James Ensign (1606 - 1670)

Born 1 Jun 1606 in Rye, Sussex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Unknown) Ensign — married 1630 in England

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1670 at age 64 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut

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James Ensign migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 2, p. 452) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

James Ensigne was christened June 1, 1606, in Rye, Sussex, England, son of Mr. Thomas Ensigne^[1] and his wife Constance (Pilcher) Ensign.^[2]

James Ensigne immigrated in 1634, settled in Newe Towne, Massachusetts (later named Cambridge) and was made a freeman 4 Mar 1634/5.^[3] He was granted several parcels of land and had two houses in Cambridge at one time.^[4][5] Before his removal to Hartford James served as a Cambridge fenceviewer 4 Apr 1636, for 14 days.^[6]

James was a Founder of Hartford. Records do not indicate when James left Newetown for the new settlement at Hartford (Connecticut), perhaps in 1636 with Rev. Thomas Hooker's company but definitely by Feb 1639/40 when he was in possession of seven parcels of land granted by the town. He had his houselot, (#113 on the map) west of the Little River, plus parcels of upland, meadow, and swamp for farming. He acquired more parcels of land over the following years.^[7][8]

Hartford in 1640 prepared from the original records by vote of the town and drawn by William S. Porter. Image by The Connecticut Historical Society

The early colonists frequently served in the public capacity. James was constable in Hartford in 1648, surveyor and townsman in 1655, herdsman 1656 and constable in 1661.^[8] He was a member of the colony petit juries in 1655, 1656, 1658 and 1661.^[9] His name is on the Oct 1669 list of Hartford freeman.^[10] In 1656 he owed the town £3 5s for shingles.^[8]

James was a cooper and in 1662 the court assigned John, son of William Eares (Ayres) as apprentice to James until William was 21 years old. James was to instruct him in the art or trade of cooper. William Ayres and his wife were accused of witchcraft shortly after this contract and fled to the Narragansett Country.^[2]

James and Sarah were founding members of the 2nd Church of Christ Hartford, joining in full communion, 17 Feb 1669/70, under the pastorate of Rev. John Whiting. ^[11] James remembered his pastor in his will and left money for building the meeting house.

James' will was proved 2 Mar 1670/1 in Hartford. He gave land to his son David and son Joseph Easton; provided for his wife Sarah Ensign, during her life, naming her executrix; confirmed to his daughter Mary Smith, wife of Samuel Smith, what he had laid out in the building of her house & 10 acres of land; to grandchild Ruth Rockwell £30; to grandchildren Sarah and Lydia Rockwell £5 each; to son John Rockwell 40s; to Governor Winthrop £5; pastor Mr. Whiting £5; to building a new meeting house £6; to John Aires to buy tools when his time is done 40s; executrix and two sons to take care of the widow An Phillips. The will was unsigned (he intended to add to it) but he swore to its correctness 23 Nov 1670. The inventory was taken 23 Dec 1670 totaled £729 2s 9d, les debts of £264 16s 1d.^[2][12]

James widow Sarah left a will in 1676.^[2]

More information on James Ensign's life can be found at James Ensign's Biography, Expanded.

Children:^[2]

1. Sarah Ensign was born say 1631. She married John Rockwell
2. Thomas b. about 1639. Thomas, age 18, was treated by John Winthrop Jr. Nov 1657 and again 6 Dec 1657, but there is no further record of Thomas.
3. Mary Ensign was born about 1641. She married Samuel Smith
4. David Ensign was born about 1643.
5. Hannah Ensign was born about 1645; m. Joseph Easton
6. Lydia Ensign was bpt on 19 Aug 1649 in Hartford, Connecticut; no further record.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch image 517 of 864
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Anderson, Robert Charles and George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume II, C-F, Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001. pp 452-458 Link at AmericanAncestors ($)
3. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Volume I 1628-1641 (William White, Boston, 1853) freeman p. 370
4. ↑ The Records of the Town of Cambridge (formerly Newtowne) Massachusetts, 1630-1703 (Cambridge, Mass., 1901) pp 9, 11, 13 18
5. ↑ The Register Book of the Lands and Houses in the "New towne" and the town of Cambridge (Cambridge, Mass., 1896) pp 27, 56 link
6. ↑ The Records of the Town of Cambridge (formerly Newtowne) Massachusetts, 1630-1703 (Cambridge, Mass., 1901) p. 21
7. ↑ Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society Vol. 14 Original Distribution of The Lands in Hartford Among the Settlers 1639 (The Connecticut Historical Society and the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Hartford 1860-1928) pp 222-225
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society Vol. 6 Hartford Town Votes Vol. 1 1635-1716 land: 17, 23, 49; offices pp 85, 98, 103, 110 112, 137; shingles 115, 116 (The Connecticut Historical Society and the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Hartford 1860-1928)
9. ↑ Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society]] Vol. 22 Records of the Particular Court of Connecticut 1639-1663 (The Connecticut Historical Society and the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Hartford 1860-1928) pp 153, 162, 165, 191, 234, 244 link
10. ↑ The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Vol. 2, 1665-1678 p. 519(Hartford, Brown & Parsons, 1850)
11. ↑ Parker, Edwin Pond. History of the Second church of Christ in Hartford. (Hartford, Conn., Belknap & Warfield, 1892) pp 47, 48 see also pp 57, 62
12. ↑ Connecticut. Probate Court (Hartford District); Probate Place: Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records, Vol 2-3, 1649-1677 (clerk's copy) image Accessed at Ancestry ($)

• COLKET, MEREDITH B., JR. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. Page 101.
• Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.
• Nelson, Martha Eunice Ensign. Record of the Descendants of James Ensign and His Wife Sarah Nelson, 1634-1939-1960 [microform]. [United States]: M.E.E. Nelson, 1960.
• England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch [1] : accessed 17 July 2015), James Ensigne, 01 Jun 1606; citing Rye, Sussex, England, reference item 3; FHL microfilm 1,067,288.
• Timothy Hopkins. 1932. John Hopkins of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1634, and Some of His Descendants. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. On p. 6, citing Hartford Probate Records (2: 54-57) and Manwaring's Digest of Early Connecticut Probate Records (1: 130).
• Barbour, Lucius Barnes. Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. , 1977.) p. 237 "died 1670; m. Sarah ___. she died May 1676. Early member 1st ch. J& S orig. members of 2nd ch. Separated to go to 2nd ch. Name on Founders monument. Signed agreement to go to Hadley. :: Cambridge 1634; freeman Mass. March 4 1635; an orgi prop. of Hartford 1639; his home lot was on the south side of the highway now Elm st; chosen constable 1649;, 1662; chimney viewer 1655; townman 1656. Will dated Nov 23, inv. Dec 23 1679 £729.2.9. His widow sarah d. 1676, inv. taken 29 MayChildren: Sarah m. John Rockwell 6 May 1651.; David m. 1 Mehitabel Gunn; m. 2 Sarah Wileys; Mary m. Samuel Smith; Hannah m. Joseph Easton; Lydia bpt 19 Aug 1649 (HTR)
• Stiles, Henry R. History of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, including East Windsor, South Windsor, and Ellington, prior to 1768, the date of their separation from the old town; and Windsor, Bloomfield and Windsor Locks, to the present time. Also the genealogies and genealogical notes of those families which settled within the limits of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, prior to 1800. (New York: C. B. Norton, 1859) p. 248. Says in Aaddition he rem. with Rev. Thomas Hooker to Htfd.
• 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). pp 124, 125 vol II. "JAMES, Cambridge 1634, freem. 4 Mar. 1635, rem. a 1639 to Hartford, had large est. only s. David, bef. ment. and three ds. of wh. Sarah, perhaps, m. 6 May 1651, John Rockwell; Lydia was bapt. 19 Aug. 1649; and Mary m. Samuel Smith, afterwards of Northampton and Hadley. His will, of Nov. 1670, was pro. Mar. foll."
• Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Com, 1985.)