Richard Butler (abt. 1612 - 1684)

Born about 1612 in Braintree, Essex, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Butler — married about 1640 in Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1684 at about age 72 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut

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Richard Butler migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 1, p. 285) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

There were two contemporary Richard Butlers in early Connecticut. This Richard lived in Hartford. The other Richard lived in Stratford, Connecticut. They both had daughters named Mary.

Biography

Birth

Richard was born by 1610 based on his estimated marriage His origins are unknown.^[1]

He could possibly from Braintree, Essex due to his affiliation with Rev T. Hooker's congregation.^[2]

NOTE: Most on-line family trees assign a Stephen Butler and various women, very often Sarah Ann Edwards as Richard's parents. There is no evidence of Richards' (or his brother Williams') parents. Siblings are known from William Butler's will, who either never married or arrived in New England as a widower, without children.^[2]

Marriages

Married (1) To _______ _______ by about 1636, probably in the Connecticut Colony, died about 1640;^[1]

Married (2) by 1640 at Hartford to Elizabeth _____^[1] (Called Elizabeth Bigelow by Stiles and subsequently Torrey,^[3][2] daughter of Randall and Jane Bigelow, b. about 1616 d. before September 11, 1691 at Hartford.)^[4]

Migration

Anderson places Richard's migration in 1633, from parts unknown.^[1][2]

There is no evidence that the ship "Hector" sailed in 1632 with Richard Butler, his older brother William and (possibly) his 1st wife, in 1632, as stated in Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania^[5]

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Richard settled first at Cambridge where he was made a freeman on May 14, 1634.^[6][7]

Hartford, Connecticut

Removed to Hartford with Rev. Thomas Hooker's congregation, he was given 16 acres in the land allocation in 1639-40.^[8] An original proprietor of Hartford,^[9][10] his house-lot was on the corner where the road from George Steele's to the South Meadow intersected the road from the Mill to the Country. He was a juror, 1643-4-7-8; townsman, 1649, 1654, 1658; one of the committee for the mill, 1661 ; grand juror, 1660, 1662; deputy, 1656-1660; one of the deacons of the 1st Church.^[2]

Death

Died 6 August, 1684 at Hartford, Invt. ₤564-15-00. Taken 2 September, 1684, by Paul Peck sen., George Grave. Will dated 2 April, 1677.^[9][2][1]

Will

”Know all men whom it may concern, that I Richard Butler, being in bodily health & of sound & perfect memory, doe make & ordain this my Last will & Testament in Form & maner as followeth: Imprim: I doe give to my son Thomas Butler my uper Lot in the Long meadow. 2nd I doe give to my son Samuell all my meadow Land in Weathersfeild meadow. 3, I doe give to Nathaniel my son my meadow Lot neer the Long meadow gate. 4, I doe give Joseph Butler My son all my Land in the South meadow. 5, I doe give to my son Daniel Butler my now dwelling house wth all appurtenances of building & ground about it, as also I doe give my son Daniel my Lot comonly called ten acres. 6, I doe give my three daughters, Mary Wright, Elizabeth Olmsted & Hanah Green, twenty shillings apeice, to be payd out of my moveable estate by my present wife Elizabeth, whom I appoynt my Executor to this my last Will. Allso it is my will that none of these children aforesayd doe possess or enjoy any of these Lands, or ought else mentioned, but with the consent, death, or change of their mother’s condition, that is, by marriage againe. But if my wife Elizabeth Butler should change her conditions & marry againe, then my will is that all my aforesd. sonns & daughters doe possess every one his Legacy & my wife only the Thirds; & for the rest of Cattell & household goods I give them all to my wife, provided as afoursayd she continue in widdowhood; but if she marry again, then to take the third of all, as of the house & Land so of Cattell & household Stuffe; & the rest equally to be divided among all my Children aforementioned; & though there may be divers Wills Extant that I have written with my own hand, yet this is my Last & shall stand written wth my owne hand. I appoint my two sons Thomas & Samuel Butler to be Overseers of this my Last will. My will also is that my daughter Mary Wright shall have one feather bed after her mother’s decease.

”RICHARD BUTLER.

”Witness: Samuel Wright,

”Samuel Butler.

”Court Record, Page 93—4 September, 1684: Will Proven.”^[11][2]

Children

The order of birth is not entirely certain, it is generally accepted that the 2 eldest children are by his first wife, and the rest by Elizabeth Bigelow, his second wife.^[4]

1. Thomas b. about 1637^[1] at Hartford, d. August 29, 1688 at Hartford, m. 1658 at Hartford to Sarah Stone, 12 children.^[12]
2. Mary b. about 1639, d.September 12, 1689 at Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut, m. September 29, 1659 to Samuel Wright^[13] The record of Samuel Wright's marriage gave no name of bride.^[1]
3. Deacon Samuel b. about 1641^[1] at Hartford, d. December 31, 1692 at Wethersfield m. by 1665 to Elizabeth Olmsted^[14][15]
4. Nathaniel b. about 1642,^[1] d. Feb. 9, 1697 at Wethersfield, m. Sarah Green^[16]
5. Joseph b. about 1646^[1], d. December 10, 1732 at Wethersfield, m. 1) by November 14, 1676 Mary Goodrich;^[17] m. 2) after September 6, 1705 to Mary Bushnell, widow of William Miller. 8 children.^[18]
6. Daniel b. about 1651^[1], d. March 28, 1692, m. by 1680 to Mabel Olmstead^[19]
7. Elizabeth b. about 1654^[1], m. about 1674 to Joseph Olmstead^[20]
8. Hannah b. about 1656,^[1] m. by April 2, 1677 to Samuel Green^[4]

Genealogical Questions

• Parents
• Birthplace
• First wife's maiden name

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12} The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995). p. 285 https://www.americanancestors.org/DB393/i/12107/285/235174280
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Stiles, Henry R. 1904 Families of Ancient Wethersfield pg. 170 Clearfield Publishing Inc., New York
3. ↑ Torrey, Clarence A., 2004, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, Maryland p. 128
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Jacobus, Donald Lines, 1970 Bainbridge-Green-Plumb-Butler Connections The American Genealogist Vol 46:8
5. ↑ Jordan, John W., Editor, 1911, Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania: Genealogical and Personal Memoirs, Volume 3, The Lewis Publishing Company, New York, Chicago Volume 3 pg. 1281
6. ↑ To become a freeman each person was legally required to be a respectable member of some Congregational church. This regulation was so modified by royal order in 1664 as to allow individuals to be made freemen who could obtain certificates of their being correct in doctrine and conduct from clergymen acquainted with them. Persons were made freemen by the General Court of the colony and also by the Quarterly Courts of the counties. None but freemen could hold office or vote.
7. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Vol. 1 1628-1641 (William White, Boston, 1853-) p. 369
8. ↑ William DeLoss Love,"The Colonial History of Hartford: gathered from the original records,"
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Barbour, Lucius Barnes, 1982, Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, Maryland and Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc., Glastonbury, Connecticut pp.388
10. ↑ Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford
11. ↑ Manwaring, Charles William, 1904, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records R. S. Peck & Co., Printers, Hartford, Connecticut. Page 286-7
12. ↑ Torrey: "New England Mariages p. 127
13. ↑ Torrey New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg.843
14. ↑ Torrey: New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg.127, Torry erroneously reports spouse as Mary Olmstead
15. ↑ Joslyn, Roger D. 1984. The Wife or Wives of Samuel Butler of Wethersfield CT, The American Genealogist Vol 60:29
16. ↑ Torrey: New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg.127
17. ↑ Torrey: New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg.127
18. ↑ Colett, Jr., Merideth B. 1936. Joseph Butler Of Wethersfield And His Wives, The American Genealogist Vol 13:216
19. ↑ Torrey: New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg.126
20. ↑ Torrey: New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg.545

• Geni.com Profile
• Connecticut, Find A Grave Index, 1636-2013 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
• American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
• U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc
• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
• The Goodrich Family in America. A Genealogy of the Descendants of John and William Goodrich of Wethersfield, Conn., Richard Goodrich of Guilford, Conn., and William Goodridge of Watertown, Mass. Lafayette Wallace Case M.D., Author Role: Editor Publication: Fergus Printing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1889, Second Date, 1984, pg 34