Fairchildology

6952. Thomas FAIRCHILD (120) was born about 1610 in England. He diedon 14 Dec 1670. "The following account of Thomas comes from William H.Wilcoxson's HISTORY OF STRATFORD. The year Thomas came to America isnot known, nor is it know if he married in England or America. He wasamong those families who first settled at the site of Stratford, CT.in 1638/9. He was a Deputy from Stratford to the General Court andserved eleven sessions from Apr 1646 to Oct 1665. In those days theoffice of Commissioner was similar to that of the elected Justice ofthe Peace of today, and Thomas served in this capacity more than once.After the death of his first wife, he journeyed to London where hemarried again. The pre-nuptial agreement shows that he executed abond, providing the bride with a life estate in his lands and a sum of200 pounds to be paid to her if he died before arrival in New England.The contract was never carried out and settled after Thomas' death bythe General Court, ordering the money be paid. The estate was valuedat 350 pounds. The Stratford land records give the settlement. On May22, 1677 Mrs. Katherine Judson, by virtue of a contract with Mr.Thomas Fairchild, late deceased, by the consent of the General Courtof Connecticut, "hath a dwelling house, barn, orchard and homelot of 2acres". Thomas' will, written a week before he died, named thechildren of his first wife and wife Katherine, but did not include herchildren. A footnote in the Colonial Records, II:199, gives thefollowing additional facts: "A copy of marriage contract betweenThomas Fairchild of Stratford, merchant, and Catherine Craig, a sisterof Elizabeth Whiting, widow of London, Executed in England December22, 1662." The ceremony was performed in St. Stephen's Church inLondon. That church has long since burned and was never rebuilt.

It seems to be generally accepted that Thomas sailed for America fromBarnstable, Devonshire, England, although the writer has found noproof for this. Sources vary as to the birthplace of Thomas - Kent,Wingrave in Bucks., High Laver in Essex, Barnstable andCambridgeshire. Charles E. Banks, in his book TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARYOF 2885 ENGLISH EMIGRANTS TO NEW ENGLAND 1620-1650, 1937, on page 47lists Thomas Fairchild as coming from High Laver in Essex toStratford, CT. His reference is his own Banks manuscript, shared bythe Library of Congress and the public library in Bangor, Maine. Mr.Banks says Thomas was "perhaps from High Laver", yet he lists Thomason page 174 of his manuscript as of Onger Hundred in Essex. In 1985the writer visited High Laver Parish and spoke with the vicar. Hecould not produce parish records of that period, explaining that manytimes the records were considered the property of the presidingminister who took them with him when he left the parish. The writervisited the Essex Record Office in Chelmsford and could not verifyBanks' claim. There was a Thomas Fairchild and wife Mary in High LaverParish but at a date too late to be the Thomas in question. About thetime of 1610, when Thomas of Stratford was probably born, there werefound in the IGI four Thomas Fairchilds: Thomas s/o Willyam and AliceFarchild (sic) bpt. 14 Feb 1608 at Orwell in Cambridge; Thomas s/oGeorge and Elizabeth Fairechild (sic) bpt. 17 Sep 1609 Orwell; Thomass/o Alexander Fayrchild (sic) bpt. 10 Jul 1614 Wendy cum Shingay inCambridge; and Thomas s/o William Fairchilde (sic) bpt. 14 Sep 1616Plymouth St. Andrew, Devonshire. The siblings of these four Thomasesbore none of the names of the children of Thomas of Stratford, CT.,but his sons used the names of Robert, Alexander, Mary and Anne, namesfound among the siblings of the four Thomases. The writer tends tochoose Cambridge as possible birthplace of Thomas. The parish of Wendycum Shingay is in the southwest part of Cambridge, bordering onHertfordshire where the Seabrooks lived. Orwell is close by."

BURYING PLACES, STRATFIELD, CT
HISTORY OF STRATFORD (ORCUTT),
INSCRIPTIONS IN THE
CONGREGATIONAL BURYING-PLACE

Many thanks to Coralynn Brown for contributing these records.

P. 203

Burying Places -- Before the second meeting-house was built or anyaction taken to secure that end, it became apparent to the people ofthe town that the first burying-ground was in the wrong place -- couldnot be extended to meet the wants of the community and that anothermust be secured.
Hence, in 1676, the town appointed a committee to select and lay outsuch a place, but the work was delayed until February 1677-8, when itwas completed.
Of those who died before the new ground began to be occupied, the townrecords furnish only the following list:

John Knell, son of Nicholas, died Jan 16, 1651

Thomas Sherwood, died in 1656

John Young departed this life Apr 7, 1661

Samuel Blakeman (an infant) died January, 1661

Samuel Blackeman's infant buried January, 1664

Hannah Griffin, dau. of Hugh, Sen., was buried Apr 30, 1670

Dorothy Griffin, wife of Hugh, Sen., was buried Apr 30, 1760

Robert Lane, son of Robert and Sarah Lane, died 17th, 1st, 1673-4

Mary Harger, dau of Jabez, died Apr 17, 1673

Mr. Nicholas Knell, died April 2, 1675

Mr. Thomas Fairchild, died Dec 14, 1670

Mr. Philip Groves died 10th Feb 1675

Joseph Judson, son of Joseph, died Feb 1, 1677

James Levens, son of John, died Apr 23, 1678

John Peat Jr, died January 28, 1677-8

Esther Gelpin, wife of Samuel, died Aug 27, 1678

Sarah Birdsey, dau of John Jr, died Jan 21, 1678

Sergt. Nathaniel Porter, died Jan 14, 1679

Henry Tomlinson died March 16, 1680-1

Elizabeth Curtiss, wife of John Jr, died March 9, 1681-2

John Hurd, Sen., died Feb 4, 1681-2

Elizabeth Porter, died Feb 6, 1683

Samual Blackeman, died Nov 27, 1668

Abram Tomlinson, son of Henry, died May 30, 1662