William Andrews (1595 - 1659)

Born 1595 in Essex, England

Husband of Abigail (Graves) Bearding — married about 1630 (to 3 Aug 1659) in England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 3 Aug 1659 at about age 64 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut

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William Andrews migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 1, p. 63) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

This profile is part of the Graves Name Study.

Confusion among six William Andrews

Six men named William Andrews arrived in New England during the Puritan Great migration. It's confusing. See Free-space page William Andrews immigrants: six confusing men] for a comparison and details.

This profile is the profile of William Andrews "Schoolteacher of Hartford" , parents unknown. His only known wife was Abigail.

William Andrews, "Founder of New Haven" is profile Andrews-123.

The William Andrews "Mariner of Cambridge" who had a wife named Mary, who died in 1639/40, is profile William Andrews-749.

Often mistaken relationships

Find A Grave Memorial# 17096164 has synopsis that says he was husband of Mary Savage. Abigail was his wife and mother of all his children.

FROM Savages Genealogical Dictionary.
"WILLIAM, Hartford, one of the early sett. came to H. from Cambridge, first sch.master, and soon town clk. had w. Mary wh. d. at C. 19 Jan. 1640, and sec. w. Abigail, wh. m. Nathaniel Barding; and he d. betw. 1655 and 1663, leav. ch. John; Elizabeth wh. m. 3 May 1655, Edward Grannis; Thomas; and Samuel, the youngest, one acco. says b. 20, but ano. acco. makes him bapt. 19 Oct. 1645. His d. Abigail d. May 1653."^[1]

Savage and Frank Andrews^[2] both claim that he had a first wife Mary.

D.L. Jacobus points out in his 1959 article on "William Andrews of Hartford" that this is instead two distinct men.^[3]

When William died his wife was Abigail. In his will he refers to "our sons" John, Thomas and Samuel. Abigail's second husband also gave them legacies, and Abigail in a deed calls them her sons. Thomas, son of William, by Hartford town record, was born 4 May 1638, but Mary the wife of William of Cambridge didn't die until 19 Jan 1640 in Cambridge.^[3]

Francis Andrews of Hartford and Fairfield and John Andrews of Farmington may have been younger half-brothers of William Andrews.^[3]

Christian Andrews who married John Birchard, son of Thomas Birchard, was not a daughter of this William (as claimed in Families of Early Hartford by Barbour), but was daughter of widow Catherine Andrews.^[4]

Biographical Timeline

1595-1600: Born in England^[2] 1607 or earlier, based on marriage date.:^[4] Jacobus points out that Winthrop calls him "senex" in 1658. This would imply that he was 65, at least, and having children in his 50's, so may have been born about 1593.^[3] An unsourced birthplace of Rotley, Warwickshire, England, has been suggested by Ancestry, Millenium Files and Yates Publishing U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Another suggested but unsourced birth place is Kingsnorth, Kent, England, but at this time his place of birth & parents are unknown

1634 - Migration first to Cambridge, Massachusetts, then Hartford, Connecticut.^[4]

4 Mar 1634/5 Freeman^[4][5]

1634, 1635 Granted land in Cambridge.^[4]

23 November 1635 Selectman and Constable in Cambridge, Massachusetts.^[4]

14 July 1636 - It has been suggested he arrived in Hartford after a two week journey, with Rev. Dr. Thomas Hooker, from Newtown. William is on the founders monument.^[2]

25 Sept 1637 - Samuel Shepard bought Andrews' house and land.^[4]

3 Jan 1639/40 - William owned land in Hartford beginning with this first grant in 1639. Eventually he owned eleven parcels: "one acre and one rood 'on which his dwelling house now standeth with other outhouses, yards & gardens'; two acres of upland; eighteen acres and two roods of upland (annotated 'four acres of this sold to J: Ensigne"): two roods and twenty-­five perches in the Little Meadow; eight acres in the South Meadow, four acres, three roods and twenty perches of 'meadow lying in Hockanum"; six acres of swamp in the Great Swamp; six acres and three roods of 'swamp lying in Hockanum'; one acre and one rood of 'Indian Ground lying in the South Meadow which he had of John Crow' (annotated 'March 7th 1657,' presumably indicating the date of purchase); '[o]ne parcel of upland (which he had of Mr. Thomas Wells, magistrate) containing 40 acres ... and is in exchange for all his upland on the east side of the Great River ; and 'one parcel of upland which he received of the town containing thirteen acres' "^[4]

Frank Andrews claims that he was the first town clerk in 1639, but the records say it was John Steel,^[6] unless there be some other record.

Because of his early arrival in Hartford, he is considered a founder of that town and his name is inscribed on the Founders Monument.

1640 First school master in Hartford,^[2][3] In 1643, 1648, 1650, 1655 and probably other years Hartford School Master.^[4]

5 March 1644/5 Juryman in Connecticut [CCCR 1:122]^[4]

8 April 1645 Earmark of "Wil[ia]m Andrewes' was recorded at Hartford^[7][6]

12 Jan 1651/2 Chosen town recorder^[4][6]

Died in 1659. 1 April 1659 Will dated. "I William Andrews, being sick and weak, but of perfect memory, do in this my last Will & Testament give and bequeath to Abigail, my wife, my house, barn and house lott as it is Inclosed between my son Edward Grannis and mee; allsoe I doe give & Bequeath to Abigail, my wife, all my Meadow and Swamp lieinge in the South Meadow and that lieth in the place called Hockanum, and all my Upland Ground elsewhere, during the time of her natural life; allsoe, I give to the sd, Abigail 2 Cowes, on yearling Calf; also I five to Abigail, my wife, fower yars of Kersey with 3 dozen of Buttons and silke, and all other of my Moveable Goods, during the time she livieth unmarried. If she marry (again), then My Will is, that such of the Moveables as she can conveniently spare shall be disposed of amonge our children as she seeth meet, with the advice of the Overseers. My Will is, to give to my son John one working steer; alsoe, that Abigail, my wife, shall dispose of my Land, Meadow, Swamp, Howsing and Homelott amonge our Children, to every one of them some, as she shall think fitt with the advice and Consent of the Overseers. I doe make Abigail, my wife, Executrix and I do entreat my friend Edward Stebbing and my brother George Grave to assist and to see this my will executed & performed"^[8]

Inventory taken 3 Aug 1659. £211. 14s. 11d.^[2][4][8]

William Andrews was married to Abigail. William referred to George Graves as brother. So either, Abigail was George's sister, or William could have been the brother of George's unknown wife. After William's death Abigail married Nathaniel Barding / Berding / Bearding (-1674).^[3] She died 26 March 1682/3, the date of her estate's inventory, or perhaps earlier.^[4][3]

Children

• John Andrews b. say 1632; died 6 June 1690;^[3] m. (1) Lilly & (2) Mary #1^[4]
• Abigail Andrews b. say 1634, bur. Fairfield May 1653, called daughter of William of Hartford.^[3][4]
• Elizabeth Andrews, b. say 1636; married 3 May 1655, Hartford, Edward Grannis.^[9][3][4]. Her marriage record calls her of Farmington, daughter of William of Hartford. Edward Grannis later moved to New Haven and married 1662 Hannah Wakefield. He died 10 Dec 1719.^[3]
  • Child: Joseph Grannis b. Hartford 31 Mar 1656, must have died young.^[3]
• Thomas, born 4 May 1638, in Hartford^[9]; settled in Middletown; died 1690/91; married Hannah Kirby.^[3][4]
• Esther Andrews, born Sept 1641 in Hartford^[9]; married Thomas Spencer Jr. by 1655; died 6 March 1697/8, in Suffield, Connecticut.^[3][4]
• Samuel, was born 20 Oct 1645, at Hartford^[9]; died between 1 Jan 1711/2 and 29 Jan 1711/2; married Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Thomas of Hartford.^[3][4]
•  ? William Andrews, ? probably died young.^[2] Only mentioned in the F.H. Andrews Genealogy, but left no descendants anyway.^[2]

Notes

Great Migration 1634-1635, A-B.
ASSOCIATIONS: Francis Andrews of Hartford and Fairfield and John Andrews of Farmington may have been younger half-brothers of William Andrews {TAG 35:57,59}.

Sources

1. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692. Vol. I-IV. Boston, MA, USA: 1860-1862.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Andrews, Frank Herbert, 1858-1938. William Andrews of Hartford, Conn. And His Descendants In the Direct Line to Asa Andrews of Hartland, Conn. And Hartford, Ohio. Washington Ill.: Tazewell County Reporter, 1938. at Hathi trust
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14} Jacobus, Donald Lines. "Andrews Families of Western Connecticut." the American Genealogist 35:55.
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18} Great Migration 1634-1635, A-B. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume 1, A-B, by Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999. pp 63-67 AmericanAncestors (subscription)
5. ↑ Andrews, H.F. (arranger). List of Freemen Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1630 to 1691. Exira, Iowa: Exira Printing, 1906.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society (The Connecticut Historical Society and the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Hartford 1860-1928). Vol. 6 Hartford Town Votes Vol. 1 1635-1716 Steel as town clerk p. 4, recorder p 97, earmark p. 336
7. ↑ Anderson cites [HaTR 336] Hartford Town Votes.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Manwaring, Charles William. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records. Volume 1. p. 92 Hartford District 1635-1700. Hartford, Conn., R.S. Peck & Co., Printers, 1904.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Hartford. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.

See also:

• "ABIGAIL GRAVES, POSSIBLE SISTER OF GEORGE GRAVES" Genealogy 345 Graves Family Association. https://graves-fa.org/gen-histories/gens/gen345.html
• Colonial Ancestors, Edward H. Little, C.A.L.S, editor, digital copy at familysearch.org
• Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633 (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1995) p 46: "There is much confusion in Savage, Pope, and elsewhere about the early William Andrewses of New England. Three of them appear as freemen in Massachusetts Bay: on 4 March 1633/4, 4 March 1634/5. and 13 May 1640. The second of these bears the title "Mr.' and comes at the head of a long list of Cambridge men on that date, so he would be the William Andrews who first appeared in Cambridge records on I December 1634 when he received a grant of land in the Westend Field; he would then be the William Andrews who sold his land on 25 September 1637, and later appeared in Hartford, as a schoolteacher [CaTR 10; CaBOP 11]."
• Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635 (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1999) Page: v A-B, pp 63-7 Data: Text: ORIGIN: Unknown MIGRATION: 1634 FIRST RESIDENCE: Cambridge REMOVES: Hartford 1637 OCCUPATION: Schoolmaster at Hartford, 1643, 1648, 1650, 1655 (and probably other years) [HaTR 65, 87,94, 108].