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William Frost (abt. 1587 - 1644)

William Frost
Born about in Nottinghamshire, Englandmap [uncertain]
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 20 Apr 1612 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Englandmap
Husband of — married 23 Dec 1634 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 57 in Fairfield, Connecticut Colonymap
Profile last modified | Created 13 Aug 2010
This page has been accessed 8,751 times.
The Puritan Great Migration.
William Frost migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 122)
Join: Puritan Great Migration Project
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Not to be confused with William Frost (b abt 1587) of Stanstead, Suffolk who married Abigail Bowser there in 1610.

Contents

Biography

Life in England

William Frost was born probably in Nottinghamshire, England before 1591 to make him aged 21 years at his first marriage. His father may have been named Daniel as William's eldest son was named Daniel. A Daniel Frost stood bond for William's second marriage, although this may have been the son Daniel who would have been aged 22 and was of the same parish of Nottingham St Peter as William.

William was a cordwainer by trade.

William married Joyse Barker at the church of St Mary Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England on 20 April 1612. [1]
The same day [the xx Aprill] Will'm Froste & Joyse Barker maryed

William and Joyse were parents of eight children, three of whom died as children. Apart from the eldest son Daniel, all the other children were baptised at the church of Nottingham St Peter:

  • St Mary 17 Jan 1612/3 "January 1612: The xvij day Daniell the sonne of Will'm Froste baptized'
  • St Peter 24 Nov 1614 "Elizabetha filia Gulihelmi Frost bapt. esset vicessimo quarto Nov'bris
  • St Peter 5 January 1616/7 "1616: Marye the doughter of Will'am ffroste Christened 5 January"
  • St Peter 27 December 1618 "1618: Lydia the doughter of W'm ffroste Christened 27 Decem'r"
  • St Peter 15 October 1620 (1 has a double curl and looks like a 2) "1620: Josua the sonne of W'm ffroste Christened 15 October" St Peter "Burialles AD 1624: Joshua ye sonne of William Frost buried the 20 January"
  • St Peter 8 December 1622 "1622: Abraham the sonne of W'm ffroste Christened 8 December"
  • St Peter 8 October 1624 "1624: Samuell the sonne of William Frost baptised 3 October" St Peter "Burialles AD 1631: Samuell ye son of William Frost ye 2 day of June"
  • St Peter 4 June 1626 "1626: Susanna ye daughter of William Frost the 4 of June" St Peter "Burialls AD 1626: Susanna the daughter of William Frost ye 10 of June"

William's first wife Joyse was buried at Nottingham St Peter on 23 May 1634: [2]
Burialles AD 1634: Joyse ye wife of William Frost the 23 day of May

On 23 December 1634 William married the widow Joane Lupton of Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire at the church of Nottingham St Peter: [2]
"Marriages AD 1634: William Frost and Joan Lupton 23 day of December"

William and Joane were married by licence issued by the Archdeaconry of Nottingham. An abstract reads: [3]
[1634] Dec. 22 William Frost p. of St. Peter's Nottm., cordwayner, & Joane Lupton, of Burton Joyce, wid.; at St Peter's. [Bond by Daniell Frost, p. St Peter's, Nottm. cordwayner]

Joane (born Joane Truman) was the widow of Thomas Lupton a yeoman of Burton Joyce who had died in early 1634. The couple had no further children together, although William became stepfather to Joane's children with Thomas Lupton.

Emigration

William emigrated to Fairfield, New Haven Colony, now Connecticut in 1639 with four of his adult children (Daniel, Elizabeth, Lydia and Abraham).[4] It is not known whether his second wife Joane survived to emigrate with the family. Daughter Mary Riley remained in Nottingham with her family as evidenced in her father's will.[5]

Life in Connecticut

William was one of the early planners at Uncowa (Fairfield), beyond Connecticut. William was an early settler of Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1639. His home lot was on the southwest of School and Division of the Meeting House Green. He was an old man when he died in 1645. His children were all born in England, and all came to New England except his daughter Mary who married Mr. Rylie.

William died in Fairfield in 1644/45.

Last Will & Testament

The will of William Frost, drawn on 6 Jan. 1644/5 and proved that year at Fairfield, New Haven Colony, included:[5],[6],[7]

"I give and bequeth to my eldest sonne Daniell Frost, two parts of my meadowe and upland outte and to lay oute (the home lot excepted) and also to the said Daniell Froste all my parte of the swampe and Redye ponds, and also fifteene acres of meadowe that I bought of John Graye, lying att Mushuncohsor Sasqug, commonly so called, and also my claoke and warmeing pan, I give to the said Daniell Frost his heires forever; I give and beqeth to Rebecka and Sarah Frost that blacke heiffer that Daniell Frost hath to wynter; I give and bequeth to my son Abraham Frost all that lotte and howse, with all the land laid out and to be laid out, that I bought of John Stickling, with those mouealls I bought of him, and also those cloathes on my bedde and my little chest, and also my two greate yeareling Calves, with all that is in my little chest, and one third part of my howshold goods. I give and bequeth to my daughter Elizabeth and John Graye the sowe that he hath to winter and all her increase and (the third part of my howshold goods; & to Luke Watson) the two yeare old blacke heifer that goodman Close hath to the halfes for fower yeares, the profite to be for the said Luke. And to Susanna and Johana Watson, daughters to Elizabeth Graye, one black heifer that John Graye hath to the halves for fower yeares, and the profit to them both equally. And the red heifer that Daniell Froste wintereth, I give to John Grayes owne two children, and the profit equally to them both. I give and bequeth to Henry Graye and Lydea Gray for their lives and after them to their sonne Jacob, all my howse and home and lott, with that part that I chanynged with John Foster, and their parte of my meadowe and upland, laid out and to lay out; and to Mary Graye, daughter of Henry Graye, I give and bequeth my redde heifer that Goodman Close hath to winter. And to Mary Rylie and her children, I give and bequeth all my goods and lands that I have in Old England. And to the Towne of Uneowah, I give and bequeth ten pounds, in good pay, towards the building a Meeteing howse, to be paid when it is halfe built. Furthermore, I ordeyne and make Henry Graye of Uncowah, my lawful executor, to pay and discharge my legacies & debts, and also power to receave what is duw me, and I give the foresaid Henry Graye full power to sue and dischardge for any debts or goods, that there presents should stand in force, after my decease and not before, and I entreat Ephraim Wheeler and Daniell Frost to be my Overseers to see my will performed according to the intent thereof, and they are to have ten shillings for their paynes. Where to I have set my hand and seale, the day and date thereof. "William Froste." Witnes, Ephra Weeler. Frances Purdy. Mary Purdy.

On the back side of Frost's will: "These are to explayne my meaning of howsehold goods: All my moveale goods or tables, except corne and cattell and swyne. Further, I would have Abraham my sonne to receave to his use the rent of all the howseing and land that I bought of John Stickling; further, I will that Abraham, my sonne pay no rent to Henry Graye my sonne, nor Henry to him, but all former ingadgements to be void betwixt them, in or about the lease. I will that the two thirds parte of my land be devided as soone after my death as may be, yet so that my sonne Henry his leace not to be disturbed. Witnes my "Wilm Frost." Witnes, Ephraim Wheeler. Frances Purdy. Mary Purdy."

Notes: the will mentioned his "eldest sonne Daniell Frost . . . , Rebecka and Sarah Frost [they were the testator's granddaughters, children of his son Daniel], . . . son Abraham . . . , my daughter Elizabeth and John Graye . . . , Luke Watson . . . , Susanna and Johana Watson, daughters to Elizabeth Graye, . . . John Grayes owne two children [Sarah and John Gray] . . . Henry Graye and Lydea Gray for their lives and after them to their sonne Jacob . . . Mary Graye, daughter of Henry Graye . . . and to Mary Rylie and her children . . . all my goods and lands that I have in Old England.; ; to town of Uncowah [Fairfield] £10 towards meeting house; Henry Gray of Uncowah, Exec'r; Ephraim Wheeler and Daniel Frost, overseers; Goodman Close had some of his cattle "to winter"; son Abraham to have housing and lands bought from John Strickland. Witnesses: Ephraim Wheeler, Francis and Mary Purdy.[8]

Research Notes

Not the son of Edward Frost, Stanstead: This profile was previously conflated with William Frost (bef.1589-) of Stanstead, Suffolk, England, son of Edward Frost. Edward Frost was the father of a number of early New England immigrants, and his son William bp 1589 is about the right age. However, the contemporaneous reference by Lechford that William was formerly of Nottingham,[9] the baptisms of his children in Nottingham and the distance between Stanstead and Nottingham, strongly suggest that they were two different people. (See Comments below and phttps://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1497743/immigrant-connecticut-william-english-research-requested g2g discussion].

There is no entry for a Sarah Frost at Nottingham St Peter right up to end of 1634 when Joyse Frost died.

Directory. Frost, William: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire; 1638; Fairfield [Plain Dealing 98; Ackley-Bosworth 93-94; TAG 64:161-67, 208-13], courtesy of Bobbie (Madison) Hall. Reference--Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640: A Concise Compendium (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015).


Sources

  1. Parish register of St Mary Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottinghamshire County Archives, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. Viewed 22 November 2022; also available through: Nottinghamshire, England, Extracted Parish Records : Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Parish register of St Peter Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottinghamshire County Archives, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. Viewed 22 November 2022
  3. "Nottinghamshire Marriage Licences Volume 1, Archdeaconry of Nottingham" Ed. Blagg, Thomas Matthews Wadsworth, F. Arthur pub. British Record Society, England 1935. Copy viewed at Bromley House library, Angel Row, Nottingham 25 November 2023
  4. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Author: Gale Research Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010. Better source sought.
  5. 5.0 5.1 The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut (Hartford, Brown & Parsons, 1850) Vol. 1, Page 465
  6. Manwaring, Charles William. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records (R. S. Peck & Co., Printers, 1904) Vol. 1, Page 13-14: Will of William Frost.
  7. Frost, Josephine. The Frost Genealogy: Descendants of William Frost of Oyster Bay, New York... (New York: Frederick H. Hitchcock, 1912), 389-91.
  8. Jacobus, Donald Lines. History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (Genealogical Publishing Company, 1930) Vol. 1, p 211.
  9. Lechford, Thomas. Plain Dealing or Newes from New-England (J. K. Wiggin & Wm. Parsons Lunt, 1862).Page 101.

See also:

  • Holman, Mary Lovering, "English Notes on Edmund Rice," in The American Genealogist, Vol. 10 (Jan. 1934), p. 135:
  • Beers, Josephine W. Beers and Prindle, Paul W., "Early Frost, Gray and Hobby Connections of England, Connecticut and Long Island," The American Genealogist, Vol. 64 (July 1989), pp. 161-163: NEHGS members$
  • Hatfield, Edwin. History of Elizabeth, New Jersey, (1868) pp. 59 & 75. Internet Archive
  • Parke, Nathan. The Ancestry of Lorenzo Ackley & His Wife Emma Arabella Bosworth (Elm Tree Press, Woodstock, Vt., 1960) Page 93.




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Comments: 25

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The source for the will given above (Frost Genealogy) should probably be replaced with "The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut", which is given in the "See Also" section.
posted by Rick Pierpont
Thanks, Rick. I've attended to that; in the process, I noticed duplicates under "See also" which I have moved or removed. Doing some other citation cleanup.
posted by Jillaine Smith
I have proposed a merge of daughters Sarah and Susanna who have the same dates. The Nottingham St Peter parish register names her as Susanna (not a twin).
posted by Jo Fitz-Henry
PGM: I’m thinking a short note at the top of profile about not conflating the two William frost profiles. Will somebody offer to do this? I’m on vacation & have only my phone. Thanks.
Two months later, I've attended to this.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Frost-3469 and Frost-75 appear to represent the same person because: All data matches (POB, DOB), parents, siblings - but the spouses need work.
Frost-3469 and Frost-75 do not represent the same person because: These profiles momentarily looked similar. We are in the process of detangling a conflated profile into two separate profiles. Despite the close birth dates they are different (please see Research Notes on either profile).
posted by M Cole
edited by M Cole
Happy to separate out the William Frost of Nottingham family. I have the parish records for the children and the evidence that the Nottingham William Frost was married to Joyse Barker and Joan Lupton (widow).
posted by Jo Fitz-Henry
Thanks, Jo! I've made the change in the connections. It looks like we have the baptisms for the children, but not for him. I've changed the birthplace to Nottinghamshire, with and estimated date (1587). Do the parish records even exist for that time period?
posted by M Cole
William doesn’t appear to have any children or wife in 1616. First wife Abigail probably died in childbed and no other wife or any children are named in the Will of grandfather Edward Frost of Stanstead.

There’s definitely two different Williams mixed together

Ann

posted by Ann Browning
This profile is just waiting for someone to give it a little bit of attention (all the GM Directory sources added with links, English records researched (see comments and the g2g post).

Is there anyone interested on working to add some inline sources and a section for marriages and children?

posted by M Cole
A son William Frost was named in the 1616 will of his father Edward Frost. <ref>

Will: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"

The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 128

Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 5111 #926525 (accessed 22 November 2022)

Will of Edwardi Frost, granted probate on 4 Oct 1616. Died about 1616 in Stansted, Suffolk, England. </ref> I agree that Nottinghamshire marriages seem VERY unlikely! Based on comment below Nottingham William in Migration Directory is probably not Stanstead William from will. Edward's will gives lands in Stanstead to his wife Thomazine and then after her death to son William. No mention of Nottingham property.

Thanks for the nudge, Elizabeth. I think you're right; and it appears we've been struggling with this for awhile, but have not made the necessary changes.

I've posted a question to g2g seeking English-record research support. See also my comment below.

posted by Jillaine Smith
I’ve transcribed the Will and sent to jo to do her magic with the Latin probate etc

Ann

posted by Ann Browning
I see a note in the bio: "(Might we be melding two William Frosts? Stanstead is 200 kms from Nottingham where William’s second marriage supposedly took place. Perhaps this is another William Frost?)"

Are we sure about these parents? William Frost is Scott Fisher's tree (the current WikiTree Challenge), but he lists no parents. The great Migration Directory gives his origins as Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. The father Edward is also under PGM management? Perhaps someone who worked on Edward Frost would be willing to take a look?

posted by M Cole
1.5 years later... Looks like we never attended to this and Elizabeth Viney (above) has nudged us about it.

It looks like a merge was completed a few years back that should not have been done.

So the PGM immigrant to Connecticut was from Nottinghamshire (200 km northeast of Stanstead), and NOT:

1) the son of Edward (who did father some other PGM immigrants), the 1616 Stanstead testator who made a bequest to son William 2) the William christened either 19 Sep [date field] or 3 Aug [narrative] 1589 in Stanstead; or 3) the groom in the 1610 marriage to Abigail Bowser

I'm going to post a g2g seeking England records research into both Stanstead and Nottingham.

But I THINK what we need to do here is detach this William from both his parents and the first wife.

Objections?

posted by Jillaine Smith
I found a completely empty, dateless and orphaned profile for a William Frost that we could recycle for purposes of teasing these two Williams apart:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Frost-3469

posted by Jillaine Smith
Jillaine, Would you add PGM as manager, please
posted by Anne B
Done. I'm concerned about the notation in the narrative noticing the huge distance between his two marriage towns. This profile could also use some sourcing...
posted by Jillaine Smith
Was Joyce buried on the 23rd or 24th of May? Cause both are listed in the biography.
posted by Rae Santema
William Frost-75 is my 12 great Grandfather.
posted by [Living Kendrick]
Frost-2604 was incorrectly edited and merged into this profile. I have recreated a new profile (Frost-5683) with the original data for Frost-2604, and removed the reference to the GEDCOM upload that THAT William Frost came from from this profile.
posted by Greg Slade
A merge has been proposed for this profile and Frost-75, which I have approved, on Frost-75 side. However, there is a discrepancy between birth dates and locations. I ask that whoever completes this merge, to please use the birth date and location, as listed on profile, Frost-75
posted by Nalani (Kupau) Briggs
A merge has been proposed for this profile and Frost-4202 which I have approved, on this end. However, there is a discrepancy between birth dates and locations. I ask that whoever completes this merge, to please use the birth date and location, as listed on this profile, Frost-75
posted by Nalani (Kupau) Briggs
"Letchford's Plain Dealing" also mentioned William Frost as being an old man when he arrived in CT, and that he was from Nottingham.

I am inclined to think that William who lived in Connecticut was not the one born is Stanstead, but another born in Nottingham.


Rejected matches › William Frost (bef.1589-)