Daniel
Finch
Born about in England
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of
Elizabeth (Unknown) Finch
— married
after 25 Dec 1657 in Fairfield, Connecticut
Husband of
Mary (Unknown) Pinion
— married
1660 [location unknown]
Descendants 
Father of
Abraham Finch and Nathaniel Finch I
Died before
before about age 82
in Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut Colony
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[send private message], Susan Potts [send private message], Blain Mercer [send private message], and Annette Christman [send private message]Profile last modified
| Created 7 Feb 2011
This page has been accessed 1,302 times.
The Birth Date is a rough estimate. See the text for details.
| Daniel Finch migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 1, p. 667) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm |
Contents |
Biography
Daniel Finch
Unknown Origin
According to Anderson in Great Migration Begins, we do not know the origin of Daniel Finch. He was probably born in England and was the father of Abraham Finch who was born in England "say" 1610.[1] Estimated birth date is 1585, based on the estimated date of his first marriage.
Abraham had a son named Abraham, (grandson to Daniel), who would have been born just before son Abraham was killed in the Pequot War.[2] Many researchers have contended that this grandson Abraham was adopted by his grandfather, Abraham[2] [sic the grandfather was named Daniel].[3]
Some works, including The History of Wethersfield have contended there was an ancient Abraham Finch known as "Old Finch" and that he was the father of "Abraham killed by Indians."[3] Jacobus contends that this character, "Old Finch," was actually Daniel Finch, and the problem arises from a single error in the record.[3] Upon the death of son Abraham, the 1640 estate record stated that the grandfather "Abraham" offered to take responsibility for the child, Abraham.[3] This single error, in calling the grandfather "Abraham" instead of his correct name, Daniel, has caused much confusion.[3] We find proof when in 1657, the estate of Daniel was committed by the court to the management of his grandson, Abraham.[3] Daniel, born c. 1585, was certainly old enough to be called "Old Finch" in the Wethersfield records of the 1640's, and since his grandson was also living there, the nick-name would have been used.[3] In addition, when the grandson, Abraham, died in Saybrook (will presented 5 June 1667) his estate included both property at Wethersfield and livestock in Fairfield.[3] This identifies him as the son of Abraham and the grandson of Daniel Finch.[3] He had removed with his mother and her 3rd husband, Richard Tousley, to Saybrook.[1]
Associations
Anderson admits the likelihood that Daniel and John Finch were related, but believes that Daniel was a generation older.[1]
Jacobus did much work on the Finch family and described them as, "perhaps the most difficult family he has studied" (Page 669).[1]
Immigrated
Daniel emigrated in 1630, initially settling in Watertown, MA, then removing to Wethersfield 1635, Stamford 1641, Fairfield 1653.[1] He was made freeman 18 May 1631.[1] Daniel was among the founders of Watertown,[4] and built his house on land previously untouched by Europeans.[4]He removed before the beginning of recorded land grants in 1636.[1] On 26 April 1636, Daniel Finch was appointed Constable at Wethersfield, Connecticut.[1]
Marriages
Daniel married three times.
- He married by 1610 in England, as his 1st, to Unknown Unknown; not seen in any NE record.[1]
- He married after 25 Dec 1657, as his 2nd, to Elizabeth (Unknown) Thompson; widow of John Thompson. She died by 1658.[1] No known children of Daniel and Elizabeth.
- He married by April 4, 1660, as his 3rd, and as her 2nd, to Mary (Unknown) Dickerson, widow of Thomas Dickerson. Mary outlived Daniel and married, as her 3rd, to Nicohlas Pinion, of East Haven.[1][3]
Last Will & Testament
Dated 5 Mar 1666/7, proved 16 Mar 1666/7; inventory taken 11 Mar 1666/7[1] Mentions his wife.
- to son Nathaniel, under 18, "my books"
- to grandson Abraham Finch 40s
- to Roger Knap's wife 20s
- to Joseph James' wife 10s
- to Henry Castel's wife L7
- unto the two children that be with their mother 20s each
- to John Sturgis 10s
Death and Legacy
Daniel died in Fairfield, Connecticut between 5 Mar (will written) and 11 Mar 1666/7 (inventory taken).[1]
Children
Child with first wife, name unknown:[1]
Daniel and his 2nd wife had no children.
Child with third wife, Mary (Unknown) Dickerson:[1]
- Nathaniel Finch born say 1662; mar 1) Mary Hemingway, 2) Mary's sister Elizabeth, invalidated by the Court, although there was a child, 3) Mary Hoadley, widow of Jonathan Frisbie, Robert Darby.
Sources
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Anderson, Robert Charles, (1995) "Daniel Finch," Featured name. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. NEHGS AmericanAncestors (Volumes I-III, Pages 667-69, citing 668).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ferris, Mary W., compiler, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines: A Memorial Volume Containing the American Ancestry of Rufus R. Dawes Volume 1 Dawes and Allied Families, Page 455, [Milwaukee]: Priv. print. 1943, accessed September 10, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Jacobus, Donald L., compiler and editor, History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (Vol 1, Page 719) 2 vols. New Haven: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company, 1930-1932 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) accessed 13 Feb 2021
- ↑ see FOOF 1:718-20 for discussion of Abraham as son of Daniel
See also:
- Records of the Particular Court of Connecticut, 1639-1663; Published by The Connecticut Historical Society And The Society of Colonial Wars In The State of Connecticut, Hartford, 1928. Page 178; image 121, (FamilySearch.org link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZC-S7S2-W : 4 April 2022).
- Great Migration Newsletter, V.1-20.(Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.)subscription site
- Mead, Spencer Percival. Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich (Knickerbocker Press, Greenwich, Conn., 1911) Page 546
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Categories: Fairfield, Connecticut | Estimated Birth Date | Puritan Great Migration
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