Thomas Bancroft (abt. 1625 - bef. 1703)

Born about 1625 in Chellaston, Derbyshire, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Wright) Bancroft — married 8 Dec 1653 in Springfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Hannah (Gardner) Bancroft — married 22 Nov 1676 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died before 1703 before about age 78 in Enfield, Hartford, Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bill Pease [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Bancroft was born in Derbyshire, England.

Thomas Bancroft Born about 1625 at: Chellaston, Derbyshire, England ^[1]Father John Bancroft, Mother Jane Unknown. [English origins are difficult to prove] The Essex Antiquarian and The History of Ancient Windsor state that John Bancroft came to Mass Bay Colony 1732 aboard the James with his wife Anne and family; John settles briefly in Lynn Mass before his death 1637; Soon after this (and before the arrival of the Thomas Bancroft of Lynn to Mass Bay) the Widow Bancroft moves to Long Island with other residents of Lynn; Her children John, Thomas and Anna are next found in the records of Windsor Connecticut.^[2][3] Thomas first married 8 December 1653 at Springfield Mass^[4] they had six children before Margaret Died? Thomas second wife was Hannah Gardner, records show they were married at Hadley Mass 1676.^[5] they had three children. Thomas died at Enfield before 1703. The Probate Record cited below suggests 1702 or1703 while FindaGrave suggests 14 December 1684 at Enfield, Hartford Co, CT (actually still Massachusetts at this time)^[6] Another secondary source, The "Old Northwest" Genealogical Quarterly, has an extensive bio for Thomas and states that he was an original settler of Enfield, which has been confirmed by a reading of the "History of Enfield",^[7] The "Old Northwest" goes on to say that Thomas lived in Enfield and then moved to Westfield in 1668, and then back to Enfield in 1680 where he dies with out a will in 1684^[8]. Probably Thomas moved between Springfield, Hadley and Westfield during the King Philips war before finally settling in Enfield. The History of Enfield begins with an initial camp in 1679 and the settling of Enfield begins in 1680 when Thomas and his Family arrive, so he is an original settler of Enfield and did not leave but died in Enfield.^[9] The "Old Northwest" does propose an explaination for why the probate was not read until 1703: his will was not witnessed. We can speculate that there was a dispute between his young wife and her children and his adult children over the estate. One more piece of evidence for an earlier death for Thomas and his marriage to Hannah is Hannah's second marriage May 11 1689 to John Barber at Springfield Mass where she is identified as the Widow Hannah Bancroft.^[10]

Children

Margaret's Children:

1. Thomas Bancroft ^[11] Spouses: ? Father of long line of Bancroft's in New Jersey. His son is said to have married Margaret Miller. [see Thomas's profile]
2. Lydia Bancroft Born 1655^[12] Died in infancy 2
3. Margaret Bancroft Born: 16 OCT 1656 at Springfield, Hampden, Mass^[13] still alive but unmarried in 1703 when probate read.
4. Anna Bancroft Born 1658 at Springfield, Hampden, MA ^[14] Died: 1659
5. Anna Bancroft Born: 5 MAY 1663 at Springfield, Hampden, MA ^[15] Married 9 April 1690 at Springfield Mass to Thomas Gibert, Died 10 March 1732/33 at Westfield Mass. Married second husband James Sexton 1702
6. Samuel Bancroft born 1667^{[8] [16]} Married 23 February 1709/10 Spouse Joanna Gillett
7. Ruth Bancroft born 1670^[8]

Hannah's Children:

1. Rebecah born: 23 February 1680^[17] Married 22 January 1702 Spouse Samuel Gillett.
2. Nathaniel born: 1683^[18] Married 26 November 1708 Spouse Ruth Hale.
3. John born: 1684^[19] died in infancy.

Probate

1703 Thomas did not leave a will so his estate was probated according to custom between his widow and seven surviving children, the eldest son receiving a double share. In the Probate record his wife is only referred to as Widow Bancroft. His surviving children are listed as Thomas Jr, Samuel, Nathaniel, Margaret, Anne Sexton, Ruth Stiles and Rebecah Gillett. ^[20]

Research Note

Is Hannah Gardner the second wife of Thomas? This is considered very doubtful by Torrey ^[21] There is a marriage record from Hadley, Mass 1676, which is north of Springfield but in the same economic circle as Enfield to the south.^[5] Also Hannah is likely the mother of Nathaniel and Rebecah who are mentioned in Thomas' probate above, probably the most certain evidence that she did marry this Thomas Bancroft.

A further question is: Is this marriage after Margaret's Death? There is a record of Margarett in her mother's will dated 1680 4 years after Thomas' marriage to Hannah.^[22] Further research is needed.

Sources

1. ↑ Parsons, Gerald J., F.A.S.G.
2. ↑ https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/essex-antiquarian/image?volumeId=7520&pageName=94&rId=6538915 viewed November 2020; Essex Antiquarian Vol 2 (1898) page 94
3. ↑ Stiles, Henry Reed The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut (Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., Hartford, Connecticut, 1891) vol 2 page 40
4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJV-HN5 : 9 February 2018), Thomas Bancroft and Margaret Wright, 08 Oct 1653; citing item 1, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCHN-7Z3 : 24 January 2020), Hannah Gardner in entry for Thomas Bancrof, 1676.
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 April 2020), memorial page for Thomas Bancroft (14 Dec 1626–1684), Find a Grave Memorial no. 112539557, citing Springfield Cemetery, Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by M Cooley (contributor 47154454) .
7. ↑ Allen, Francis. The History of Enfield, Connecticut (The Wickersham Printing Co., Lancaster, PA, 1900) page 85
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} The "Old Northwest" Genealogical Quarterly, Volumes 10-11Viewed November 2020 at https://books.google.com/books?id=5zXTAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA67#v=onepage&q&f=false
9. ↑ https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Enfield%2C_Connecticut
10. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D1ZQ-3VG?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DG-7MQ%3A353349501%2C353356001%2C353395401 : 20 May 2014), Hampden > Springfield > Births, marriages, deaths 1638-1728 vol 1 > image 25 of 137; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.
11. ↑ "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJF-3V9 : 9 February 2018), Thomas Bancraft in entry for Thomas Bancraft, 02 Jan 1659; citing , Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.
12. ↑ "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJF-SNB : 9 February 2018), Thomas Bancraft in entry for Liddia Bancraft, 06 Apr 1655; citing , Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.
13. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCHY-95W : 14 January 2020), Thomas Bancraft in entry for Margritt Bancraft, 1656.
14. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZQ8-1NR : 14 January 2020), Thomas Bancroft in entry for Anna Bancroft, 1658.
15. ↑ "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJF-QJB : 9 February 2018), Thomas Bancroft in entry for Anna Bancroft, 05 May 1662; citing , Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.
16. ↑ "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJ4-8JC : 9 February 2018), Thomas Bancroft in entry for Samuel Bancroft, 30 Jan 1667; citing v 1 p 48, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.
17. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D1ZQ-77V?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DG-7MQ%3A353349501%2C353356001%2C353395401 : 20 May 2014), Hampden > Springfield > Births, marriages, deaths 1638-1728 vol 1 > image 33 of 137; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.
18. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZQD-MPK : 14 January 2020), Nathaneel Bancroft, 1683.
19. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F74V-FGM : 7 January 2020), John Bancroft, 1684.
20. ↑ https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/hampshire-county-ma-probate-file-papers-1660-1889/image?volumeId=33926&pageName=8-46:5&rId=56280839 Hampshire County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1660-1889 Court, Land and Probate Records; 1703; Enfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States;CASE TYPE : Intestate; NOTE : page 1 of 5; CASE NUMBER : 8-46; VOLUME : Hampshire Box 8; PAGE : 8-46:1 viewed 2020 at American Ancestors
21. ↑ https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-marriages-to-1700/image?volumeId=21174&pageName=82&rId=45697628
22. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-FSV9-8

1) Parsons, Gerald J., F.A.S.G.

2) History of Ancient Windsor, vol. II

3) NEHGR 159 (1946):277

Sheri Minnick, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Sheri and others.