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LEE



Edward Lee (d. 1727) came to Guilford about 1675 and married in 1676 (Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Benjamin. She died about 1685 and he married Abigail Stevens, daughter of Thomas Guilford. He is supposed to be a brother of:

George Lee of Saybrook who married Martha ______ and died in 1728, and of:

John Lee of East Guilford.

Five sons of this clan were soldiers in the Revoltion.

See numbers 30, 108, 117, 121, 389, 735 1069, 1313.

LEETE
(The Family William Leete by Edward L. Leete, 1884).

Thomas Leete by Ockington, Cambridgeshire, married Maria Slade, of Rushton Northamptonshire. His son:

John Leete of Ockington, married Anna Shute, daughter of Robert Shute, one of the Justices of the King's bench. Thier son:

William Leete* (1612-1683) came to Guilford with Rev. Henry Whitfield and was afterwards Governor. He was bred to the law and served a considerable time as clerk in the Bishop's Court at Cambridge, England, where , observing the oppressions and cruelties practiced on the concientious and virtuous Puritans, he was led to examine more thoroughly their doctrines, and eventually to became a Puritan himself and to give up his office.

He married (1) about 1638 Anne Payne daughter of Rev. John Payne, the mother of all his children. He owned Leete's Island which has been in the family to the present time.

Coat of Arms:

Argent on a fesse, gules, between two rolls of

Matches, Sable, fired proper, on a martlett, Or.

Crest

On a ducal coronet Or an antique lamp,

Or, fired proper.

See numbers 199, 535, 924, 937 1798 2034, 2044, 2313.

MEIGS

(Record of Descendants of Vincent Meigs by Return J. Meigs).

1. William Meggs, died in London, September 22, 1559, married Anne ______. Their son:

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2. William Meggs, born 1487 at Whitechapel, alderman of London, married Judith West (1477-1562), sister and heir of Thomas West Bishop of Elys. Their fifth child:

3. Thomas Meggs, born 1507, resided in Devon, Isle of Ely; married Anne Copplestone of Exter ; their first child:

4. Nicholas Meggs born 1527, died November1579, at Hunham Isle of Ely; married Jane Peverell (d. 1578) daughter of William Peverell of Dorset County, England.

5. Lawrence Meggs (1551-93) born at Bradford Peverell; married Anne Wood of Ashbridge; their fourth child:

6. Vincent Meggs, b. 1583 in Bradford Peverell; emigrant and is supposed to be the progenitor of all of the name in U. S. On this side of the ocean he and his family are first heard of at Plymouth, Mass. in 1637 and again at Weymouth in 1639. They removed in 1642 to Rehoboth, Mass., and about 1644 to what is now New Haven,, Conn. The group arrived at East Guilford (now Madison) in 1654.

7. John Meigs (1612-1672) second son of Vincent, changed the spelling of the name to Meigs, it's present form. He was married in England to Tamazin Fry in 1632. His son:

8. John Meigs, Jr. (1641-1713) from Weymouth to Guilford about 1660 and settled in what is now Madison. Married in 1665, Sarah Wilcox (1649-1691) daughter of William (see page 233 hereof) b. 1601, of Stratford, Conn. Their son:

9. Capt. Janna Meigs (1672-1739) Deputy Governor of Conn. Colony; member of Legislature 1716-18 and 1726; Justice of the Peace, New Haven Colony 1722-33; Captain Guilford Train Band and a Company in Queen Anne's War. Married May 18, 1698, Hannah Willard (1674-1749) (see page 233 hereof) daughter of Josiah (grand daughter Major Simon Willard) and his wife Hannah Hosmer; their daughter:

10. Esther Meigs (b. 1709) married Nov. 28, 1733, Stephen Bishop (5) Stephen (4) Stephen (3) Stephen (2) John (1); their daughter:

11. Hannah Bishop (born April 11, 1743) married James Bishop (4) (1732-1788) James (3) Steven (2) John (1); their son:

12. James Bishop (b. Oct. 2.1765 d. 1823) married September 27, 1796, Mary Ann Shields, daughter of William and Helen Shields.

13. Rev. James Shields Bishop (6.27.1798-6.3.1856) married November 19, 1826, Martha Dobson (10.14.1812-3.22.1879) daughter William C. and Elizabeth Organ (1810-1869).

See numbers 142, 317, 330, 334, 348, 1257.

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NORTON*

The history of the Norton Family begins at the time of the Norman conquest when Le Segneur de Norville crossed over to England with King William the Conqueror, September 29th, 1066 and was his constable.

"The name at that time being Norville which in French signified North Village; the name being changed long afterwords to Nor-ton, which in English is North-town. It is supposed that all the families of this name in England, Ireland and America were derived from one man" - Walter Norton, Lakeville, Conn., 1909.

In New England Historical and Genealogy Register, Vol. 54, Hon. R. D. Smyth states that Thomas Norton* came to Guilford with Rev. Mr. Henry Whitfield in 1639, signed the Plantation Convenant and served the town as its miller until his death in 1649.

He is stated to have been a church warden of Mr. Whitfield's parish at ockley in Surrey, England, and has been thought to have been connected with the Nortons of Shapenhow, Bedfordshire (Register Vol. 13). Deacon L. M. Norton of Goshen identified him with Thomas, son of William and his second wife Dennis Chelmsby and put the date of his birth at about 1582.

See numbers 11, 182, 536, 801, 937, 939, 1142, 1495, 1592, 1633, 1688, 1821, 2528.

PARMALEE PARMELEE*

Mrs. Mary Melinda (Parmelee) Marsh states in "Parmelee Family" that they were Huguenots of Normandy, France, the name being spelled de Parmele; that they fled to Holland, thence to England where Parmeleee became the accepted spelling of the name.

According to Parmelee Data" edited in 1940 by Mrs. Dorothy H. Smallwood of Washington D. C., Col. John Bion Richards, Genealogist Gerald of the Federation of the Hugueonot Society.

In Volume 53 of the New England Historical and Genealogy Register, Hon. Ralph D. Smyth reports: "John Parmelee, born probably in England about 1585, died in New Haven, his will being proved 11.1.1659. He married (1) in Europe, Hannah Bradley who died in Conn. probably, New Haven; married (2) widow Elizabeth Bradley, widow of first wife's brother, who after John Parmelee's death, married John Evarts and died in January, 1683.

John Parmelee is listed among passengers of ship St. John, Captain Russell commanding, which sailed from England May 20, 1639 and arrived at New Haven about July 10, 1639. He was accompanied by his wife and daughters, Hannah and Mary. his son John born 4.13.1615 died probably

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in Guilford in 1687; married (1) Rebecca who died in 1651; married (2) Anna, widow of William Plaine who died in 1658; married (3) Hannah. He came to America ahead f his parents on the ship Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper, Master, and arrived probably in Boston in 1635. He joined his parents in New Haven and with them was one of the first settlers of Guildord, Conn.

See numbers 67, 97, 137, 250, 287, 329, 463, 504, 566, 568, 569, 756, 993, 1246, 2306.

SEWARD

(Seward Genealogy by Alvin Seaword Benthuysen).

William Seward was born in England in 1627 and died in Guilford, Conn., March 29, 1689; married April 2.1651, Grace Norton, daughter of Thomas and Grace Wells in New Haven, Conn. She was born in Dean, Bedfordshire, England, June 13.1632 and died in Guilford March 5.1702, a descendant of Siward, and English Earl of Danish origin.

He took the Oath of Fidelity in Guilford May 4, 1654, was made a freeman before 1659, Marshall of Guilford 1662-1664, long time Captain of the Guard and Deputy to the General Assembly, 1673, 1677, 1683, a tanner and owner of property.

See numbers 71, 150, 181, 369, 2066.

STEELE

(From "The Steele Family" by Daniel Steele Durrie - 1862).

George Steele born probably in Essex Co., England came to New England about 1631-2, settled first at present Cambridge, Mass., removedto Hartford, thence to Farmington, Conn. His son:

James Steele married Bethia Bishop, daughter of John and Anne. Their third child:

John Steele brn about 1660 married Melatiah Bradford. 8th child of Major William Bradford (1589/90-1657) member of the first party to sail on the Mayflower.

STEELE

(From "The Steele Family" by Daniel Steele Durrie - 1862).

John Steele born probably in Essex Co., England came to New England about 1631/2, settled first at present Cambridge, Mass., removed to Hartford thence to Farmington, Conn., married (1) Rachel Talcott, died 1653, probably in England : married (2) Mercy, widow of Richard Seymour. He d. 1665 at Farmington. His son:

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John Steele, Jr., married Mercy Warner in 1645 and died before his father 1653/4. She was the daughter of Andrew Warner who come from Cambridge to Hartford 1635/6. Their sixth child:

Samuel Steele (1652-1710) married in 1680 Mercy Bradford, daughter of Major William Bradford of the Mayflower. Issue: five sons and two daughters.

See number 1716.


STEVENS

The Rev. C. Stevens, LL.D., D.C.L., F.S.A. (Edinburgh) printed privately in 1904, the Stevens Genealogy, a scholorly history of the Line (some 19 generations) from Airband FitzStephen to and including John Stevens, father of William (1630-1702) who married Mary Meigs (John2 Vincent).

Airbard, a nobleman of Normandy, was placed by William the Conqueror in command f the "Mora", the ship presented by his Duchess and eventually Queen, Matilda of Flanders, for his personal use in conveying the Norman forces to England for the battle of Hastings, in 1066.

Mrs. Charlotte Stevens Holmes compiled and published "A Genealogy of the Descendants of John Stevens who settled in Guilford, Conn., in 1645", wherein she questions the connection of the Stevens family described by Rev. C. Ellis Stevens with the John Stevens who settled in Guilford in 1645. However as both of these genealogists agree that John Stevens settled at Guilford, married Mary ----- and were buried there Sept. 2, 1670, reference is now made to marriages between his and John Bishop's descendants.

Sarah Stevens4 (d.1726) (Nathaniel3, William2, John1) m. 1707 Stephen Bishop (1707-47).

See numbers 119, 136, 375, 476, 737, 841, 849, 921, 2133, 2604.

STONE*

*John Stone & *William Stone, Brothers. (By William L. Stone and Truman L. Stone).

Who were their grand parents cannot be ascertained from the fact that their father, the Rev. Samuel Stone was a non-conformist divine. Nonconformists were not registered in Parish records. Had he been of the Ch. of England no such difficulty would have existed. The Rev. Samuel Stone was born, about 1610 in Hereford on River Wye near Guilford Surrey County, England.

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John and William Stone came to Guilford in Rev. Henry Whitfield's company and both signed the covenant. They cultivated farms. John was also clothier and mason; William kept an inn. Intermarriages of their and John Bishop's descendants are numerous.

See numbers 85, 103, 118, 124, 151, 160, 235, 275, 293, 322, 344, 345, 404, 514, 756, 759, 1202, 1305, 1586, 2463.

WILCOX
(The Wilcox Family by Prof. Reynold Webb Wilcox, M. A., M. D., LL.D. e1893).

The family is of Saxon origin and was seated at Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, before the Norman Conquest. Sir John Dugdale in the visitation of the County Suffolk, mentins fifteen generations of the family previous to 1600. This traces the family back t 1200. In the reign of King Edward the Third, Sir John Wilcox was entrusted with several important commands against the French and had command of the cross-bow men at Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. (Name was originally Wilcoxson).

ARMS

Azure: on a saltire ermine; a lion rampant

gules. Miscellaneous Genealogica et Heraldica.

V. 5 Fifth Series pp 177 and 273.

4. Wm. Wilcoxson (b. 1601) and his first descendants sailed from England on the "Planter" 4.5.1635, arrived in Boston May 26th; first home at Concord Mass., then at Stratford, Conn., 1639, were he was one of the first proprietors and a prominent man of the township. Dr. Trumbull says, "Wm. Wilcoxson, one of the first principal gentlemen of the town and church of Stratford" - Orcutt's History of Stratford, p. 89. (He died in 1652 and his widow m. Wm. Hayden). Their eighth child was:

3. Sarah Wilcoxson, later spelled Wilcox (1649-1691) m. 3.7.1665 John Meigs son of Vincent M., the first marriage performed in Killingsworth, of Conn. Their son:

2. Janna Meigs (1672-1739) m. 5.18.1693.

Hannah Willard, their dau:

1. Hester Meigs (b. 12.19.1709) m. Stephen Bishop.

See numbers 211, 482, 526, 646, 733, 800, 927, 1070, 1256, 1257, 1984, 2043, 2194.

WILLARD

Major Simon Willard. The "Willard Memoir" by Joseph Willard, Boston, 1858, stated that Willard gens was established in England as early as the reign of William the Conqueror, five of his followers named Willard being listed in Domesday Book

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In "Colonial Families of America", Vol. 2, p. 93, is found: So widely accepted an authority as Burke's Heraldic Register" gives the origin of the Willard family as Caen in Normandine, France....

Willard Arms

(From Willard Memoir, by Joseph Willard (1858)

Argent on a chevron sable between

three fish weels proper, five ermine

spots.

Crest

A griffin's head erased Or.

Motto

"Gaudet Patentia Duris".

Charles Henry Pope is his Willard Genealogy of 1915 gives the line:

1. Richard Willard of Benchley, yeoman made his will September 18, 1558.

2. Symon Willard, of Gwthurst, Co. Kent, yeoman, will proved Feb. 26, 1584.

3. Major Simon Willard. Sylvester D. Willard, born May 2, 1863, a physician, while residing London in 1902, erected a tablet in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, bearing the following inscription:

In Memoriam

Major Simon Willard

Born 1604 ----Died 1676

EXACTLY ONE HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, A KENTISH SOLDIER AND AN EARLY PIONEER IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE BRITISH COLONY OF NEW ENGLAND AMERICA 1634. HE MADE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE BRITISH FORCES AGAINST THE HOSTILE INDIANS. HE WAS DISTINGUISHED IN THE MILITARY LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL SERVICE OF THE AMERICAN COMMONWEALTH OF CANTERBURY 1218 AND ANOTHER WAS BARON OF THE CINQUE PORTS, 1377, AND HIS DESCENDANTS TO THE PRESENT DAY HAVE HELD EMINENT POSITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Major Simon Willard, founder of Concord Mass., Deputy to the General Court 1636-54; Governor's Assistant, 1654-1676, Commander-in-Chief of the Expedition of the United Colonies against the Ninigret 1755; led the relief at the Battle of Brookfield; commanded the Middlesex, Mass.