Nicholas Ackley (abt. 1635 - 1695)

Born about 1635 in Shalford, Essex, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Ford) Ackley — married 1656 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut

Husband of Miriam (Moore) Ackley — married 1680 in Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut

Descendants

Died 29 Apr 1695 at about age 60 in Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut

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NOTE: As of 28 April 2016 this biography is a complete re-write; the previous biography was somewhat disorganized and had much repetitive information. Hopefully I have captured the essential information from that biography and organized it in an easier to read format. Changed by Mike Ackley.

Biography

Nicholas Ackley is generally recognized as the first Ackley to arrive in America, and certainly a large number of Ackleys living in the United States today are his descendants. Fun fact: in the 2000 U.S. census (the most recent data available) there were 6,895 people with the Ackley surname; Ackley ranked 4,702 out of 151,671 surnames reported with at least 100 occurrences in that census ^[1]. Contrast that with Smith, the most frequently occurring surname, which had 2,376,206 occurrences.

Birth

Nicholas is widely reported to have been born around 1635 in Shalford, Essex, England. This date and location appears in many online family trees without any source citations to back this information up. Therefore, the details of Nicholas’ birth should be considered an open question.

Immigration

Although it is not known for sure when Nicholas arrived in America, there is speculation that he was here as early as 1649. According to "Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines: A Memorial Volume Containing the American Ancestry of Mary Beman (Gates) Dawes Vol. II", “Nicholas was of Hartford, Connecticut, probably as early as 1649…”^[2], although no evidence is offered as to why this date might be correct. In a footnote, the same reference speculates that “Nicholas was possibly one of several men and youths brought over by William Wadsworth. The latter is supposed to have reared and employed Daniel Brainerd, who later became a fellow-pioneer at Haddam with Nicholas.”^[2] (Wadsworth was one of the original proprietors of Hartford, having moved there from Massachusetts in 1636.)

There is speculation that Nicholas came as an indentured servant and that he was freed from his indenture at age 16, but no evidence to support that assertion has been found (so at this point this should be considered a family legend that still needs some kind of proof). Another part of this legend is that Nicholas was sent to America by his father to escape the English Civil War, which took place between 1642 and 1651. The indentured servant story would not be surprising, as it is estimated that “Over half of all European immigrants to Colonial America during the 17th and 18th centuries arrived as indentured servants.”^[3] Fun fact: The Census Bureau estimates that the population of Connecticut in 1650, about the time that Nicholas came, was about 6,000. The total estimated population of the colonies at that time was 51,700.^[4]

Early Residence in Hartford

The earliest date for which written evidence could be found that Nicholas was in Hartford is 1653. According to "History of Northampton Massachusetts from its Settlement in 1654", he is listed as one of the original petitioners, many of whom were from Hartford, who signed a petition in May, 1653 seeking to establish a plantation at Nonotuck, Massachusetts (present-day Northampton; about 45 miles north of Hartford)^[5]:

Click here to see the petition

There is no evidence that Nicholas ever settled in Nonotuck; as discussed below, records show that he was living in Hartford in 1655 and beyond.

Nicholas was surely living in Hartford by 1655, as evidenced by the appearance of his name on the list of inhabitants who paid to have grain milled at the community mill in 1655, 1656, and 1657^[2]. He also is shown to have owned land in Hartford, specifically lot 42 on Trumbull Street, in 1655^[2]. By 1662 Nicholas was listed as the chimney viewer in Hartford ^[6]. The duties of a chimney viewer were similar to a fire marshal – Nicholas was expected to inspect the chimneys of the town and ensure they were clean and in good working order to prevent fires^[2]. The map on page 613 of Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines^[2] shows Hartford in 1640. The lot that Nicholas would own ten years later is adjacent to the lot owned by William Wadsworth, mentioned above.

Original Proprietor of Haddam

It is well documented that Nicholas was one of the original proprietors of Haddam, Connecticut. Nicholas is listed among the 28 young men who purchased land in what would become Haddam in 1662 according to "Historic Towns of the Connecticut River Valley" by George S. Roberts^[7]:

See list of original proprietors here

This group of men is also honored with a plaque displayed in downtown Haddam:

Click here to see the plaque

The town was established on the Connecticut River. The main part of the town was set up near Haddam Island, also known as Thirty Mile Island. Another group settled about a mile southeast in an area known as the Lower Plantation. A map of the original settlement compiled by Richard M. Bayles in History of Middlesex County, Connecticut can be seen here^[8]. Note that the map is actually two maps laid out side by side on the same page. The map on the left is the layout of the Lower Plantation, while the map on the right is the original town plot. You can see that Nicholas had two lots in the lower part of the Lower Plantation; an 8-acre lot and a 5-acre lot right next to it.

Apparently Nicholas was slow to join his fellow proprietors in Haddam, which prompted them to seek his promise to make the move. From "Memoranda Relating to the Ancestry and Family of Sophia Fidelia Hall" we find this pledge from Nicholas to settle at Haddam^[9]:

See Nicholas' pledge to move here

Family

Nicholas was married twice. His first wife was Hannah. Hannah's name is given as Hannah Ford Mitchell in many online trees, but there are no sources supporting that name. They were married about 1656 in the United States ^[10]. Click here to see the page

Hannah is the mother of all of Nicholas’ children; they were listed in probate records as^[11].:

1. Thomas
2. Nathaniel
3. John
4. Samuel
5. James
6. Elizabeth
7. Hanna
8. Mary
9. Sarah
10. Lydia

Some sources also list Nicholas and Benjamin as sons of Nicholas and Hannah, but p.40 of Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines theorizes that they are actually grandsons. ^[2]

Also mentioned in probate records was Nicholas’ second wife, Miriam. Miriam’s surname is given as Moore (without a good source) in many online trees, but a note in Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines disputes that: “Sometimes surmised to have been Miriam Moore (Miles), but that can not be true, for she married first John Willey, and married secondly, 1689, Samuel Spencer (Gerrard) and became his widow in 1705.”^[2]

Death and Probate

There is a record of his probate in the Hartford district of Connecticut. Nicholas died on 29 April 1695 in Haddam, Connecticut. An inventory was taken 8 May 1695, valuing Nicholas' estate at 188-11-0 (188 pounds, 11 shillings). On 5 September 1695, administration of the estate was assigned to his son John, and on 20 March 1696 an agreement on the settlement of the estate was reached among his widow Miriam and his children. Here is a summary of this record from Charles William Manwaring’s "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records 1635-1700 Vol. I"^[11]:

Click here to see page

Nicholas Ackley was born about 1635 in England. ^{[12] [13]}

He was living in Hartford, Connecticut ^[14] in 1655 when he married Hannah Ford ^[13] and they had 10 children.

Ackley was one of the first settlers of Haddam, Connecticut, living in an area that later became East Haddam. ^[12]

He died on 29 April 1695 in Haddam ^{[12] [15]} and was buried at Old Cove Burying Ground.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.census.gov, "Frequently Occurring Surnames from the Census 2000 (database on-line)". Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Commerce, 2014.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} Ferris, Mary Walton, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines: A Memorial Volume Containing the American Ancestry of Mary Beman (Gates) Dawes Vol. II (Wisconsin: Cuneo Press, 1931), p. 33-54.
3. ↑ Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, s.v. "Immigration to the United States," (accessed January 21, 2016), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_States#cite_note-mertsahinoglu-14.
4. ↑ www2.census.gov, Population in the Colonial and Continental Periods [pdf on-line]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Commerce (accessed January 21, 2016), http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00165897ch01.pdf.
5. ↑ Trumbull, James Russell, History of Northampton Massachusetts from its Settlement in 1654 (Northampton, Massachusetts: Press of Gazette Printing Co., 1898), p. 5-6.
6. ↑ Hinman, Royal Ralph, Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut (Hartford, Connecticut: E. Gleanson, 1846), p. 110.
7. ↑ Roberts, George S., Historic Towns of the Connecticut River Valley (Schenectady, New York: Robson & Adee, 1906), p. 75.
8. ↑ Bayles, Richard M., “Town of Haddam”, History of Middlesex County, Connecticut with Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men. Henry Whittemore. (New York: J. B. Beers, & Co., 1884), p. 370-371.
9. ↑ Coe, Sophia Fidelia Hall, Memoranda Relating to the Ancestry and Family of Sophia Fidelia Hall (Meriden, Connecticut: Curtiss-Way Co., 1902), p. 219.
10. ↑ Torry, Clarence Almon, Elizabeth Petty Bentley, New England marriages prior to 1700 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1985), p. 3.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Manwaring, Charles William, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records 1635-1700 Vol. I (Hartford, Connecticut: R. S. Peck, & Co., 1904), p. 393
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Find A Grave: Memorial #177136573 for Nicholas Ackley
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} "Millennium File" by Heritage Consulting on ancestry.com
14. ↑ Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut by Lucius Barnes Barbour & Genealogical Publishing Company Inc. of Baltimore, MD in 1982.
15. ↑ Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records 1639-1700 on ancestry.com citing "Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Hartford District 1635-1700" v1 in 1906 n.p.

• New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol. 1, p. 5.[1]

• http://www.ackleygenealogy.com/

• U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1500s-1900s on ancestry.com; "Immigrants to America before 1750" published extracts from Magazine of American Genealogy, edited by Frederick A. VIRKUS, section#4 #1-27 (1929 - [1932]) & published by Genealogical Publishing Co. Baltimore, MD in 1965; p12 code#9450 for Nicholas Ackley, arrival: 1655 Connecticut.

• U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700; by Genealogical Publishing Co. of Baltimore, MD on ancestry.com for Nicholas Ackley, d: 1695; m: c1656 New England to Hannah.

• U.S. and International Marriage Records 1560-1900 compiled by Yates Publishing; source#24039.007; Pedigree chart; for Nicholas Ackley, b: 1635 England; m: 1565 CT to Hannah Ford, b: 1629 England.

• U.S. and International Marriage Records 1560-1900 compiled by Yates Publishing source#8930.006; Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; for Nicholas Ackley, b: England; m: 1655 CT Hannah Benton, b: Wl.

• Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records 1609-1999 case#13 for Nicholas Ackley, d: c1695 CT; probated: 1695 Hartford, Connecticut.

• Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records 1639-1700 on ancestry.com citing "Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records 1687 to 1695"; p213 for Nicholas Ackley, res: Haddam, CT; Will written: 08 May 1695; d: 29 April 1695; inventory: œ188-11-00 by John Scovel, John Bate, Alexander Rooly=Rollo; children: 5 sons: John, Thomas, Nathaniel, James, Samuel; & 5 daughters: Hanna, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary & Lydia; p89 Court Record on 05 Sep 1695 with administration to John Ackley; p97 on 20 Mar 1696 agreement between the widow & children of Nicholas Ackley, which this Court approve; distribution: to mother-in-law œ12 and her own estate that she brought to the house & eldest son a double share & each of the others a single share; witnesses: John Chapman, Abel Shaylor, Miriam Ackley, James Ackley, Thomas Ackley, Elizabeth X Shalor, Nathaniel Ackley, Hanna X Purple, John Ackley, Mary X Beppin, Samuel Ackley, Sarah Spencer, Lydia Robinson, wife of Thomas Robinson.

• "Ancestry of Lorenzo Ackley & his wife Emma Arabella Bosworth" by N. Grier Parke, II in 1960 for Nicholas Ackley, Haddam, CT.

• American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) compiled by Godfrey Memorial Library on ancestry.com for Nicholas Ackley v1 p274 citing#1 Genealogical notes of the first settlers of CT and MS by Nath. Goodwin of Hartford, CT in 1856; citing#2 "Boston Transcript" 1906-1941 genealogy column #8173 on 7 Jun 1920.