Francis Bushnell, [Twin]

30. Francis Bushnell, b. Saybrook, Conn. 6 Jan. 1649/50, d. Oct. 1697, prob. in Danbury, Conn. m. Norwalk, Conn. 12 Oct. 1675, Hannah Seamer (R-22), also called Seymour, b. 12 Dec. 1664, d. abt. 1722/3, dau. of Thomas, who was son of Richard, the emigrant, and Hannah (Marvin) Seamer, dau. of Matthew Marvin, Sr. the emigrant, and sister of Mary Marvin, who m. Richard (10) Bushnell (R-4-23-24).

Francis Bushnell, of Norwalk, so called, was b. at Saybrook, Conn. (R-44), and was son of Lt. William, and not a son of Richard, as has been claimed (R-45) the proof being in a deed of Record, which states, "Francis Bushnell of Danbury, to his brother Joshua Bushnell of Saybrook, Conn." dated 25 Nov. 1696. Joshua was a son of Lt. William Bushnell (R-13). Francis rem. from Saybrook to Norwalk when abt. 21 years of age, and on 9 Feb. 1671, was granted a £10 right in land there (R-46). He was mentioned in the will of his uncle Matthew Marvin, dated 1673, and in 1675 married his cousin Hannah Marvin, whose sister Mary was the wife of his uncle Richard, and both dau's of Matthew Marvin.

After the birth of his dau. Mary, he rem. to Danbury, the first permanent settlement of which was made in the spring of 1685, and on 2 Dec. 1685, a division of lands was made and Francis drew lot #19. His home lot was the 2nd from the south side of the town, and on the west side of Town, or Main St. and here the last three of his seven daus. were born; he had no sons (R-23). He d. in Danbury and his inv. made in Oct. 1697 (R-24), was testified to by Samuel Knapp and his wife Hannah on 2 Nov. 1697, and Samuel Knapp and Samuel Pickett were appointed adm's of his est. On 1 Mar. 1712, all of his daus. and their husbands signed a deed at which time his daus. Rebecca and Judith were unmarried (R-25).

Children, 7, (R-25-26):

71. i. Hannah, b. Norwalk, Conn. 22 Aug. 1676, d. Danbury, Conn. abt. 1792/3, m. bef. 1697, Lt. Samuel Knapp (R-27), b. Stamford, Conn. abt. 1668/70, d. Danbury, Conn. abt. 1739, son of Caleb and Hannah (Smith) Knapp, of Danbury. He appeared before the Fairfield Court, 2 Nov. 1697, to testify to the truth of the inv. of the est. of Francis Bushnell, who had dec'd Oct. 1697. On Oct. 1713, he was confirmed as Ensign of the train band, and a Lt. Deputy to the General Assembly in 1716, 1721, and 1722. It is stated that he m. a second time (R-28). Children, 9 (R-23-29)...

72. ii. Mary, b. Norwalk, Conn. 21 Dec. 1679, m. perhaps, John Taylor (Thomas2 Taylor of Norwalk and Danbury, John1 Taylor of the Phantom Ship Windsor), b. Dec. 1673, m. 2nd, perhaps, Sarah Betts, b. 21 Jan. 1687/8, dau. of Thomas Betts of Norwalk (R-30-31).

73. iii. Abigail, b. abt. 1680, m. abt. 1696, Rev. Seth Shove, son of George and Hopestill (Newman) Shove, b. Taunton, Mass. 10 Dec. 1667, d. Danbury, Conn. 3 Oct. 1735, ae. 68. He was the first pastor at Danbury, appointed in the year 1696, and came from Simsbury where he had been for five years. The inv. of his est. appears in the Fairfield Records, dated 4 Mar. 1735/6, and mentions Madam Abigail Shove, wid. Hannah Starr, Lydia Boughton, and Mary Shove, minor (R-24). He was bur. in Old Wooster St. Cem. the first cem. in Danbury. The statement that he m. her sister Hannah as his first wife is an error. Children, 4, order uncertain, (R-26)...

74. iv. Lydia, b. abt. 1681, d. 23 Aug. 1786 (R-36), m. John Fitch (R-37), b. 29 Sept. 1677, d. abt. 1760, son of John and Rebecca (Tyndall) Fitch. They rem. to Clapboard Hill, four miles above Norwalk, Conn. abt. 1700, where he and his posterity held large tracts of land, and were original members of the ch. founded 20 June 1733. His will, dated 25 Apr. 1740, prov. 8 Feb. 1760, names four of his six children (R-38). The ch. record states that "Lydia, wife of John Fitch, d. 23 Aug. 1786, in her 103rd year." Children, 6, (R-39-40)...

75. v. Mercy, b. Danbury, Conn. abt. 1687, d. New Milford, Conn. 5 Sept. 1767, ae. 80, m. 1st, Norwalk, Conn. 30 Jan. 1711/2, Maj. John Bostwick of New Milford, Conn. (R-42), b. 12 Oct. 1688, d. 12 June 1741, son of John and Abigail (Walker) Bostwick, of Stratford, Conn. (R-42), she m. 2nd, Capt. James Lockwood, Children, 5...

76. vi. Rebecca, was living in 1712, unmarried,

77. vii. Judith, was living in 1712, unmarried, (It is said that Theophilus Taylor, b. 1687, d. 1777, ae. 90, son of Thomas and Rebecca (Ketchum) Taylor, m. 1st, aft. 1 Mar. 1712, ( ) Bushnell (R-44). He m. 2nd, Sarah Gregory, b. Norwalk Conn. 17 Mar. 1668/9, d. Danbury, Conn. abt. 1743, dau. of John2 of Norwalk, Henry1 of Stratford, Gregory (R-23). As this was the only Bushnell family living in this section at this time, we have assumed that either Rebecca or Judith Bushnell was his first wife, but from the apparent age of his second wife, we inclined to question this second marriage. The sources for data are somewhat limited in this section, due to the raid by the British in 1777).

-- From the Bushnell Family Genealogy compiled by George Eleazer Bushnell, revised and maintained by Irving E. Bushnell Jr. at http://www.bushnellfam.com