Thomas Hanford (abt. 1621 - bef. 1693)

Born about 22 Jul 1621 in Alverdiscott, Devon, England

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Newberry) Hanford — married about 1653 in Norwalk, CT

Husband of Mary (Miles) Hanford — married 22 Oct 1661 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut Colony [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 4 Jan 1693 before about age 71 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Wiley Walters [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Hanford immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Signature of Rev. Thomas Hanford.

Thomas Hanford^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} was a founding settler of Norwalk, Connecticut. He was the first minister in Norwalk, and continued in charge of the settlement's church for forty-one years, until his death in 1693. In addition to his spiritual leadership, he also served as the civic leader and school teacher of the settlement. He had ten children by his wife Mary (Miles) Hanford (abt.1635-1730). By all accounts, he seemed to be very well-liked by the community & even by the local Native Americans for he was gifted an island by a Winniupauk Indian named Sagamore, which today is called "Sheffield Island".

Parentage

No birth or baptismal record for Thomas Hanford has been found, perhaps because Alverdiscott, Devonshire has a gap in the parish baptismal records between February 1614/5 and July 1627 with few exception.^[1] Genealogists, including Holman and Anderson, however, concluded that Thomas Hanford was the son of Jeffrey Hanford and Eglin (Hatherly) Hanford,^[4] based on (i) a church record establishes that Thomas was the brother of Elizabeth Hanford,^[4] who records show immigrated with her mother, Eglin Hanford,^[5] (ii) the fact that he received a bequest in the will of Timothy Hatherly (Eglin's brother), in the same part of the will that Timothy made bequests to the families of Eglin's daughters,^[2][4] (iii) Thomas Hanford witnessed the will of Lettice Hanford's first husband, Edward Foster,^[2] and (iv) the simple fact that his last name was Hanford and he arrived in Scituate shortly after Eglin and her daughters.

The nuncupative will for Jeffrey Hanford (which prior researchers, including Holman and Anderson, do not seem to have had) included bequests to daughters Margaret, Lettis, and Susan, to wife Eglin/Enlyn, and to an unborn child that Eglin/Enlyn was then carrying. One version (version 1 attached to this profile) states that the unborn child that Eglin/Enlyn was carrying "was not brought forth", indicating that Eglin/Enlyn miscarried. The failure of Jeffrey's nuncupative will to mention children Elizabeth and Thomas introduces an element of doubt, but seems insufficient to overcome the evidence supporting his parentage of them.

Second Marriage

Reverend Thomas Hanford married Mary Ince (Miles) on 22 October 1661 in Norwalk, Connecticut ^{[6] [7][2]} or in New Haven, Connecticut.^[8]

Probate

Inventory of Estate of Thomas Hanford^[9]

4 January 1693 [ 1693 / 4 ]
Heirs named :
Theophilus , “ whether living or dead uncertain ”
Elizar
Elnathan
Samuel
Mary
Hannah
Elizabeth
Eunice , 18 next March
Sarah, 16 next May

Widow Mary and her son Eliezar , and son-in-law Mr. John Edwards , appointed Adm ' rs . They made a return , 13 Mar . 1693 / 4 .

Inventory of Estate of Thomas Hanford
2 April 1711
distribution ordered to heirs ; one son and three daughters are deceased leaving children , and three sons and two daughters living .

"Death of Mr. Hanford
At a towne meeting, Dec. 26, 1693, voted and agreed for to allow unto Mrs. Hanford, widow of Mr. Thomas Hanford, deceased, for his labor and work in the ministry the sum of sixty pounds the yeere expireing the first of March next."^[8]

Research Notes

From Anderson's article on his mother Eglin: "Thomas b. say 1623; m. (1) by unknown date Hannah Newberry, d/o Thomas Newberry (see [GM article] and Stevens-Miller Anc p 487); m. (2) by 1662 Mary (Miles) Ince, d/o Richard Miles and widow of Jonathan Ince (see Stevens-miller Anc.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Roger Granville and W.E. Mugford, "Abstracts of the Existing Transcripts of the Lost Parish Registers of Devon, 1596-1644," Volume I - A-Bra, 1908, pp 12-13
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Mary Lovering Holman, "Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and his wife Frances Helen Miller," 1948, pp 485-7
3. ↑ John Camden Hotten, "The Original Lists of Persons of Quality . . . Who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations 1600-1700," 1874, pp 55-56
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Anderson, Robert Charles, "Eglin Hanford," The Great Migration, Vol 3, G-H, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, pp 205-6
5. ↑ See the profile for Elizabeth Hanford.
6. ↑ Great Migration 1634-1635, G-H. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume III, G-H, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003. p. 206
7. ↑ Torrey, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "Hall Edwin. 1847. The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk Conn. : With a Plan of the Ancient Settlement and of the Town in 1847. Norwalk New York: J. Mallory & Co. ; Baker & Scribner.
9. ↑ Jacobus, Donald Lines, 1887-1970, and Fairfield Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution. Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter. History And Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (v. 1. pt. 3. Gilbert to Jennings). [New Haven, Conn.: Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor], 1930. Page 256

• Find A Grave: Memorial #17263763 (newer memorial stone)
• Hall, Edwin. The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Connecticut (James Mallory & Co., Norwalk, 1847)

• Page 165: "Thomas Hanford, began to preach in 1652; Ordained in 1654 and died in 1693, after laboring in the ministry here 41 years."
• Page 183: "Mstr Thomas Handforde, pastor to the chuch of Norwake, tooke to wiffe the widow Mary ____ married unto his sayed wiffe at newe Haven, October the 22th, 1661."

• Van Hoosear, David Hermon. A Complete Copy of the Inscriptions Found on the Monuments, Headstones, &c., in the Oldest Cemetery in Norwalk, Conn. (Standard Assoc., Bridgeport, Conn., 1895) Page XXII
• Banks, Charles. The History of Martha's Vineyard (G.H. Dean, Boston, 1911) Vol. 2: Town Annals. Page 61
• Weed, Samuel Richards. Norwalk After Two Hundred & Fifty Years (C.A. Freeman, South Norwalk, Conn, 1901) Page 136
• The Colonial and Revolutionary Homes of Wilton, Norwalk, Westport, Darien and Vicinity (Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution, Norwalk, Conn., 1901) Page 75