THE FAMILY OF WILLIAM WARNER
Generation 1 |
|
It is probable that our William Warner is he recorded as baptized on 10 March 1585/86 at Great Horkesley, near Boxstead, England, without mention of his parents’ names. There is no definite knowledge of William’s wife, only the supposition that she was a Baker and died in England, as she never arrived in America. If her mother had died by this time, perhaps it was to stay behind and care for her father that Abigail remained in England for a few years, while her husband left in 1635 and established himself here.
LANDS
The first account of William in America is the 1637 grant of land from the town of Ipswich, consisting of: “one house lot, one acre, more or less, on the Mill Street”. Next to his home lot on the east was another lot not yet granted. To the North was a swamp. Southwest was Mill Street; and Northeast, a “highway” leading from Mill Street to High Street. He also received
“a planting lott six acres more or less; also a farme ninety and seven acres, more or less, meadow and upland....Also a parcell of meadow, lying in the west meadows, being fourteen acres more or less....”
At Ipswich, William was called a planter. There is a record dated 18 February 1638, showing that William Warner and William Bartholomew were appointed to lay out land granted to William Whitred.
PEOPLE OF CONSIDERATION
William was made a Freeman on May 2nd, 1638. He and his family were spoken of as “people of consideration”. It has been written that the men of the town of Ipswich were of such rank and character as to make it one of the foremost of the early settlements. In 1638, Cotton Mather wrote, “Here was a renowned Church consisting mostly of such illuminated Christians that their pastors in the exercise of their ministry might think that they had to do not so much with disciples, as judges.”
William died probably before 1648, as his sons John and Daniel were both assessed that year, but his name doesn't appear in the tax list.
CHILDREN of WILLIAM WARNER
- John Warner was born at Boxstead, Essex County, England, on 9 September 1612; died young.
- Abigail Warner was baptized in Boxstead on 2 June 1614. St. Botolph’s Register, Colchester (near Boxstead), Essex County, England, has the following marriage record: “Thomas Wells of ___, single, and Abygall Warner of ___, single, the 23rd July 1630.” Wells came from England in the “Susan and Ellen” in 1635, and a house lot was granted to him in Ipswich in that year. Abigail came with her father two years later.
- JOHN WARNER was born about 1616 at Boxstead, Essex County, England. He married Priscilla Symonds.
- Daniel Warner was born about 1618. He mar. (1) Elizabeth Denne; (2) Widow Faith Browne; and (3) Widow Ellen (Pell Boynton) Jewett.
JOHN WARNER
Generation 2
JOHN WARNER was born about 1616 in Boxstead, Essex County, England. The year of his birth has been determined because the Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Court Files 50, which state that John Warner, Esq., was aged 45 in the year 1661.
FIRST LAND
After settling in Ipswich with his father, his brother Daniel, and his sister Abigail, he bought two parcels of planting ground from Isaac Perkins, the sale being recorded on 15 June 1638. And he bought three acres from John North, the latter sale being entered 13 December 1638. In 1648, he sold a house lot to Harris. In early records he is sometimes referred to as “Squire”.
John Warner married, about 1639*, PRISCILLA SYMONDS, the daughter of Mark and Joanna Symonds.
|
A NEW SETTLEMENT
In 1659 or 1660, he joined with others of Ipswich in petitioning the General Court of Massachusetts for a grant of land at Quabaug, now Brookfield, Massachusetts. In May of 1660, the General Court granted the petitioners a plantation six miles square near Quabaug Pondes, provided that there be 20 families and an approved minister there in three years.
In the summer of that year, John Warner and two or three others went to Quabaug to select the place for the new settlement, but it was not until 1665 that settlement was established, when a few families moved there. John’s family was one of these. On 6 August 1665, he had sold to John Woodam his property in Ipswich, consisting of his dwelling house, barn, orchard, &c., and 7 acres of upland "which formerly was part of my father Warner's meadow in Ipswich," and about this time they removed to Brookfield. At Brookfield, John was one of the three Trustees in whom the deed of the town was vested and he is considered to be “the father of Brookfield.” He is said to have built the first house there. All in all, he received grants totalling 300 acres of choice land in Brookfield.
Map of Brookfield, Massachusetts
THE PETITION FOR BROOKFIELD
In 1667, seven years after the original grant, there were only six or seven families in Quabaug, so the Court revoked the former grant and made a new one etending for one year the time for the inhabitants to fulfill the provisions of the grant.
On 10 October 1673, the inhabitants of Quabaug petitoined the General Court to be granted the “Priviledge and liberties of a Township whereby we may be the better inabled to carry on our owne matters without too much distraction.” This petition included the signatures of John Warner and his sons Samuel and Nathaniel. The petition was granted October 22, 1673. Two months later, Lieut. Thomas Cooper, who was named grantee in the Indian deed of 1665, assigned the deed to Johnm Warner, Richard Coy, and William Pritchard, trustees of the town.
BROOKFIELD DESTROYED
In the main, the Indians inhabiting the lands adjacent to the new settlements had been, or pretended to be, on friendly terms with the settlers. In 1674, however, there were signs that the Indians were getting uneasy. Philip, the son and successor of Massasoit, had begun to incite the tribes to revenge against the settlers for their encroachments on the lands of the Indians.
On 24 June 1675, the first blow of King Philip’s War was struck at Swansea in Plymouth Colony, and eight or nine colonists were slain. It was then feared that there would be a general uprising, which was made certain on 2 August by the attack on Brookfield, which was an isolated settlement between the towns along the coast and those in the Connecticut Valley.
On that date, a few soldiers and three men of Brookfield went unarmed, owing to the hitherto peaceful attitude of the Quabaugs, to have a parley with the Indians concerning certain grievances. They were ambushed, and eight of them including the three Brookfield men were killed. The rest succeeded in returning to Brookfield by a roundabout way, and there they fortified themselves in the tavern of Sergeant Ayres.
Here in four rooms, with scanty food, with water which should quench their thirst being used to put out fires, with no medical aid or sanitary conveniences, 82 men, women, and children withstood for three days the siege of several hundred Indians, protected only by the wooden walls, feather beds, and a few logs. They were finally relieved by a detachment from Boston. After the survivors left the town, the Indians burned the tavern, which was the only remaining building.
The town was deserted. Many of the survivors returned to the towns from which they originally came; some cast their lot with the inhabitants of other pioneer settlements.
TO HADLEY
John Warner removed to Hadley before 1678, where his sons Mark and John had previously settled. There, in 1680, he received a grant of 20 acres of land in Partrigg’s Swamp, and at the same time, his son Mark received 12 acres. Nathaniel, and Eleazar were also living in Hadley. His son, John Jr., was at Springfield.
He kept ownership of his home lot in Brookfield for many years, but on 11 November 1691, he sold it.
John Warner’s will was dated at Hadley on May 17, 1692, in which he gave his real and personal property to his sons: Mark, Nathaniel, and Eleazar. To wit:
- the right of two commons in Ipswich belonging to two houses sold,
- the grant of 20 acres land in Hadley,
- grant of land at Swampfield
- 3 beds, 3 coverlids, 3 pair sheets, 1 bolster, 6 pillows,
- 2 brass kettles, 3 skillets, 1 frying pan, 1 iron pot,
- 1 pair tongs, 1 iron peale, 1 iron trammel, 1 box iron,
- 2 pewter platters, 1 pewter basin,
- 2 catechisms, 2 bibles, 6 sermon-books,
- 2 woman's coats, 2 waistcoats, 1 large apron, 1 silk handkerchief, 1 silk hood, 1 silk cap, 1 hat.
– From Ipswich Records
CHILDREN of JOHN WARNER SR.
- Samuel Warner was born in 1640. Was in Brookfield when the town was burned in 1675; after which he removed to Dunstable, Mass.; and later to Groton where he died. He mar. Mercy Swan in 1662 and secondly, Mary Swallow in 1684. Prior to his "first" marriage, however, Hammatt's "Early Inhabitants of Ipswich," (p. 398) states that Samuel had been married previous to his marriage with Mercy Swan, and that there were two children of that marriage: Abraham (b. 28 Oct 1659) and Hannah (b. 22 May 1661). No further record of them has been found. Had nine children. Daughter Priscilla (b. 25 Sep 1666) married Thomas Cummings of Dunstable, who was widower of Samuel's youngest sister, Priscilla; i.e., his former brother-in-law. See below.
- Joanna Warner was born about 1642. She married in Wenham, Mass., on 14 October 1664, Robert Mackclaflin. Had children: Priscilla and Abigail. Evidently she died, as her younger brother, Mark, was appointed guardian of these girls, and they lived with him until they married.
- John Warner Jr., born about 1644 at Ipswich, Mass. John mar. (1) in April 1674, Lydia Boltwood (dtr. of Serg. Robert and Mary Boltwood of Hadley); she d. January 1682/83. He mar. (2) in August 1683, his sister-in-law, Sarah Warner (widow of Daniel); d. Jan 1686/87. He mar. (3) in June 1687, Sarah Ferry (dtr. of Charles and Sarah Ferry); d. 1689. He mar. (4) in 1691, Rebecca (Williams) Cooley (widow of Obadih Cooley Jr. of Longmeadow); d. 1715. He had children by all four wives. John Warner died 21 Jan 1723/24.
John Jr. may have gone to Brookfield with his father in 1665, and some time later moved on to Hadley. On 12 Feb 1668/69, he joined with other inhabitants of Hadley in petitioning the General Court, protesting against the proposed levying of taxes on imports and exports of the colonies. In 1672, he was paid for work in setting up Maj. John Pynchon's saw mill in Suffield. Major Pynchon had saw mills and grist mills in several of the settlements; he built a grist mill in Brookfield as early as 1667, and had one in Hadley. As John Warner was a miler and had worked on the Suffield saw mill, he may also have worked in Pynchon's mills in Brookfield and Hadley.
The Indian attacks on the Connecticut Valley towns started in August 1675. August 2, Brookfield, Massachusetts; an attack 10 miles above Hatfield; Deerfield the 1st of September; and Northfield the following day. Springfield was burned and pillaged on October 5th. From August 23, 1675, until June of 1676, there were soldiers stationed in Hadley. The continued efforts of the Indians to destroy the towns caused many of the inhabitants there to contemplate removing their families to safer places, but they were prevented from doing so by a proclamation by Capt. Appleton on 12 Nov 1675. However, sometime during that period, probably in 1676, John removed from Hadley to Springfield.
“Passed by the General Court, May 9, 1678".
In the spring of 1678, the King of England, through the General Court at Boston, ordered that all inhabitants of the Colony of Massachusetts should acknowledge their allegiance to the King, regardless of any previous acknowledgment, and under this order the 132 male inhabitants of the Springfield settlement took the oath during the two days of December 31, 1678, and January 1, 1679. John took the oath at that time.
In 1685, John Warner was one of the 123 heads of families of Springfield among whom the “Outward Commons” on both sides of the “Great River” were divided as a precaution against their being returned to the crown, because these lands had not been allotted to the settlers as provided in the grant for the settlement. The original grant for Springfield was a tract about 25 miles square, and embraced what are now the towns of Chicopee, Ludlow, Wilbraham, Hampden, Somers, Enfield, and Longmeadow on the east side of the river, and Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, and Suffield on the west side. The “Outward Commons” ran the entire length of the eastern and western boundaries of the original grant. In making this last division, the land on the east side was split into three sections, and that on the west side into two sections, so that each of the 123 inhabitants received an allotment of land in each of the five sections. This accounts for the fact that the same names that are found in early springfield records are also found in histories of towns set off from Springfield, and these persons appear as early settlers of such places, when as a matter of fact they may never have lived there.
- MARK WARNER SR. was born at Ipswich, Massachusetts, about 1646. He married Abigail Montague.
- Nathaniel Warner was born about 1650. In Hadley in 1680.
- Daniel Warner was born about 1653; died 8 June 1660 resulting from a tree falling on him.
“This 8 June 1660. Jury of Inquest to inquire how Daniel Warner the son of John Warner came by his death.... Samuel Warner the son of John Warner being logging a tree ... and Daniel Warner being about the tree, the tree falling hit him on the left side of the head. Verdict 11 June 1660.”
- Joseph Warner was born in 15 August 1657; died 18 June 1658.
- Mehitable Warner was born in 16 April 1659; died at Hadley on 12 June 1678.
- Daniel Warner was born 16 April 1661.
- Eleazar Warner was born in 13 November 1662. In Hadley at 1680.
- Priscilla Warner was born in 25 September 1664; married 4 May 1684 to Thomas Cummings of Dunstable, Mass. While no record is found, she must have died soon after her marriage as according to Dunstable records, Thomas Cummings married there on 19 December 1688, Priscilla Warner, her niece, the dtr. of her brother Samuel. All of Thomas Cummings’ children were of his second marriage.
MARK WARNER SR.
Generation 3
MARK WARNER SR. was born at Ipswich about 1646.
TO HADLEY
Mark settled in Hadley some time before 1678, or at least by 1670. He married on 8 December 1671, ABIGAIL MONTAGUE, born at Wethersfield, Connecticut, the daughter of Richard Montague of Hadley. They removed to Northampton in 1687, and bought a homestead where they lived for some years. Abigail died 6 February 1705.
REMARRIAGE
Mark remarried in Westfield on 3 December 1713, Widow Mary (Orton) Root, born in Windsor, Connecticut, on 16 May 1650. He lived with her on her estate in Westfield until her death 23 October 1732.
NORTHAMPTON
After Mary’s death, Mark Sr. returned to Northampton, where he died on 3 May 1738 at age 92.
CHILDREN of MARK & ABIGAIL (MONTAGUE) WARNER
- Abigail Warner was born at Hadley 18 August 1675. She married 4 May 1693, as his second wife, Charles Ferry Jr. of Springfield. The Easthampton Ferrys are among her descendants.
- MARK WARNER JR. was born at Hadley on 20 February 1677/78. He married Lydia Phelps.
MARK WARNER JR.
Generation 4
MARK WARNER JR. was born at Hadley on 20 February 1677/78. He married on 16 April 1701, LYDIA PHELPS. She was born 7 January 1682/83, the daughter of Nathaniel and Grace (Martin) Phelps of Windsor, Connecticut.
|
Go to the PHELPS FAMILY [Ready in 2009] |
RESIDENCE
Mark Jr. and his sons (Mark III, Daniel and Elisha) participated in a further division of land in Northampton in February 1748/49.
DEATH
Lydia (Phelps) Warner died at Northampton on 19 November 1765 in her 83rd year. Mark died there on 3 August 1766, at age 88.
CHILDREN of MARK & LYDIA (PHELPS) WARNER
All born in Northampton, Mass.
- Lydia Warner was born 9 February 1702. She married Abner Lyman about 1726; and died 1731.
- ABIGAIL WARNER was born 6 February 1704. She married Elisha Noble of Sheffield, Massachusetts.
- Elizabeth Warner was born 9 April 1706; married 17 Nov 1737, Joseph Bridgman of Belchertown.
- Mehitabel Warner was born 9 August 1708; married Noah Bridgman 15 January 1731.
- Downing Warner was born 14 December 1710; died 8 February 1729 at age 18.
- Mark Warner was born 21 December 1712.
- Mary Warner was born March (or May) 24, 1715; mar. Israel Rust in 1735; died in 1809 at age 94.
- Daniel Warner was born in 1717.
- Naomi Warner was born 26 September 1719; mar. Israel Sheldon of Southampton in 1741.
- Elisha Warner was born 25 October 1722. He mar. Mrs. Spaulding; lived in Chesterfield, Mass. He died there on 2 December 1787; and left his estate to his brothers and sisters, or to their heirs; no children.
- Lucy Warner was born 25 September 1724; mar. Ebenezer Edwards, and died in 1807 at age 82.
ABIGAIL WARNER
Generation 5
ABIGAIL WARNER was born on February 6th, 1704. Intentions were published on March 18th, 1727, and she was married to ELISHA NOBLE of Sheffield.
|
Go to the NOBLE FAMILY |
PRIMARY REFERENCES
Warner, Oliver. Genealogical Account of a Branch of the Descendants of Mark Warner, Grandson of William Warner, Who Came from England to Ipswich, Massachusetts, in the Year 1637 (Boston: Wright & Potter, Printers, 1872) 5-13.
Radasch, Katharine W. and Arthur Hitchcock. Register of the Ancestors and Descendants of Samuel Warner of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. 2nd ed., 1956. At LDS Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, Ref. 929.273 W242r.
SECONDARY REFERENCES
Boltwood, Lucius M, comp. History and Genealogy of the Family of Thomas Noble of Westfield, Massachusetts with Genealogical Notes of other Families by the Name of Noble (Hartford, Conn.: Case, Lockwood & Brainard, 1878).
Essex Court Files (VI:67). Death of Daniel Warner (1660).
Pope, Charles Henry. A Book of the Pioneers of Massachusetts (1899).
Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of those Who Came Before May 1692 on the Basis of the Farmer's Register. Baltimore, MD: The Genealogical Publishing Company, 1981. 4 vols.
Warner, Edward. The Posterity of William Warner, One of the Early Settlers of Ipswich, Massachusetts (1957) 64-69. LDS Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, Microfiche #6018301.
This account, as well as Waters's Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1633-1700, state that John Warner (son of John) was killed in 1660 by the falling of a tree, but a careful reading of the record shows that it was John's brother Daniel who was so killed.
WEBSITES OF INTEREST
Official Website of the
Burch, Nickel, Sheldon, Griffin,
Saemann and Brazelton Family
This is the William Warner Family Page
Joann Saemann
West Jordan, Utah
Design and presentation © 2007 Joann Saemann
Some material may be paraphrased
Last Updated – 28 October 2008
