Richard Church in Hartford and Hadley

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut Colony
Surname/tag: Church, Connecticut

Richard Church of Hadley (bef.1594-1667)

John Church (bef.1632-1691)

Samuel Church (bef.1635-1684)

Edward Church (bef.1626-1704)

The information on this page is specifically about Richard Church's life in Hartford, Connecticut and Hadley, Massachusetts. Notes about his origins are found in other places.

Contents 1 Richard Church's Land 2 Life in Hartford 3 Moving to Hadley 3.1 Will & Inventory 3.2 Richard Church's Children 4 Sources

Richard Church's Land

Richard Church first appears in New England in the records of Hartford, Connecticut. We don't know exactly when he arrived in Hartford. One unsourced comment says he is written in Hartford records as early as 1637, making him one of the original proprietors coming with Rev. Thomas Hooker, but it's likely he came shortly after this. In February 1639 land in Hartford on the Connecticut River "belonging to Richard Church & to his heires forever" were listed as follows: - One parcel with his dwelling house with outhouses, yards or gardens of 1 acre which he bought from William Spencer. It was next to the Sentinel Hill. This property was on the east side of the road to the cow pasture, now known as N. Main Street.

• One parcel of 3 acres in the North Meadow west of the river.
• One parcel of 4 acres in the little ox pasture west of the cow pasture.
• One parcel of 1 acre 2 roods in the end of the North Meadow.
• One parcel, 3 acres of swamp on the east side of the river.
• One parcel of 2 roods in the little meadow, bought from Seth Grant.
• One parcel of 2 acres in the neck of land he bought from Will Spencer.
• One parcel of 8 acres 8 parches by widow Spencer's land.
• One parcel of 3 acres in the Pine field bought from Nicholas Difborow, by the highway.
• One parcel of 4 acres 2 roods 16 parches against the highway bought from Robert Wadd.
• One parcel of 16 acres 2 roods 16 parches against the highway and river.
• One parcel of 3 roods in the Soldiers Field which he bought from Thomas Spencer.
• One parcel of 3 acres he bought from Thomas Root on Feb. 21.
• One parcel of 5 acres lying in Podunk Swam bought from Thomas Root in 1674.^[1]

On January 3 1639 - 1640 lands were divided. Richard Church received 12 acres.^[2]

Richard Church received a home lot on the east side of the road to the cow pasture (N. Main Street) in Hartford.^[3]

On Sept 13 1640 Richard Church bought a parcel of land from William Spencer. It was a swamp with one end next to the Soldier Field.^[4]

Life in Hartford

On February 18 1641 Goodman Church was one of five men ordered to build a fence along the long north meadow. His portion was to be built from the river to John Marsh's land. They had received land around this fence from the town; they were to set it up and maintain it for defense of the north meadow. The town of Hartford had the right to give orders to its citizens to serve the town in special capacities such as this one. Goodman was a title sometimes used the way we use "Mr.". There was also a Richard Goodman in Hartford at the same time, which can get to be confusing.^[5]

Apparently each proprietor's domestic animals had a special mark on their ear to tell them apart. Richard Church's mark was "a snipp cutt out of the Neare ear next the head."^[6]

On June 27 1647 Richard Church and Benjamin Mun were assigned as surveyors of the chimneys and ladders on the north side of Hartford. In 1646 several chimneys were found to be defective and "in Continnuall danger." In this meeting it was ordered that from now on anyone appointed to the position should search all the chimneys and "any mans Chimnye insuffitient or vnsafe for fire" would have three days warning to repair it or else they would pay 5 the chimney viewers 5 shillings each week they remain insufficient. If they refuse to fix the chimney, the viewers will let the viewers the next year know. That viewer will examine the chimney again and if he finds it insufficient the offender will pay 15 shillings a week, two thirds to the town and one third to the viewer.^[7]

On Feb 6 1654 Richard Church was assigned as surveyor of chimneys again.^[8]

In 1655 Richard Church was chosen as surveyor of highways.^[9].Every person in town would help to build and fix the roads. The surveyor would arrange and supervise the work parties.^[10]

In March 1655 Richard Church was freed from watching and warding, etc. This may mean that he turned 60 this year, and thus was freed of certain obligations that all the men under that age shared.^[11] and ^[12]

In 1660, the home of John Church on North Main Street was made into the school house for Hartford. Mr. Pitkin became the teacher here for the next 4 or 5 years. This home was owned by Richard Church; he had bought it from William Spencer. Richard Church moved to Hadley with several other Hartford citizens the year before, leaving his son John to care for his property in Hartford.^[13]

Moving to Hadley

By 1652, controversy started brewing in the Hartford Congregational Church. Mr. Hooker had died in 1647, and Mr. Stone, the new minister, was trying to introduce some new practices in baptism and rights of the brotherhood - things he felt they needed to change. A minority, called "strict Congregationalists," fought against these changes. In 1654 people from other churches were brought in to mediate until finally in June 1656 a council from Boston intervened. Things got worse; Mr. Stone tried dealing with them again and the strict Congregationalists formally withdrew from the church. In 1657 they looked into joining the church in Wethersfield and the General court stepped in stopping it.^[14]

So it was that in 1658 some of these "strict Congregationalists" looked into moving back to Massachusetts, this time on the western frontier. They searched just north of Northampton, found a place, and successfully applied for a grant of land there. On April 18 1659 59 people gathered at Goodman Ward's house in Hartford. These people signed an agreement to move to Hadley Massachusetts. ^[15]

Richard Church was one of the signers. He was around age 65 at this time. He moved to Hadley with his sons Edward (who he lived beside) and Samuel and son-in-law Isaac Graves. His son John remained behind.^[16]

In 1663 Richard Church was living in Hadley on the north highway to the meadow. He had 4 acres 1 quarter 33 rods of land. The land was fairly evenly distributed in Hadley.^[17]

Will & Inventory

Richard lived for 8 years after the move to Hadley. We have very little on his life there since he no longer took civic positions. However, we do have his will and inventory.

Richard Church of Hadley's last will and testament was presented to the court by his widow Anne on December 13 1667, along with an inventory of his estate. "I Richard Church of Hadley in the Collony of Massachusetts, being sensible of ye frailty of my nature & not knowing how soone my Change may be, yet having ye pfect use of my understanding & being sound in my memory, I doe make this my Las Will and testamt as Followeth:"

• Richard's wife Anne Church became the executrix.
• Anne was given all Richard's lands in Hadley; after she died they would go to their sons Edward and Samuel.
• Until then they would take care of the land yearly giving Anne 5 pounds in wheat, hay for wintering of one cow and two sheep, care of these animals in winter, give Anne firewood when she needed it,
• Anne also received the use of the barn when she needed it and one acre of the home lot for her own use. The rest of the home lot and barn were given to Samuel.
• Their son John was to pay Anne 3 pounds a year, and after she died John was to receive all the houses and land in Hartford.
• Their daughter Mary Graves was to receive 5 pounds one year after Richard died.
• Edward was to receive the house in Hadley after Anne died.
• Anything not included here (house goods, etc.) was for Anne to distribute as she wanted after all debts were paid.
• Francis Barnard and Mr. Henry Clark signed the will.

On December 27 1667 an inventory was taken of all goods and land by Andrew Bacon and Francis Barnard. Their worth was included in the inventory.

• The purse: 7£ 18s. 03d.
• Feather, bolster & bedstead: 9£ 12s. 00d.
• Other small bedstead: 0£ 12s. 00d.
• Trunk with 8 pairs of sheets & other linen: 7£ 00s. 00d.
• New cloth: 1£ 00s. 00d.
• 3 pairs of sheets and more linen: 2£ 11s. 00d.
• 2 blankets: 0£ 12s. 00d.
• Items including a small piece of darnix & cotton wool: 12£ 00s. 00d.
• wooden vessels, yarn, kneading trough, etc.: 1£ 00s. 00d.
• Brass pieces & 2 iron pots: 3£ 18s. 00d.
• Pieces made of pewter, tin, etc.: 2£ 14s. 00d.
• 2 chests, 1 trunk & 1 box: 1£ 01s. 00d.
• 1 pair cobirons, tongs, trammell slice, etc.: 9£ 12s. 00d.
• Books, earthenware & a cupboard: 1£ 03s. 00d.
• Tubs, barrels etc. in the cellar: 1£ 00s. 08d.
• Plow, harrow, timber chain, iron trayse & other husbandry tools: 13£ 03s. 06d.
• 1 mare with colt, 1 cow, 7 sheep: 13£ 10s. 00d.
• 2 oxen, 2 young horses: 11£ 05s. 01d.
• Fan & sacks: 12£ 15s. 00d.
• 5 swine, peas & Indian corn: 11£ 16s. 00d.
• 1 warming pan, frying pan, cheese mold, etc.: 00£ 19s. 04d.
• Hemp & flax: 01£ 00s. 00d.
• Housing & land at Harford: 70£ 00s. 00d.
• Housing & land in Hadley: 83£ 10s. 00d.

Total: 241£ 05s. 02d.^[18]

Richard Church's Children

John was the son who remained behind in Hartford. On February 15 1659 John Church and Nathaniel Standly were chosen as chimney viewers for the north side of Hartford.^[19] On Feb 17 1664 John Church and Nathaniel Gooding were chosen as chimney viewers for the north side.^[20] Also on Feb 16 1669, but with Benjamin Burr.^[21] And Dec 30 1675, by himself.^[22] Then on Dec 29 1676 John Church and Daniel Pratt were chosen as fence viewers.^[23]On Dec 28 1662 he went up in the world as a surveyor.^[24] In 1686 and Dec 26 1689 he was back to being a fence viewer. ^[25]

John at some point must have moved to Wethersfield. His sons John and Samuel continued to be fence and chimney viewers in Hartford, but John himself was buried in Wethersfield in 1691. There was a John Church who was the sexton, or care-taker of the Old Church in Wethersfield, followed by his son John Church, his son Elisha Church and his son John Church, but the first John seems to have been a grandson of Samuel.^[26]

Samuel was also at the meeting in 1659 where he agreed to move to Hadley. He must have stayed up to a year longer in Hartford than his father or brother Edward since on February 11 1660 Samuel Church and Robert Sanford were chosen as leather scalers for Hartford. ^[27] Samuel Church was one of 25 men agreeing to move to the west side of the river in Hadley, but then he didn't. Instead he lived with his father Richard.^[28] In 1677 tithing-men were ordered to be chosen each year in Hadley. Samuel was one of those chosen in 1678. "They were to inspect the conduct of liquor-sellers, Sabbath-breakers, night-walkers, tipplers, &c. and present the names of the disorderly to a magistrate."^[29]

Richard's oldest son, Edward, was also involved in community life in Hadley from the beginning. On January 27 1663 he was chosen as surveyor of highways along with Chileab Smith for the east side of Hadley.^[30] He was made selectman for 1671.^[31] Both Edward and Samuel were involved with the request to enlarge Hadley in 1672.^[32]Edward later moved to Hatfield.

Their sister Mary married Isaac Graves who moved to Hadley as well. He was one of those who requested his part of Hadley to receive a church and become its own town, Hatfield. He was very involved in the new church there.

Sources

1. ↑ Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society by Connecticut Historical Society (Volume 14, Distribution of Land) Publication date 1860 as found at [1]
2. ↑ Colonial History of Hartford, Connecticut, published 1914 by the city of Hartford as found at [2]
3. ↑ The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884; by Trumbull, J. Hammond (James Hammond), 1821-1897, ed as found at [3]
4. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [4]
5. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [5]
6. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [6]
7. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [7]
8. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [8]
9. ↑ The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884; by Trumbull, J. Hammond (James Hammond), 1821-1897, ed as found at [9]
10. ↑ Conisbrough & Denaby Main, Surveyor of the Highways as found at [10]
11. ↑ The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884; by Trumbull, J. Hammond (James Hammond), 1821-1897, ed as found at [11]
12. ↑ The public records of the Colony of Connecticut .. by Connecticut; Connecticut. Council; Council of Safety (Conn.); Connecticut. Laws, etc; Trumbull, J. Hammond (James Hammond), 1821-1897; Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Volume 1, 1636 - 1665 Publication Date 1850 as found at [12]
13. ↑ Colonial History of Hartford, Connecticut, published 1914 by the city of Hartford as found at [13]
14. ↑ History of Hadley: including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [14]
15. ↑ History of Hadley: including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [15]
16. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [16]
17. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [17]
18. ↑ Will and Inventory of Richard Church of Hadley, 1667
19. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [18]
20. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [19]
21. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [20]
22. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [21]
23. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [22]
24. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [23]
25. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [24]
26. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [25]
27. ↑ Hartford town votes, 1635-1716 by Hartford (Conn.); Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900 Publication date 1897 as found at [26]
28. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at[27]
29. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [28]
30. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [29]
31. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [30]
32. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 Publication date 1905 as found at [31]