John Andrews Sr. (abt. 1616 - 1682)

Born about 1616 in England

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Andrews — married about 1642 in Connecticut

Descendants

Died 2 Mar 1682 at about age 66 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut

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Biography

Origins: The origins and parents of John Andrews are unknown. There is no evidence that he was the son of Thomas Andrews of Charwelton, Northamptonshire, England.

He is potentially the brother of Francis Andrews of Hartford, "Francis Andrews of Hartford, had land there, 1639, said to be a brother of John, of Farmington"^[1] Further evidence that he is the brother of Francis is given that they each had a son named Abraham, who are spoken of as first cousins in multiple texts.

Name

Name: John Andrews

of Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut.

Orthographic variations: Andrewes, Andrus

John Andrews or Andrus was born about 1616. This date is estimated, based on Winthrop's statement made in 1666 that John Andrews of Farmington was "about 50." There is no record of John's immigration. He was one of the first settlers at "Tunxis" (later Farmington, Connecticut) and began having children there in 1643.^[2]

John Andrus (Andrews) was one of the early settlers and in 1672 one of the 84 Proprietors of the ancient town of Tunxis, named afterwards "ffarmingtowne" Tunxis being then as much a name of a tribe of Indians, as it was of the river, and lands they occupied, and claimed as Proprietors. ^[3]

Marriage and Children

Married: Mary Unknown about 1642.

The date is an estimate based on the estimated date of birth of their first child.

D.L. Jacobus suggests that John may have married twice since there was a delay in baptizing his older children. John's wife Mary joined the church in April 1654 and four young children baptized at that time. Four years later, in May 1658, John joined the church and three older children were baptized. Perhaps the older children were by a former wife and needed to wait until they could be baptized in their father's right, as a church member.^[2]

"On April 2, 1654, Mary Andrews, the wife of John Andrews, and her son Abraham Andrews, about the age of 6 yrs and 3 months and Daniel Andrews, about 3 yr 10 mo, and Joseph Andrews about 2 yrs 3 mo, were joined to the Church. The next week "on April the 9th, 1654, Rachel Andrews, daughter of Mary Andrews, was presented to the Church and baptized.

"Stephen Andrews, son of John Andrews ... baptized, June the 6th, 1656."

"On the 9th of May, 1658, John Andrews joined to the Church, in the Covenant... on the 16th day of May, the children of John Andrews were baptized that were not above 13 years old, when their mother Mary Andrews did enter into covenant with the Church, viz: Mary in her fourteenth year, and John about 13 years and Hannah about 11 years. ^[4]

20 May 1658, At a General Court of election John Andrewes and others were made free before the court.^[5]

Children "the first three possibly by a former wife"):^[2]

1. Mary b 15 Apr 1643 marr in 1662/3 to Thomas BARNES
2. John b 12 Aug 1645 marr about 1668 to Elizabeth STRICKLAND, daug of Thwaite
3. Hannah b 26 Feb 1646/47 marr Obadiah RICHARDS, son of Thomas Richards of Hartford
4. Abraham b 31 Oct 1648 marr about 1682 Sarah PORTER, daug of Robert & Mary (Scott) Porter
5. Daniel b 25 May 1649 [or 1650] marr Mary PECK, daug of Paul & Martha (Hale) Peck
6. Joseph b 26 May 1651 [or 1652] marr Rebecca ----
7. Rachel bapt 9 Apr 1654 marr in 1675 Ezekiel BUCK
8. Stephen bapt 6 Jun 1656 died young
9. Benjamin b 17 Jun 1659 marr 1st 1682 to Mary SMITH, daug of Richard & Joanna (Quarles) Smith, marr 2nd 1710 to Dorcas (Wright) (Allen) Wetmore, marr 3rd to Sarah (Kilbourn) (Crane) Leonard.

Contract 23 March 1662/3

John Andrews contracted a 'pre-nuptial' agreement dated 23 Mar 1662/3 for his 19 year-old daughter Mary to marry Thomas Barnes of Farmington, a recent widower, to ensure that Thomas would provide for Mary and any children of theirs in his estate. [printed in full in "The American Genealogist", 9:40-41] ^[6]

Death and Will

John died at Farmington shortly before his will was proved 2 Mar 1681/2.^[2]

Will taken from Andrews, Alfred (1872) Genealogical history of John and Mary Andrews. Chicago, Ill. : A.H. Andrews & Co. p. 52

" I John Andrews being grown aged, and many weaknesses attending of me from time to time, and now at this present it pleaseth the most high to visit me with more than ordinary weakness, yet through the good hand of God upon me, I have at this present the perfect use of my understanding, now I do think it meet to set that little at a stay, as I am able that God hath given me ; all my lawful debts being discharged, I dispose of my estate as followeth :

Item. I give and bequeath unto my dear and loving wife Mary Andrews, the new end of my dwelling house, and the seller under, for her use and comfort as long as it shall please God to continue her natural life ; I do also give her the use of half my orchard, the fruit of it as long as she liveth ; moreover I do give and bequeath unto my dear and loving wife, my feather bed, with all the furniture belonging to it, and when it shall please God to end her natural life my mind is that she shall have liberty to dispose of it to whom she please.

Item. I do give unto my son Benjamin Andrews, my whole house and barn and home lot, after my loving wife's decease. My mind is that my son Benjamin shall possess after my decease half my house and my home lot and barn wholly for his to possess, as also the household stuff, reserving that liberty that my wife shall use that she shall need.

Item. I give to my son Benjamin my meadow lot, excepting two acres at the lower end of it, as also two cows to my son Benjamin, and one to my loving wife, yet moreover I give to my son Benjamin Andrews, my splayed mare, and my crown mare, and my two youngest working bullocks, and my cart, and plow, and plow-irons, barrow, plow-chains, horse chains, half a timber chain, and all my tackling that belongs to my teame, and my will is that my son Benjamin shall have these things above mentioned upon that condition, that he maintayne his dear mother comfortably, so long as her natural life continueth, and if it so fall out that my loving wife doth want a comfortable subsistence my will is that she shall have power to sell so much of my meadow land as she shall need lo obtain a comfortable livelyhood.

Item. I give to my son John Andrews one of my old bullocks, my long fowling piece, arid my lot adjoining of land that abutteth upon Hartford bounds.

Item I give to my son Abraham Andrews my old mare and her sucking colt, and my 20 acre lot in the great swamp adjoining his own lot.

Item I give my son Daniel Andrews two acres of my meadow land at the lower end, beginning at the dividing line between John Stanley, jun. and myself, running from the river westward, to the ditch eastward, and my mind is that he shall maintain the common fence that belongs to two acres, and I give him my upland lot that belongs to my twenty acre swamp lot, and my two year old horse coalte, and also I give to my son Daniel Andrews two swine that are one year old.

Item I give to my son Joseph Andrews my other old bullock, also I give to him my upland lot containing 40 acres, that lyeth near the Middleton path.

Item I give to my son Benjamin all the divisions of upland that belong to me, that are not yet laid out, moreover, I leave the rest of my swine, and my corn I leave to discharge my debts in my son Benjamin's hands, as also he shall pay some small legacies.

Item I give to my grand-child, Thomas Barnes, twenty shillings.

Item I give to my grand-child, John Andrews, one pound.

Item I give to my grand-child, Abraham Andrews, one pound.

Item I give to my grand-child, John Richards, one pound.

Item I give to my grand-child, Daniel Andrews, one pound.

Item I give to my grand-child, Ezekiel Buck, one pound.

Respecting my grandchild, Joseph Andrews, my son John Andrews son, if he sees meet to let him continue with my wife and my son Benjamin till he is one and twenty years, he shall have fifteen pounds, and two suits of apparel. If he sees cause to take him away before he is of that age, do give him nothing, and he shall pay nothing for the time I have kept him.

Item. I give to my daughter, Mary Barnes, my black heifer, that is two years old.

Item. I give to my daughter, Hannah Richards, two yearlings.

Item. I give to my daughter, Rachel Buck, my two year old red heifer. My will is that my son Benjamin Andrews shall be my whole and sole executor, and I desire my loving friends, Capt. John Stanley, and Isack Moore, to be the overseeing of my will with my son Daniel Andrews.

Upon second consideration of my will, considering the contents thereof, and my just debts being considered, I find them more than I expected, make this my whole and sole testament, and determined will, that all the cattle excepting such as are mentioned, and given by will to my loving wife and Benjamin, shall be set at liberty for the discharging my just debts with the swine and the corn as before exprest, all just debts being charged, my will is that the legacies shall have what remains of my cattle, except those given to my loving wife and my son Benjamin, by that proportion as is specified in my will to them. Furthermore I give to my executor that liberty to pay the legacies to my grand-children within six or seven years.

Robert Porter, Wm. Lewis, sen, Wit. this 14th Jan. 1681.

Signed and sealed, John Andrews.

His estate was L321:19:00.^[2]

Often Confused Wives

The wife of John ANDREWS (ANDRUS) is NOT Mary Barnes, Mary Smith, Mary Peck or Mary LILLY. Her surname is NOT KNOWN.

Mary wife of John did NOT marry Thomas Andrews.

Thomas BARNES is the Son-in-law of John Andrews (Andrus) and Mary Unknown. Mary (Andrews) Barnes is the DAUGHTER of John ANDREWS (ANDRUS) and Mary UNKNOWN and second wife of Thomas BARNES.^[7] She later married Jacob Bronson^[8][9]

Mary Smith was the daughter-in-law of John ANDREWS and Mary UNKNOWN. She married Benjamin Andrews.

Mary Peck was the daughter-in-law of John ANDREWS and Mary UNKNOWN. She married Daniel Andrews.

LILLY: The idea that John ANDREWS (Andrus) married Mary LILLY is from the following:

• 'A Ruth Lilly was recorded in the Journal of John Winthrop. "1667, Ruth Lilly, 19 yrs., Hartford, sister of J. Andrews' wife." ^[10] It was then believed that she was probably a sister of Mary Lilly who married John Andrews.'
• Ruth Lilly would have been born in 1647/8. That she is the sister of Mary born about 1620 or that they are the daughters of Luke Lilly, is speculative at best.

Further Note: The Ruth Lilly age 19 in 1667, was born 16 Feb 1647, daughter of John Lilley and his wife Ruth. She had a sister Hanah b. May 18 (year not on printed) records^[11] She would have been wife of John Andrews (c.1632-1690).^[12]

Notes

Origins: The origins and parents of John Andrews are unknown. There is no evidence that he was the son of Thomas Andrews of Charwelton, Northamptonshire, England as previously stated.

Donald Lines Jacobus has suggested that he could be a brother of Francis Andrews of Hartford and Fairfield. ^[13][14] He also suggested that both John and Francis Andrews could be brothers or even children of William Andrews of Hartford, Connecticut. These suppositions are based on loose associations and geographic proximity to each. There is no actual evidence which says how these men are related or even if they are related at all.

Claims from Alfred Andrews, in his book Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews, who Settled in Farmington, Conn., 1640 ^[1]

pg. 15 Francis Andrews of Hartford, had land there, 1639, said to be a brother of John, of Farmington ; ... He [Abraham Andrews, son of Francis Andrews above] was called Abraham Andrews, Sen., to distinguish him from his first cousin Abraham, son of John of Farmington, who also located in Waterbury, and was called the cooper from his trade

pg. 51 John the settler was a landholder in Hartford, as appears by a deed of Asahel, his great-grandson, dated 1758, at Majsacoe, or Simsbury of lands in Hartford, once owned by John his father, and also by his grandfather John.

pg. 55 The supposition is that they [John and Mary Andrews] were both bom in Essex Co. England.

Claims by Frank H. Andrews in his book, William Andrews of Hartford, Conn. and his descendants in the direct line to Asa Andrews of Hartland, Conn. and Hartford, Ohio^[15]

pg. 5 (Listed under William Andrews) John Andrews, born ___ married Mary ___. about 1642-43. This is probably the John Andrews who settled at Farmington, as Elizabeth Andrews, when she married Edward Grannis, 1654, was living at Farmington and probably with her brother John. The court record at Hartford says she was of Farmington and was daughter of William Andrews of Hartford. John Andrews died March 2, 1681. In William Andrews’ will he gives to my son, John, one working steer, which shows his son John was then living. There was no other John Andrews at or near Hartford at this time. There is a Genealogy of this John Andrews giving full descendants.

pg. 62 - 63 When she [Elizabeth Andrews, Daughter of William Andrews] married Grannis she was living at Farmington, apparently permanently, as she was called Elizabeth Andrews of Farmington, daughter of William. There was no other Andrews at Farmington then but the members of John’s family, and so far as I know, Eliza¬ beth had no other relatives or intimate friends there. After her marriage she went to Hartford, and she and her husband lived with the family of William Andrews. At that time John of Farmington had five children, the oldest but 8 years old, and they were coming every two years. John’s wife must have been badly in need of some assistance, especially as they were apparently attending church in Hartford, and they couldn’t take all the babies there. Therefore I believe it to be fair to assume that Elizabeth was living there with her brother John’s family. Also three years before Elizabeth was married John’s son Joseph was born, and he was the baby of the family until about a month before Elizabeth was married, when Rachel was born. Elizabeth was married May 3, 1654, and on March 31, 1656, she had a son born and she named him Joseph.

pg. 63 In the court records of Hartford county there is no record with reference to any of William Andrews’ sons, except the statement that John of Farmington was made Freeman May 18, 1658. Apparently the records are not complete in reference to Freemen.

Discussion to be continued

Some records of Farmington Connecticut: ^[16]

• "And on the same day, April 2, 1654, Mary ANDREWS, the wife of John ANDREWS, and her son Abraham ANDREWS, about the age of 6 years and three months, and Daniel ANDREWS, about the age of 3 years and 10 months, and Joseph ANDREWS, about the age of 2 years and 3 months, were joined to the Church."
• "On April the 9th, 1654, Rachel ANDREWS, daughter of Mary ANDREWS, was presented to the Church and baptized."
• "and Stephen ANDREWS, son of John ANDREWS, were both baptized, June the 6th, 1656."
• "On the 9th of May, 1658, John ANDREWS joined the Church, in the Covenant."
• "and on the same 16th day of May, 1658, the children of John ANDREWS were baptized that werenot above 13 years old, when their mother Mary ANDREWS did enter into convenant with the Church, viz: Mary in her fourteenth year, and John, about 13 years, and Hannah, about 11 years."

Unsourced, Unproven, Suggested Birth October 31, 1620 St Giles Cripple Gate, London, Middlesex, England

• http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=genepoolb&h=118811&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt FAMILY DATA COLLECTION with the 31 OCT 1620 in St. Giles Cripple Gate, London, Middlesex, England
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=schluck&id=I9700 Website that cites Title: Horrocks, Philips, Winget, Keeler, Clark, Watson, Lockwood, Strong, Gates and ancestors & William Andrews of Hartford, Conn. and His Descendants in theDirect Line to Asa Andrews, Prepared by Frank H. Andrews,Youndstown, OH, Oct, 1936, Printed by Tasewell County Reporter,Washington, IL. as source for 31 OCT 1620 in St. Giles Cripple Gate, London, Middlesex, England

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Andrews, A. (1872). Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews, who Settled in Farmington, Conn., 1640: Embracing Their Descendants to 1872; with an Introduction of Miscellaneous Names of Andrews, with Their Progenitors as Far as Known; to which is Added a List of Some of the Authors, Clergymen, Physicians and Soldiers of the Name. United States: A.H. Andrews & Company.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} "The Andrews Families of Western Connecticut: part II John Andrews of Farmington" by Donald Lines Jacobus in The American Genealogist. (Vol 35, 1958, pg 83-91) AmericanAncestors.org LINK
3. ↑ Andrews, Alfred, Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews, who Settled in Farmington, Conn., 1640 ... (Page 7) Chicago, IL: A.H. Andrews & Co., 1872, Archive.org accessed December 15, 2015.
4. ↑ "Church Records of Farmington," in NEHGR vol 11, 1857 p 324, 326 https://archive.org/stream/newenglandhistor011wate#page/324/mode/1up
5. ↑ Trumbull, J. Hammond. (transcriber). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Prior to the Union with New Haven Colony May 1665. Hartford: Brown and Parsons, 1850. p. 379 Google Books
6. ↑ "McArthur-Barnes Ancestral Lines" by Selim Walker McARTHUR, publ 1964, p 57 https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE1048521
7. ↑ http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igmpostem.cgi?op=show&app=horrocks&notify=jw2vgjXpZD4xOaR3CWGQIqHuFF9mmTbR&key=I46307&return=%3Ca+href%3D%22%2Fcgi-bin%2Figm.cgi%3Fop%3DGET%26amp%3Bdb%3Dhorrocks%26amp%3Bid%3DI46307%22%3EReturn+to+WorldConnect%3C%2Fa%3E
8. ↑ MARRIAGE: BARNES, Thomas & 2/wf Mary ANDREWS (1643-), m/2 Jacob BRONSON by 1679?; m cont 23 Mar 1662/3; Farmington, CT Source: Clarence Torrey, "New England Marriages Prior to 1700", NEHGS CD, 2001: citing {Barnes Y.B. 4, 9; Hamlin 219; Sv. 1:54; Andrews (1872) 52; Hartford Prob. 1:269, 401-2; TAG 9:40, 35:84; Bassett (1926) 88; Barnes (1946) 10, 249}.
9. ↑ [NOTE: Mary is listed as Mary BARNES in her father’s will of 1681, so she could not have married Jacob BRONSON “by 1679?” Thomas did not die until 1688, so the question is, did this Mary marry Jacob BRONSON?]
10. ↑ "Genealogical Items from the Medical Journal of John Winthrop. (TAG, Vol. 24, No. 1, pages 41).
11. ↑ Records of Wethersfield, Conn. New England Hist. and Gen. Register. 19:243. 1865.
12. ↑ "William Andrews of Hartford, Conn." The American Genealolgist. 35:57
13. ↑ The American Genealogist, vol. 35 no .1 (January 1959):55-59. The Andrews Families of Western Connecticut: William Andrews of Hartford, Connecticut, by Donald Lines Jacobus. AmericanAncestors.org LINK (paid)
14. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume I, A–B. (Boston: NEHGS, 1999):66, biography of William Andrews. [ AmericanAncestors.org LINK (paid)]
15. ↑ Andrews, Frank H. William Andrews of Hartford, Conn., and his descendants in the direct line to Asa Andrews of Hartland, Conn., and Hartford, Ohio. Washington , IL: Tazewell County Reporter, 1938. Archive.org
16. ↑ New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. 11 no. 4 (October 1857): 323 - 328. Records of Farmington in Connecticut, by Daniel Goodwin.

See also:

• Find A Grave Memorial# 10497739, buried in Memento Mori Cemetery, Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut

• Map of Colonial Farmington http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=57c0696a-1003-448f-9bc0-e123ff4c3ef0&tid=18112781&pid=1202831833
• Andrus Farm in 1960's http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=31d017e0-42a2-45a3-9201-0e1772c00ef0&tid=18112781&pid=1202831833

• John Andrews b1620 Biography http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=da0f7dee-eec5-4c7a-b3b6-8b0bcc99e0f5&tid=18112781&pid=1202831833

• Andrus Farm in 2007 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=87f68ea9-3de7-46bf-8f29-c6ce8a870859&tid=18112781&pid=1202831833

• A Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Before 1692 http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/newengland/savage by James Savage (Boston, 1860-1862).

• New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston: 2011), Vol. I. p. 36. ANDREWS, John (?1616-1681/2) & Mary _______ (-1694); by 1643; Farmington, CT.; ANDREWS, John (-1690) & Mary [LILLY?], m/2 Isaac CAKEBREAD?; by 1667; Hartford {Sv. 1:54; Hartford Prob. 1:400; TAG 24:41, 35:58}

• Henry R. Stiles: The History of Ancient Wethersfield, VolII, Reprint: New England Hit. Press, 1987 (1904).

• Colket, Meredith B. Jr. Founders of Early American Families. Second Revised Edition. Cleveland, Ohio: The Ohio Society with the authority of The General Court of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, 2002. Text direct from Colket: John Andrews b. c 1616; Farmington Conn. in 1643 (not 1640). dieed Farmington by 2 Mar 1681/2. Farmer Freeman. Genealogical History of John and Mary Andrews, 1872; TAG 35: 83 (early generations).