Ruth (Higgins) Tuttle (abt. 1671 - abt. 1725)

Born about 1671 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey

Wife of Isaac Fitz Randolph — married 23 Apr 1692 in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex, New Jersey

Wife of Stephen Tuttle — married 12 Sep 1695 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey

Descendants

Died about 1725 at about age 54 in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex, New Jersey [uncertain]

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Biography

Ruth Higgens was born about 1671, based on a first marriage year of 1692, probably in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey, as her family had moved there from Eastham, Plymouth Colony by 1670. Her parents were Richard and Mary (Unknown) Higgins. Mary was Richard's second wife, and he was her second husband.^[1]

Richard died in early 1675, in Piscataway. In 1689 Mary married, third, Isaac Whitehead, in Elizabeth, Essex, New Jersey. Isaac died in early 1691 in Elizabeth.^[2] Ruth's mother Mary is not known to have remarried, and she was alive in 1702.

Ruth married, first, Isaac Fitz Randolph, as his second wife, on 23 April 1692, in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex, New Jersey.^[3] Isaac's first wife Martha Bingla^[4] had died in August 1691, within a year of their marriage in September 1690, most probably due to complications of a pregnancy.

Mary and Isaac had children:

1. Isaac (1693)^[5], married Hannah Dove, died ca 1750^[6]
2. William (1694)^[7], no further records

Isaac Fitz Randolph died in July 1694, leaving Mary with two infant sons. Ruth next married Stephen Tuttle, on 12 September 1695, in Woodbridge.^[8] Stephen had recently arrived from New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut Colony, and had received a land grant in Woodridge in April 1695.^[9]

Ruth was the administrator of Isaac Fitz Randolph's estate. In October 1695 Ruth, now wife of Stephen Tuttle, listed expenses against Isaac's estate. On 31 December 1695 Stephen gave a bond to maintain and educate, to their fifteenth year, Isaac and William Fitz Randolph, the children of Isaac Fitz Randolph.^[10]

Stephen and Ruth had children, all born in Woodbridge:

1. Timothy (1696), married Cecilia Moore
2. Joseph (1698), married, had children with Abigail Ogden, then with Abigail Nutting; married three more times
3. Stephen (1700), married, probably, Jane Tichenor, then Sarah Lindsay
4. Samuel (1701), mentioned in father's will but probably died about 1709

Stephen died between 31 October 1709 when he wrote his will in Woodbridge, and 2 February 1710 when his will was proved in Woodbridge. In his will he places each of his children in the guardianship of a relative or friend. By implication, his widow kept her sons by her first marriage.

The descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle^[9] provides a few more details: In Stephen's will, son Timothy to get the house, sons Joseph and Stephen to get money. Samuel was not named. In April 1725 Timothy, Joseph, and Stephen received 350 pounds currency from the executors of Stephen's estate.

The implication is that Ruth remained on the Woodbridge property, initially with her two minor children that she had had with Isaac, and that she probably died in early 1725, thus releasing the estate to Stephen's sons.

Abstract of Will of Stephen Tuttle

31 Oct 1709 Stephen Tutile of Woodbridge, NJ, cordwinder. Wife Ruth. Sons Timothy, Joseph, Stephen, Samuel all underage to be placed with cousin Samuel Cooper of Newark, kinsman Theo Manson of New Haven, cousin John Cooper of Newark and friend Daniel Britton of Woodbridge who are also named exes. Proved 2 Feb 1709-10. Lib I p 264.^[11]

Notes

Isaac Fitz Randolph , the father, married, first, Sept. 18, 1690, Martha Bingla , who died Aug. 1, 1691; second, Apr. 23, 1692, Ruth Higgins,^[3] and by his second wife he had his children. His widow, Ruth (Higgins) , in October, 1695, was the wife of Stephen Tuttel ,^[8] when she accounted for her late husband, and charged for the support of the two sons of the deceased and for her "lying in." And Stephen Tuttle, of Woodbridge, Dec. 31, 1695, gave a bond to maintain and educate, to their fifteenth year, Isaac and William Fitz Randolph , the children of Isaac Fitz Randolph . Historical and Genealogical Miscellany, Vol. 3

Sources

1. ↑ 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). NEHGS member site
2. ↑ A. Van Doren Honeyman, ed., Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey; 1st ser., v. 30; Calendar of New Jersey Wills..., v. 2, 1730-1750 (Somerville, NJ: Unionist-Gazette Assn., 1918), p. 567. Archive.org.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "New Jersey, Church Records, 1675-1970," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLRT-MLKL : 3 October 2019), Isaac Fitzrandolph and Ruth Higgins, 26 May 1692; citing Marriage, Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States, Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey.
4. ↑ "New Jersey Marriages, 1678-1985", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK1F-FMQ : 20 January 2020), Isaac or John Fitz Randolph, 1690.
5. ↑ "New Jersey Births and Christenings, 1660-1980", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5FL-894 : 18 January 2020), Isaac Fitz Randolph, 1693.
6. ↑ NYBGS Record, January 1916: Volume 47, issue 1, p.32 NYGBS member site
7. ↑ "New Jersey Births and Christenings, 1660-1980", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5F2-GFX : 18 January 2020), William Fitz Randolph, 1694.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "New Jersey Marriages, 1678-1985", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK1F-VRY : 20 January 2020), Ruth Fitz Randolph in entry for Stephen Tutle, 1695.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Tuttle, George Frederick, The descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle, p.309, InternetArchive
10. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc p.166 InternetArchive
11. ↑ Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc p.474 InternetArchive

• https://archive.org/stream/ogdenfamilyiname00whee#page/62/mode/2up
• Book: Richard Higgins, a resident and pioneer settler at Plymouth and Eastham, Massachusetts, and at Piscataway, New Jersey, and his descendants,, Author: Higgins, Katharine Elizabeth Chapin, Publication: Worchester, Mass, Higgins, 1918
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54906069/ruth-fitzrandolph_tuttle : accessed 28 August 2021), memorial page for Ruth Higgins FitzRandolph Tuttle (1671–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 54906069, ; Maintained by Linda Mac (contributor 47062703) Unknown.