William Edwards, of Hartford

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William Edwards

Birthdate:
Birthplace: parish of St. Botolph's without Aldgate, London, Middlesex County, England
Death: before 1672
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
Place of Burial: Main St and Ancient Burying Ground, Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, Memorial# 46260472
Immediate Family:

Son of Richard Edwards, Schoolmaster of Ratcliffe and Anne Cole
Husband of Agnes Edwards
Father of Richard Edwards
Brother of Anne Edwards; John Edwards and Sarah Edwards
Half brother of James Cole; Abigail Sullivan; James Cole, (again) and Timothy Cole

Occupation: Deputy to the General Court, TAUNTON MASS 1643
Managed by: Vance Barrett Mathis
Last Updated:
view all 16

Immediate Family

About William Edwards, of Hartford

William Edwards

  • Birth: Nov. 1, 1618 Greater London, England
  • Death: (before 1672) Hartford Hartford County Connecticut

William Edwards, son of Richard Edwards and Ann Munter, bapt. Nov. 1, 1618 at the parish of St. Botolph's without Aldgate, at east London, England. He emigrated to New England on an unknown date with the family of his mother and stepfather, James Cole.

Married Agnes Harris, Widow of John Spencer. One child: Richard Edwards

biography

From http://jtbullock.com/Tree/Edwards-Tuttle.html

William Edwards was purportedly baptized at the parish of St. Botolph's without Aldgate (pictured right), in east London, England on November 1, 1618. He was the son of Richard & Ann Munter Edwards. His father died and his mother married James Cole. He immigrated to America in 1635 to Hartford from England with his mother & step dad.

William was one of the first settlers of Hartford. Ava Chamberlain in her book The Notorious Elizabeth Tuttle: Marriage, Murder, and Madness in the Family of Jonathan Edwards states Among early Connecticut pioneers more than half the adult men were single, and most were young and propertyless. Without enough women to go around, finding a mate was often a struggle. Young men, therefore, waited on average until the age of thirty to marry, nine years after reaching the age of legal majority. Despite these obstacles, William Edwards made an unlikely match to a high-status Hartford widow in 1645 He married widow Agnes Harris Spencer on December 11, 1645, when he was twenty-seven years old and she was forty-one. Agnes' husband, William Spencer, had died five years previous and left her and their three children a respectable inheritance of 231 pounds, which made her a woman of means.

William, like his stepfather, was a cooper, his occupation mentioned as such in the records of the Town of Hartford (Hartford Town Votes)  Also, like his stepfather, he had problems financially. Although going to court to resolve debt issues was fairly common, he was there far more than the average person. Between June 1644 and September 1670 he was named party in at least sixty-three civil actions and five criminal complaints. His losses in these suits were more than five times as much as his gains, not to mention court costs.

He also had difficulties in dealing with his fellow citizens. He was convicted once for slander and once for the more serious charge of defamation in a high degree. In two additional suits, charges of profane swearing, lyeing, drunkenness, wanton loose laciviouse carriages, besides intolerable bawdy language were not legally proved, but the judges cautioned that they would severely deal with him if such charges were proved in the future.

William was admitted a freeman of Hartford and of the Connecticut Colony on May 20, 1658. In the book A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records: Hartford District, 1635-1700 Volume 1, a record is printed that mentions Edward and his wife which reads as follows œ7 May, 1668: William Edwards, in behalf of his wife, Agnis, Plaintiff; contra Nath: Bearding. Dfnt., in an Action of the Case for lllegall possession of Land belonging to the sd. Edwards, lying on the east side of the Great River, for a Surrender of the sd. Land.

Edwards lost most of the property his wife had brought to their marriage, except the Spencer home lot and two small parcels of land. In 1663, William signed over all property to his wife except for his workeing tooles Agnes took over the running of the household and all financial matters that William proved incompetent to handle himself.

William was involved in the witchcraft trial of a middle-aged woman named Elizabeth Seager who was convicted in 1665 and would have been hanged if the governor had not intervened. To support the charge that Seager had made a pact with the devil, one witness repeated a conversation she had overheard between the accused and Edwards. The witness said, that when he told "Goodwife Seager that she did fly the accused witch replied, "If I did fly, William Edwards made me fly."

William was still residing at Hartford on March 4, 1679/80 when he testified regarding his mother's verbal will that left her house to William and his wife Agnes to reside in for the remainder of their lives. There is no record of William Edwards' death. He was most likely interred at Hartford's Ancient Burying Ground, formerly known as the Center Church Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut, but by 1853 he did not have a discernable gravestone, if he had one to begin with.


From http://foundersofhartford.org/founders/cole_james.htm

James Cole, a cooper, an original proprietor, Hartford, 1639, when his house-lot was on the east side of Main Street, near the South Green, running back to the street afterwards called Cole St.; he had another house-lot in 1639, on the east aide of Meeting-House Yard. He m. in England, Ann Edwards, widow, the mother of William Edwards; and he came to New England with his wife, her son William, and his dau., Abigail, by a former wife. He d. in 1652; inv. 116. 3.4. Widow Ann Cole, d. Feb. 20, 1679-80


from and Elizabeth Tuttle, who came from old to New England in 1635, and settled in New Haven in 1639, with numerous biographical notes and sketches : also, some account of the descendants of John Tuttle, of Ipswich; and Henry Tuthill, of Hingham, Mass. (1883) link

Rev. Richard Edwards came from Wales to London, time Queen Elizabeth; he was a minister of the established chh. His wf. Anne was employed in some capacity in the Queen's household. She m. 2d hus. James Coles and came with her only child William Edwards to America. She d. in Hartford Feb. 20, 1679. leaving by will the use of her house and land to her son William during his life, then to her gr. s. Richard Edwards and his heirs forever. Wm. Edwards is named with Wm. Tuttle and others as concerned in the East Haven settlement. He m. about 1643 Agnes __, wid. of William Spencer; the latter of Hartford; selectman 1639, and d. 1640. Agnes, it is said, had two brothers in England, one of them Mayor of Exeter the other of Barnstable, Devon. By William Edwards she had an only child, Richard, who m. Elizabeth Tuttle; (2) Mary, dau. of Lieut-Col. John Talcott of Hartf. Col. Talcott was Justice of the Peace, Assistant from 1662 to 1668, Treasurer of the colony nineteen years, and distinguished himself as an officer in King Philip's war, in which he commanded a body of 550 men, composed of Englishmen and Mohegan Indians. He d. July 23, 1688. Inv. (english pound)2,272. Chil. of Richard Edwards by 2dm. 5 sons and 1 dau. 1. Jonathan, b. June 20, 1692; d. march 11, 1693. 2. John, Feb. 22, 1694; Dea.; d. May 16, 1769; m. Dec. 14, 1719, Christian Williamson, who d. June 18, 1769. 3. Hannah, Jan. 3, 1696; d. Oct. 17, 1747; m. March 1, 1722, Joseph Backus, jr. 4. Richard, Jan. 5, 1608; d. May 10, 1713. 5. Daniel, April 11, 1701; Hon.; d. Sept. 6, 1765; m. 1728 Sarah Hooker (gr. dau. of Rev. Thomas), who d. July 31, 1775, a. 70 yrs. 6. Samuel, Nov. 1, 1702; d. Nov. 4, 1732; m. 1731 Jerusha Pitkin, who d. July 31, 1799, a. 89 yrs--Godwin's Gen. Notes of Conn.

sources

  • Find A Grave Memorial# 46260472
  • The early genealogies of the Cole families in America. (Including Coles and Cowles). With some account of the descendants of James, by Hartford, Connecticut, 1635-1652, and of Thomas Cole, of Salem, Mass., 1649-1672 by Cole, Frank T. (Frank Theodore), 1853-1911  Publication date 1887  link
view all 13

William Edwards, of Hartford's Timeline

1618
November 1, 1618
parish of St. Botolph's without Aldgate, London, Middlesex County, England
November 1, 1618
parish of St. Botolph's without Aldgate, London, Middlesex County, England

William Edwardes

in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: William Edwardes
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 1 Nov 1618
Baptism Place: St Botolph Without Aldgate,London,London,England
Father: Richard Edwardes
Mother: Anne
FHL Film Number: 370924, 370929
Source Information
Ancestry.com. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Original data: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

Description
This collection includes birth and christening records from England. Learn more...

© 2018, Ancestry.com

https://search.ancestry.com/collections/9841/records/33474246/print...

1640
1640
Age 21

William Edwards

in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
Name: William Edwards
Arrival Year: 1620-1650
Arrival Place: Connecticut
Source Publication Code: 275
Primary Immigrant: Edwards, William
Annotation: Comprehensive listing of early immigrants, in various arrangements to assist the researcher. Pages 1-189 contain passenger lists; pages 193-295 are indexes.
Source Bibliography: BANKS, CHARLES EDWARD. Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620-1650. Edited, indexed and published by Elijah Ellsworth Brownell. Philadelphia: Bertram Press, 1937. 295p. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1957. Repr. 1987.
Page: 99
Source Citation
Place: Connecticut; Year: 1620-1650; Page Number: 99

Source Information
Ancestry.com. U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010.

Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.

Description
Updated annually, this database is an index to passengers who arrived in United States and Canadian ports from the 1500s through the 1900s. It contains listings of approximately 4,838,000 individuals and references thousands of different records compiled from everything from original passenger lists to personal diaries. For each individual listed, you may find the following information: name, age, year and place of arrival, and the source of the record. Learn more...

© 2018, Ancestry.com

https://search.ancestry.com/collections/7486/records/895800/printer...

------------------------------------------------
William Edwards

in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
Name: William Edwards
Arrival Year: 1639
Arrival Place: America
Family Members: Mother & Stepfather
Source Publication Code: 1262
Primary Immigrant: Edwards, William
Annotation: Date and place of settlement or date and place of arrival. Names not restricted to the Order of Founders and Patriots of America.
Source Bibliography: COLKET, MEREDITH B., JR. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p.
Page: 98
Source Citation
Place: America; Year: 1639; Page Number: 98

Source Information
Ancestry.com. U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010.

Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.

Description
Updated annually, this database is an index to passengers who arrived in United States and Canadian ports from the 1500s through the 1900s. It contains listings of approximately 4,838,000 individuals and references thousands of different records compiled from everything from original passenger lists to personal diaries. For each individual listed, you may find the following information: name, age, year and place of arrival, and the source of the record. Learn more...

© 2018, Ancestry.com

https://search.ancestry.com/collections/7486/records/294590/printer...

1647
May 1, 1647
Hartford, Connecticut Colony
1672
1672
Age 53
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
1672
Age 53
Main St and Ancient Burying Ground, Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, Memorial# 46260472

Birth: Nov. 1, 1618
Greater London, England
Death: unknown
Hartford
Hartford County
Connecticut, USA

William Edwards, son of Richard Edwards and Ann Munter, bapt. Nov. 1, 1618 at the parish of St. Botolph's without Aldgate, in east London, England. He emigrated to New England on an unknown date with the family of his mother and stepfather, James Cole.

William is called the son of Richard Edwards in the English will of his maternal grandfather, Henry Munter, dated Oct. 23, 1638 at East Smithfield, London, and as the son of Richard Edwards, deceased, in the English will of his maternal grandmother Julian Munter, dated Jan. 3, 1646/7. Thereafter on Dec. 11, 1647:

• Agnes the wife of Wm. Edwardes of Hartford uppon Connecticot by vertue of a procuration from her said husband dated 4 (9)[Nov.] 1647 signed Wm. Edwards & sealed, witnessed John Talcott & John Steele, ordained Timothie Prout of Boston mariner her lawfull Atturney, granting him power in her & her husbands name to aske &c: all such money plate househould goods or chattells of & from the Executors of the last will of Jeelian [Julian] late wife of Henry Mumter [Munter] of Buttalls Algate [St. Botolph without Aldgate] parish in London deceased, & to acquitt, sue &c: arrest: & power to substitute one Attur. or more...[Aspinwall Notarial Recs., 1644-1651, p. 113-14.]

On Mar. 4, 1656/7 William was fined at Hartford for smoking in the street, but was otherwise free of civil complications at Hartford. He was admitted a freeman of Hartford and of the Conn. Colony May 20, 1658.

James Cole, William's stepfather, died testate at Hartford with his estate inventory taken in Nov. 1652. The widow Ann was named sole executrix and Cole's will includes "I give all my Coopers tooles equally to be divided between my well beloved sonne William Edwards and my Loving Coussin Henry Coale." (Manwaring: Hartford Prob. Dist., Vol. 1:108-9).

William's mother Ann (Munter)(Edwards) Cole died at Hartford Feb. 20, 1679/80. Before her death she made a verbal disposition of her estate:

• Mrs. Cole declaring that it was her minde, that after her decease, her home and lande should be to her son William Edwards, he only, to have the use & Improvement for himselfe & wife during their natural life, & then it should return to her grandson Richard Edwards & to his heires forever, and the like dispose she made of the other part of her estate, as appeares by the testimony of Mr. Samuel Willys, Mr. Jonathan Gilbert, and Wm. Edwards, which the Court approves of & confirmes, & this Court grants administration upon the estate to Richard Edwards, who accepted the same in Court. (Hartford Prob. Dist., vol. IV, Court Record, p. 23, Mar. 4, 1679/80.)

On Dec. 11, 1645 at Hartford, Conn., William m. Agnes Harris, the widow of William Spencer of Hartford, Conn. William was a cooper, his occupation mentioned as such in the records of the Town of Hartford (Hartford Town Votes). He was living on May 4, 1668 when he, "in behalf of his wife Agnis," sued Nathaniel Bearding regarding an illegal trespass of land on the east side of the Connecticut River. (Manwaring: Hartford Prob. Dist., Vol. I:194.) William was still residing at Hartford on Mar. 4, 1679/80 when he testified regarding his mother's verbal will.

William Edwards and Agnes Harris had only one known child:

• i. Richard Edwards, Esq., b. at Hartford May 1, 1647; d. testate at Hartford Apr. 20, 1718, Æ 71. He m. 1) Elizabeth Tuttle by whom he had six children, and 2) Mary Talcott by whom he had an additional six children.

There is no record of William Edwards' death, but he was living at Hartford on Mar. 4, 1679/80 when he testified regarding his mother's verbal will. He was most likely interred at Hartford's Ancient Burying Ground, the only cemetery that existed at Hartford at the time of his death. But, by 1853 he did not have a discernable gravestone, if he had one to begin with.

Family links:

Spouse:
Agnes Harris Edwards (1604 - ____)*
Children:
Richard Edwards (1647 - 1718)*

Calculated relationship

Burial:
Ancient Burying Ground
Hartford
Hartford County
Connecticut, USA

Created by: Don Blauvelt
Record added: Jan 02, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 46260472

https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=46260472

1923
June 5, 1923
Age 54
June 5, 1923
Age 54
1932
December 15, 1932
Age 54