Alexander Fairchild (1680)

Born Feb 1680 in Woodbury, Connecticut

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Alexander Fairchild was married to a descendant of the immigrants William Beardsley and Mary Harvie.

Biography

Alexander and Deborah lived in Stratfield, a parish created from parts of Fairfield and Stratford, although on the Stratford side, and the deeds pertaining to their property are located there. Two of their sons, Abraham and Samuel went to New Jersey, as did their cousins Caleb and Zechariah. The administration of Alexander's estate was granted 6 June 1727, and Deborah's on 5 Nov. 1753.^[1]

• Please note that there is conflicting information about Alexander Fairchild's wife. Beardsley may be an error. {comment concerning possible conflict between Deborah's birthdate and the date of the marriage of Alexander and Deborah removed as her birthdate has been changed to reflect new information} jgdb
  • Please Note: Sources have been found indicating that Deborah's maiden name was Beardsley. Evidence from an early Fairchild published genealogy also supports the spouse of Alexander (son of Thomas and Sarah (Preston) Fairchild) name being Deborah Beardsley, NOT Jackson. ^[2]
  • A later Fairchild genealogy has Deborah Jackson^[3]
    
  • It may be that the Deborah Jackson that is being referred to is not the spouse of Alexander, but rather the spouse of Zechariah Fairchild of the next generation. This may be supported by ^[4]

Notes

The Samuel Orcutt "History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut" ^[5] appears to make sense of the will of Cap. John Beardsley, where he makes provision for "kinswomen Deborah Fairchild". ^[6]

"Capt. John {Beardsley} . . . baptised at St. Mary’s Church, Ilkeston, Derbyshire County, England, 2 No 1633; died at Stratford, Connecticut, 19 Nov. 1718; married, Hannah {maiden name not identified}, died Oct. 1718. They had no children.

His will, dated, January 21,1714/5, mentioned the following beneficiaries: kinswoman, Deborah Fairchild, wife of Alexander Fairchild; loving wife Hannah; John Beardsle, son my brother Daniel; and John Fairchild, son of Alexander Fairchild,

The will was contested, and distribution, made 3 Feb. 1720/1, mentions the following recipients: Henry Lacy; Alexander Fairchild; John Beardsle, Jr. son of Dan’l Beardsle; John Fairchild son of Alexander Fairchild

Orcutt lists the children of Thomas Beardsley and his wife, Elizabeth, as:

37 1/2 - John - "In Stratford burying place is the following: 'John Beardsley died Nov. 7, 1702, aged 52.' Hence he was born in 1650, and was probably the son of Thomas."

37 1/2 - Deborah - "brought up by her uncle, Capt. John Beardsley, and m. Alexander Fairchild." ^[7]

Orcutt offers the following conclusion:

"The word kinswoman and kinsman was used in those days in several instances of persons known to be nephews and nieces, and therefore it is concluded that Deborah, who m. Alexander Fairchild, was the daughter of his brother, Thomas Beardsley, of Stratford, who died in 1676, leaving several children, and that she was brought up by Capt. John Beardsley, and hence the reason for giving her and her son so much of his estate." ^[8]

Christening

13 FEB 1680/1, Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, United States

Death

6 JUN 1727, Stratfield, Fairfield, Connecticut

Sources

1. ↑ Source: History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield Page: p. 587 Note: Jacobus, Donald Lines
2. ↑ The Name And Family Of Fairchild Compiled By Timothy Marsh Fairchild And Sarah Ellen Fairchild Pub. 1944, by Timothy Marsh Fairchild -
   Name And Family Of Fairchild page 54:
   

   Chapter IV is a copy of the Manuscript of the Name and Family of Fairchild published by the Media Research Bureau of Washington, D. C. -Thomas, son of the immigrant Thomas, also resided at Woodbury and was married to Sarah Preston about the year 1672. They were the parents of, among others, Emma, Samuel, and Alexander. The son Samuel was married in 1699 to Mary Lewis, who gave him five children, Thomas, Dinah, Robert, Curtis, and Edmund; and the younger son, Alexander, married Deborah Beardsley before 1702 and had issue by her of John, Alexander, Deborah, Sarah, Hannah, Andrew, and Ruth. Media Research Bureau has been identified as a discredited source, and this entry must be viewed bearing that in mind.
   

   Name And Family Of Fairchild page 74:
   

   C—ALEXANDER FAIRCHILD, of the third generation, Number 18 of the Orcutt genealogy, son of Thomas Fairchild, 2nd, and Sarah (Preston) Fairchild, married Deborah Beardslee (Beardsley). The names of their children are recorded in the Orcutt genealogy under numbers 61 to 68, inclusive.
   

   Mr. Wilcoxson in his History of Stratford gives a lengthy biographical sketch of William Beardsley, the progenitor of the Beardsley family in America, who was in all probability one of the first settlers in Stratford. He also gives the names of his wife and his seven children. Evidently he was one of the prominent men in Stratford when the town was first founded. As his children appear to have been born about 1630 to 1644, it is evident that Deborah Beardsley whom Alexander Fairchild married, must have been a descendant of one of his children.
   

   Name And Family Of Fairchild page 76:
   

   C.—ZECHARIAH FAIRCHILD, of the third generation, son of Zechariah Fairchild and Hannah (Beach) Fairchild, was born Nov. 21, 1701; died 1777, Number 26 of the Orcutt genealogy, wherein his name is written as above. He married Deborah Fairchild, his cousin, who was the daughter of Alexander Fairchild and Deborah Beardsley Fairchild
   

   
   Name And Family Of Fairchild page 142:
   

   C—ZECHARIAH FAIRCHILD, 2nd, of the third generation, Number 26 of the Orcutt genealogy, was born Nov. 21, 1701, married Deborah Fairchild, daughter of Alexander Fairchild and Deborah (Beardsley) Fairchild. Deborah (Beardsley) Fairchild was born May, 1706.{this is obviously wrong, I believe the author is referring to Deborah Fairchild the daughter here rather than Deborah Beardsley Fairchild}
   See the letter of Mrs. Alexander W. Neff, Jr. in the preceding pages of this chapter with reference to Deborah Fairchild where she is referred to as Deborah D'Abrait.

3. ↑ Early Fairchilds in America - Compiled by Jean Fairchild Gilmore - Pub. 1991-
   page 3:
   

   IB Thomas Fairchild:
   

   b . 2 1 Feb 1645 Stratford, CT. (1A)
   

   d. 27 Ma r 1686 Woodbury, CT. (8A)
   

   m.Sarah Preston (235) and/or Susanna (8A)
   

   Children or Thomas & Sarah/Susanna:
   

   (8A) Emma "Ernm" b. 30 Aug 1672 Stratford, CT. (lA)
   

   (2) Sarah bpt. 11 Apr 1674 Woodbury, CT. (12B) ; d.y.
   

   IB1 (8A) Samuel b. 16 Jan 1676/7 Woodbury, CT. (7)
   

   (8A) Ruth b . 15 Jan 1678/9 Woodbury, CT. (2); m. Joseph Hickox 3 Nov 1697 Woodbury, CT. (2); d .
   

   28 May 1727 Woodbury, CT. (2)
   

   IB2 (8A)Alexander b. Feb 1680/1 Woodbury. CT. (2)
   

   pages 10 - 11:
   

   IB2 Alexander Fairchild:
   

   b. Feb 1680/1 Woodbury, CT. {2)
   

   d . 1727 .(8A) in Stratrield, CT. (41A)
   

   m. Deborah Jackson 1701 (2) (130); b. ca 1681 Fairfield, CT., d/o Samuel Jackson (130) ; d. 1753 Stratrield, CT. <8A)
   

   Children or Alexander & Deborah: (b. Stratford; First ch. bpt. Bridgeport)
   

   IB2- 1 (12G) John bpt. 20 Dec 1702 (12G).
   

   IB 2-2 (12G) Alexander bpt. 2 Jul 1704 (12G).
   

   (12G) Deborah bpt. 19 May 1706 (126); m. Zechariah Fairchild (130); d. 13 Apr 1757 Morristown, N.J./1st Presbyterian Ch. Cern. {131)
   

   (12G) Sarah bpt. 20 Jne 1708 (126); m. BenJamin Beach (2); went to N.J.
   

   IB2- 3 (12G) Abraham bpt. 27 May 1711 {126).
   

   Hannah bpt. 29 Jne 1713 (126); m. David Jackson (2); d. 11 Jne 1784 New Milford, CT. Gallows Hill Cemetery. (2) (4)
   

   IB2- 4 (12G) Andrew bpt . 29 Apr 1716 (12G) .
   

   Ruth bpt. 12 Jan 1717/8 (12G); m. {1) Lt. Samuel .. Hubble 26 Jan 1744/5 Kent, CT. (1A); m. (2) Capt. BenJamin Cowles (2); d. 9 May 1813 (2) in New Milford, CT . (18)
   

   (130) Catherine b. 1719 (14) ; m. Thaddeus Peat at New Milford (130); d. 23 Sap 1805 Warren, CT. (18)
   

   IB2- 5 (41A) Samuel b . prob . 1719- 1721 <NP) .
   

   IB2- 6 {lA) Stephen b. 1 Mar 1723 (Kent VR>.
   

   Alexander and Deborah lived in Stratfield, a parish which included part of Fairfield and part of Stratford. They lived on the Stratford side, which includes the deeds or the family. (2) Here are found the deeds proving that Abraham and Samuel, sons or Alexander, went to New Jersey. Their cousins Caleb and Zechariah also went to New Jersey, Caleb being there as early as 1730. (313 ) Samuel has been given as a son of Caleb, an error which has been carried on in print. The administration of Alexander's estate was granted 6 Jne 1727. Administration of Deborah's estate was granted 5 Nov 1753. (8A)

4. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 28 January 2019), memorial page for Deborah Jackson Fairchild (1707–13 Apr 1757), Find A Grave: Memorial #39220885, citing First Presbyterian Churchyard, Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, USA ; Maintained by Trowbridges NJ (contributor 46739848) .
5. ↑ A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut by Samuel Orcutt , Fairfield County Historical Society (Bridgeport, Conn.) Publisher Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, Year 1886 Vol II, pages 1130, 1131,1132, 1197 & 1198. (#18)
6. ↑ Beardsley Genealogy - The Family Of William Beardsley, One Of The First Settlers Of Stratford, Connecticut, By Nellie Beardsley Holt, page 7
7. ↑ Orcutt History of Stratford, Vol II, page 1132
8. ↑ Orcutt History of Stratford, Vol II, page 1130

• *Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920 - Original data: Connecticut. Church Records Index. Connecticut State Library, Hartford, Connecticut.
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 - Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
• Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 - Probate Files Collection, Early to 1880; Author: Connecticut State Library (Hartford, Connecticut); Probate Place: Hartford, Connecticut. Original data: Connecticut County, District and Probate Courts.