715 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Hannah Goold

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Samuel Clason

Samuel married Hannah DUNHAM on 07 Dec 1693 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Hannah was born about 1674 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; died on 08 Mar 1720/1 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Son of Richard Ambler and Sarah
• Occupation: Between 1670 and 1686; Recorder or town clerk of Stamford
• Occupation: 1699; Recorder or town clerk of Stamford

Notes:

Was elected Deputy from Stamaford to the Connecticut Legislature and served:

May and October 1677
May and October 1678
May and October 1679
May 1681
May 1682
October 1690
May, July and October 1691
October 1692

He was a Justice of Fairfield County when he died in 1699, having been appointed by the General Court in May, 1699. In addition he held minor offices in Stamford and major offices in Bedford, Westchester County, as well as serving on important committees in both places. In 1684, when New York assumed jurisdiction over Bedford for a short time, he was confirmed in his offices and made a Justice of Westcheste County.

Abraham's name is second as a signer on the Indian Deed to Bedford, dated December 23, 1680, his father's standing first. On October 11, 1681, he was named one of a committee of five appointed by the Proprietors to lay out the town lots.

Name:
A man of superior education and wisdom he held a position of leadership throughout his life, while his gentle nature and generous mind brought him the affection of the people of Stamford and Bedford....

In 1684, when New York assumed jurisdiction over Bedford for a short time, he was confirmed in his offices and made a Justice of Westchester County.

Abraham Ambler's name appeared for the first time in the Stamford Land Records on 20 june 1670, when Richard Ambler by "free deed of gift" gave his son Abraham Ambler a house and home lot situated between his own home and that of Robert Bates. From that date until his death his name appears frequently as grantor and grantee and in various distributions to proprietors made by the town. His holdings rank him among the town's richest proprietors and were widely distributed over the township.

Abraham Ambler's name is second as a signer on the Indian Deed to Bedford, dated 23 Dec. 1680, his father's standing first. On 11 Oct. 1681, he was named one of a committee of five appointed by the Proprietors to lay out the town lots. That he was an active projector of Bedford is proved by the action of the Court of Elections at Hartford which on 11 may, 1682, empowered him to act as chief civil officer of Bedford under a license which reads to this effect: Upon the petition of the people of the Hop ground, this Court doth grant them the privelege of a plantation and do order that the name of the town be henceforth called Bedford, and this Court do appoint Joseph Theall to be the present chief military officer for the train band of Bedford and Abraham Ambler is also empowered by this Court to grant warrants, to swear officers and witnesses and to join persons in marriage according to law, and they do free the said town of Bedford from county rates, for the space of three years next ensuing.

Abraham Ambler thus became the first Justice, town clerk and recorder of Bedford and continued as recorder until 26 Feb. 1696/7, when he was succeeded by Zachariah Roberts. His last entry in the town books of Bedford is dated 9 Feb., 1696/7. The early town records in his hand in Stamford and Bedford are remarkable for the character and beauty of the script and the clarity of the phrasing. They prove him a man of education. One marvels that living in a new and crude town such as the Stamford of his boyhood must have been, he enjoyed the opportunity or possessed the character to assimilate the degree of learning which evidently was his. The early school in Stamford probably was most rudimentary, actually there is no record of a school before 1670 and it may be assumed that the Rev. John Bishop, first minister of Stamford, was his teacher.

Abraham married Mary BATES on 25 Dec 1662 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Mary (daughter of Robert BATES and UNKNOWN) was born about 1643 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died after 15 May 1675 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: John Goold
• Name: John Gold Gould
• Occupation: Shoemaker

John married Hannah SLAWSON about 1660 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Hannah (daughter of George SLAWSON and Mrs. George SLAWSON) was born in abt. 1645/46 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 27 Jan 1729/30 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She is referred to as 'ye aintiant Widow Holt".[Slosson 11-20-00 Greene.FTW]

BIRTH: Married, probably at Stamford, to JOHN GOLD or GOULD. After his death
she married 20 SEP 1714, at Stamford, (Deacon) SAMUEL HORR, becoming his third
wife., She is probably the one referred to as "ye aintient (sic) Widow Hoit".
Shge died 27 Jan 1729/30 at Stamford.

Stephen married Elizabeth PEREMENT on 11 Jan 1654/5 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Elizabeth was born about 1631; died on 10 May 1714 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Name:

Elizabeth (Perement) Clason of Stamford, Connecticut, Who Was Tried for Witchcraft, and her Clason Descendants
Harlan R. Jessup

In 1692, at the same time as the witchcraft hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Clason and Mercy Disborough were tried as witches at the county seat in Fairfield, Connecticut. The case against Elizabeth has been well documented and is briefly summarized in this article. In a booklet dated 1959, which does not mention the case, Robert W. Carder1 summarized the Clason descendants of Elizabeth and her husband Stephen Clason of Stamford. That family summary, somewhat amended, follows the trial summary.

The Witchcraft Trial of Elizabeth Clason

Katherine Branch, a seventeen-year-old servant of the Clasons?s neighbors Daniel and Abigail Wescot, was subject to convulsive and paralytic seizures, and in the aftermath of several of these she accused Elizabeth, along with Mercy Disborough and several others, of bewitching her. Elizabeth vigorously denied the accusation but acknowledged there had been an ongoing tension between her and Katherine?s mistress, arising from a dispute over the weight of a quantity of spun flax. On another earlier occasion Elizabeth had chastised Mary Newman whose children had stolen some fruit from the Clason orchard. That evening three of the Newman?s sheep had died, and, finding no other cause, some believed them to have been bewitched. In May of 1692 a Court of Inquiry began hearings in Stamford

"Upon ye Information & sorrofull complainte of Serjeant Daniel Wescot in Regard of his maide Servant Katherine Branch whom he suspects to be afflicted pr witchcraft."

While hearings continued, Elizabeth Clason and Mercy Disborough were held in the county jail at Fairfield until the October conclusion of the trial. In June both Elizabeth and Mercy were put to the water test, being bound hand and foot and pushed into a deep pond or millrace where the guilty were expected to float because of the devil?s aversion to water. This test was already being discredited by New England cleric Increase Mather and by others. Elizabeth being

"bownd head & foote & put into the water she swam like a corck & one laboured to pry her into the water & she boyed up like a corck..."

On 4 Jun 1692, in Elizabeth?s defense, some seventy-six of her neighbors and friends signed a petition assuring the court that


"...we have not known her to be of a contentious frame nor giuen to use threatening words or to act maliciously towards her neighbors but hath bene siuil and orderly...and not to be a busybody..."

The special court, headed by Governor Robert Treat, was convened in Fairfield on 14 Sep 1692, and their formal indictment reads in part:

"Elizabeth Clawson is complayned of & accused as Guilty of witchcraft...for that on the 25th of Aprill ...& at sundry other times she hath by the Instigation & help of the divell...afflicted & don harme to the bodye & estates of sundry of [their Majesties?] subjects..."

The court heard evidence for several days, but after long deliberation the jury was unable to reach a conclusion in either case. The court reconvened on 28 October and, after additional testimony and further examination for ?witchmarks,? the jury found Elizabeth not guilty and she was freed, returning to her family in Stamford where she lived another 22 years to age 83. The jury found Mercy Disborough guilty and maintained this conclusion even after reconsideration. Apparently alarmed by the possibility of an execution, Governor Treat appointed a special committee, which reported in May 1693 that they had reprieved Mercy Disborough. Their report admonished against further such trials stating that

"...the miserable toyl they are in in the Bay [Massachusetts] for Adhereing to those last mentioned Litigious things is warning enof, those that wil make witchcraft of such things wil make hanging work apace...."