Joseph Chaffee

From the Chaffe Genealogy:

http://www.archive.org/stream/chaffeegenealogy01chaf/chaffeegenealo...

Joseph 3 ChafEe, Jr. (Joseph,2 Thomasi) was born in Swansea, Mass., February 6, 1677 [Plymouth Colony Records], and died, probably in Woodstock, Conn., not long before August 10, 1759.

He was married in Maiden, Mass., December 1, 1709, by Mr. Parsons, to Abigail, daughter of Gershom and Elizabeth (Chadwick) Hills [Maiden Records, see Appendix B], and sister of his brother John's wife. Abigail (Hills) Chaffe died in Swansea, October 2, 1710, when her only child was three weeks old.

Joseph Chaffe was married (2) in Falmouth, Mass., October 16, 1712, by Joseph Metcalf, to Jemima Chadwick of that place. She died before her husband, as she was not mentioned as one of his heirs in the settlement of his estate.

Joseph Chaffe lost his father in November, 1694, when he was only 16years old. He was, with his mother and brother, executor of his father's estate and under his father's will received the family Bible which had belonged to his father and his grandfather Chaffe, his father's sword and a heifer, also half his father's "tooles" and gun, and, on reaching the age of 21, half his upland and meadow ground in Swansea.

There is no further reference to him in any kind of record until 1701 when "At a Town meeting ... ye 25th of March 1701, ... for field Drivers Chosen . . . Joseph Chaffy " and two others. [Swarisea Records.]

Hereafter his name appears frequently in these records, as follows:

• March 27, 1702. " Joseph Chafy " was chosen one of two Field Drivers for " wannamosset Neck."
• March 30, 1703, he was chosen Petty Juryman.
• March 25, 1707, with three others, he was chosen again as a Field Driver, and
• March 23, 1707-8, for the same office, with four others.
• August 30, 1710, "Joseph Chafe" was one of a committee of nine, "of febe's neck In Swansea," which met and chose Benjamin Viall as clerk to keep the records of the community.
• April 9, 1711, he and his brother John were two of 17 Proprietors of Swansea who signed an agreement in regard to a driftway on the west side of Hide's Hole, the hanging of two gates therein, etc. The petition, presented in May of this year, for the separation of the western end of Swansea into a separate township was also signed by the two brothers. (See 16.)
• The last mention of Joseph Chaffe in the Swansea records is dated March 30, 1714, when he was one of two Constables chosen.
• In 1717, the desire of the dwellers on Phebe's Neck and New Meadow Neck to be set off into a separate town was finally granted, and November 18th the Township of Barrington was formed.
• In 1718, Joseph Chaffe was chosen as guardian by Jonathan Paine (27), the son of his cousin Dorothy (Chaffe) Paine (4). The Barrington records show that he continued to occupy the same prominent place in the affairs of the new town as he did in the old.
• In 1720 he was one of two Tything-men, and
• in 1721 Fence Viewer for Phebe's Neck,
• February 15, 1721, as heir of his first wife, Abigail (Hills) Chaffe, he signed a quit claim deed to Ebenezer Hills of Maiden, on property to which she been one of the heirs. (See 16.) He swore to his signature to this document, November 24, 1726.
• November 22, 1721, "Joseph Chaffee, of Harrington, in the County of Bristol, in his Majesty's Province, in the Massachusetts bay in New England, husbandman, the son of Joseph Chaffee deceased" bought of Thomas Tiffany, Sr., of Ashford, Conn., for £42, 10s., 100 acres of land there, adjoining the land of Daniel Fuller.
• In 1722 Joseph Chaffe was Hog Reeve of Barrington [Barri7igton Records], his duty being to impound hogs running at large and to execute ordinances as to swine.
• February 5, 1724, Noah Chaffe of Rehoboth "yeoman" sold to his cousin, Joseph of Barrington, for £22, one-half of three acres of salt marsh in Barrington, "the other half being my brother Thos. ChafTe's," the deed being witnessed by John (16) and Ebenezer Chaffe (78).
• Joseph bought the remaining half of this property of Thomas, May 4, 1730, for £30.
• In 1725 Joseph Chaffe was again Hog Reeve and also Constable, and the town allowed him "15 shillings" "for a house to keep school in " [Ibid.], some building owned by him being used for that purpose.
• May 9, 1729, he bought of his brother John and Sarah, his wife, for £43, two acres of salt marsh bounded by the land of "Joseph Chafee Senr, & Joseph Chaffe Junr," the river, the creek, the pond and the creek flowing out of it. In this year his brother John moved to Woodstock, Joseph remaining behind on the homestead, his aged mother living with him.
• She did not long survive her elder son's departure for his new home, dying the latter part of February, or early in March, 1729-30. John and Joseph were her executors and they offered the will for probate and gave bonds March 17, 1729-30, filing their account soon after. By her will Joseph received about £15 worth of personal estate and half of her share of her husband's property, which reverted to their sons at her death. Joseph's share of the homestead being the "North side of the Home lott" according to the provisions of his father's will.
• December 18, 1730, he sold to Samuel Allen for £197, 3s., eight and three-quarters acres and two square rods of upland and salt marsh in Barrington at a place called Rice's Neck.
• December 22, 1730, he bought of Jonathan Hayward of Ashford, for £250, 200 acres of land in that place bounded by the land of Jacob Boutell, James Corbin, Benjamin Read, Robert Serls and the common.
• In 1733 appears the last mention of Joseph Chaffe in the Barrington records, in that year he being Surveyor of Highways.

In April, 1733, he was in Woodstock, probably visiting his brother John, preparatory to settling there himself. On the 5th of that month he bought of John Scarborough of Woodstock for £1,150 four tracts of land; one containing 70 acres, a dwelling house and barn; the second 30 acres of meadow or mowing land; the third 15 acres, and the fourth 3 acres; "Always reserving a way through the land for the watering of flax by the neighbors as there may be occassion with as little disadvantage as may be." The same day Joseph Chaffe sold to John Scarborough land in Barrington, as the following deed shows :

"To all People to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. Know ye. That I Joseph Chaffe of Barrington in the County of Bristol in his majesties province of the Massachusetts Bay in Newengland Husbandman For and in Consideration of the Sum of 1,200 Pounds Currant money to me in hand before the Ensealing hereof, well and truly paid by John Scarbrough of Woodstock in the County of Worcester & province aforesd Husbandman the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and my self therewith fully satisfied and contented, and thereof, and of every Part and Parcel thereof, do exhonerate, acquit and discharge him the said John Scarborough his Heirs, Executors and Administrators, for ever by these Presents: Have given, granted, bargained, sold, ahened, conveyed and confirmed, and by these Presents do freely, fully, and absolutely given grant, bargain, sell, aliene, convey and confirm, unto him the said John Scarbrough and unto his Heirs and Assigns for ever. Three Certain Tracts or parcells of Land situate lying and being in Barrington aforesaid one Tract whereof Contains a Dwelling house a Barn an out house and by Estimation 30 acres of Land & saltmarsh be it more or less as it is abutted & bounded viz Northerly & Westerly on highwayes southerly of land of mr Peleg Heath about 40 Rod from ye highway to a stake then westerly sd Heaths Land till it meets with the Land of Samuel Allen then bounds on sd Aliens Land till it meets with ye River then Easterly on sd River to a Pond and then on a Creek to the highway on ye north forementioned. Also 10 acres more or less of Land Lying west of and adjoyning to the west mentioned highway bounds south on land on mr Heath aforesd and on highwayes north & west: Also one other Tract Containing by Estimation 50 acres be it more or less bounded North on Land of Josiah Humphreys East and west on highwayes southerly on Land of Mathew Allen or however otherwise the said Tracts are bounded or Reputed to be bounded [Reserving four Rod of ground being a Burying place in ye first mentioned Tract not to be Defaced.]

"TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said granted and bargained Premisses, with all the Appurtenances, Priviledges and Commodities to the same belonging, or in any wise appertaining to him the said John Scarbrough and unto his Heirs and Assigns for ever, to his and their only proper Use, Benefit and Behoof for ever.

"And I the said Joseph Chaffe for me my Heirs, Executors and Administrators, do covenant, promise and grant to and with the said John Scarbrough his Heirs and Assigns, that at and before the Ensealing hereof, I am the true, sole and lawful Owner of the above bargained Premisses, and am lawfully seized and possessed of the same, in my own proper Right, as a good, perfect, and absolute Estate of Inheritance in Fee Simple: And have in myself good Right, full Power, and lawful Authority, to grant, bargain, sell convey and confirm said bargained Premisses, in manner as abovesaid. And that the sd John Scarbrough his Heirs and Assigns, shall and may from Time to Time, and at all Times for ever hereafter by Force and Virtue of these Presents, lawfully, peaceably and quietly, have, hold, use occupy, possess and enjoy the said demised and bargained Premisses with the Appurtenances, free and clear, and freely and clearly acquitted, exonerated and discharged from all and all manner of former or other Gifts, Grants, Bargains, Sales, Leases, Mortgages, Wills, Entails, Joyntures, Dowries, Judgments, Executions, or Incumbrances, of what Name or Nature soever, that might in any Measure or Degree obstruct or make void this present Deed. Furthermore, I the said Joseph Chaffe for myself my Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, do covenant and engage the above demised Premisses to him the said John Scarbrough his Heirs and Assigns, against the lawfull Claims or Demands of any Person or Persons whatsoever, for ever to warrant, secure and defend these Presents. In witness where of I the sd Joseph Chaffe have hereunto put my hand and seal the fifth Day of Aprill anno Domini 1733.

• "Signd Seald & Delivered
• " In presence of Joseph Chaffe [seal]
• "Timothy Manning.
• "Samll Chandler.

"Worcester ss. Woodstock aprill 5th 1733 Joseph Chaffe ye above named Granter freely acknowledged this Instrument to be his act tt Deed before me.

• " John Chandler Just Pacs
• "Reed May 2d 1733 Recorded by Samll Howland Regr."
• [Recorded in Vol. XXII, p. 15 of the Bristol County, Mass., Land Records, Northern District, Taunton, Mass.]

Thus the Chaffe homestead, which had been owned by the Chaffes for 73 years, and on which four generations of Chaffes had lived, passed out of the family, into the hands of strangers; with it also passed what was probably the last resting place of Thomas Chaffe, the emigrant, of Joseph and Annis, and their children, Dorothy and Mary, of Abigail (Hills) Chaffe, of Doctor Hezekiah Chaffe and doubtless others. But the deed contained a proviso that this "Ancient Chaffe Burying Ground," should not be defaced. John Scarborough sold 30 acres of this property to Samuel Barnes, September 19, 1733. The deed contains the following :

"The said John Scarborough did reserve out of the above mentioned land four rod of ground being a burying place in the first mentioned tract not to be defaced."

Between April 5, and August 5, 1733, Joseph Chaffe settled in Ashford, as on the latter date his wife, Jemima, was admitted to membership in the First Congregational Church in Woodstock, having been dismissed from the church in Barrington. Joseph was also an active member of this church.

Some few facts regarding the new home of Joseph Chaffe may be of interest. The town of Woodstock or, as it was first called, New Roxbury, was settled in the summer of 1686 by men from Roxbury, Mass., and was a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony until 1749, when it became a part of Connecticut. The name was changed from New Roxbury to Woodstock in the spring of 1690. Joseph Chaffe settled in the western part of the town.

In 1733 the town arranged to have a schoolhouse built in this part of the town, and the settlers increasing, West Parish desired to have religious services of its own for four months of the year at the expense of the whole town. This request, it was argued, was only fair inasmuch as the western half was obliged to contribute to the support of the Church on the Hill (in the central part of Woodstock) . But the town refused to assume any of the charges. After trying the experiment for two winters, the West Parish people found the expense of supporting both ministers to be too great a burden, and they therefore again asked the help of the town, and were refused.

They still persisted and petitioned that the western half might be formed into a distinct township. Town meetings were held, and at last permission was given them to address the General Court in Boston on the subject. But their petition to the General Court was dismissed.

The West Woodstock people insisted on the formation of a parish where they could worship God in their own fashion, and not be obliged to aid any church outside of their parish. They were willing to give up all ideas of a town of their own. This modified request was made to the town, and to the General Court. The General Court complied by passing an act in 1743, incorporating the district as " The West Parish of Woodstock." The West Parish was now called by the old name of New Roxbury. It was also called the Second Precinct of Woodstock.

Thus we see that the same trouble which caused part of Swansea to be formed into the separate town of Barrington caused the establishment of West Parish or New Roxbury, and as Joseph Chaffe was active in demanding his rights in one town, so he was in the other.

• This first petition, dated November 2, 1736, was signed by 30 men, of whom " Joseph Chaffee " was one. [Larned's History of Windham County.]
• April 5, 1743, another petition was presented and also a further memorial from Joseph Chaffee and Samuel Chandler. [Ibid.]
• September 15th of that year "the west half part of Woodstock" was incorporated into a separate parish and held their first meeting in the schoolhouse, September 27th. [Ibid.]
• At this meeting, Joseph Chaffee was chosen one of three Assessors and also one of a committee of three for calline precinct meetings, in which capacity he signed warrants, November 26, 1743, February 4, 1743-4, September 10, 1744, and August 18, 1746, for meetings in regard to a minister and a meetinghouse. [Records of the Second Ecclesiastical Society of Woodstock.]
• March 12, 1743-4, he was chosen Moderator [Ibid.], and it was voted "To petition the Court to lay a tax for building meeting-house, on unimproved land — five shillings per acre for five years — Joseph Chaffee to present petition." [History of Windham County.] This necessitated a trip to Boston on the part of Joseph Chaffee.
• April 13, 1744, he was one of three chosen to secure supplies for the pulpit. It was found difficult to decide on a spot for the meetinghouse which should be satisfactory to all the inhabitants, so three men from outside of the new precinct were asked to pick out a spot. They met March 18, 1744-5, and Joseph was one of a committee of six chosen to wait on them. The site selected was that of the present Congregational church in West Woodstock. [History of Windham County.]
• November 18, 1746, it was agreed to pay Joseph Chaffe 10 shillings a day for work on the meetinghouse. [Records of the Second Ecclesiastical Society of Woodstock.]
• May 15, 1747, he was again chosen Moderator. [Ibid.]
• August 24, 1748, he was chosen one of a committee of two to seek a suitable spot for a burial-place, he representing the southern part of the town. [Ibid.]
• March 13, 1749, he was chosen as Assessor and also one of a committee of three to build a pulpit and "body seats" in the meetinghouse. [Ibid.]
• November 1, 1750, he and one other were appointed a committee to procure a schoolmaster [Ibid.], and
• August 30, 1753, one of a similar committee "to take care of setting up a school in the southeast district of the society. [Ibid.]

The first recorded act in Woodstock of Joseph Chaffe was the purchase from his nephew Joel (77) for £85, of one hundred acres of land in Ashford, March 12, 1733-4. This was his last purchase of land of which we have record, but soon thereafter he began to give to his sons for their "advancement and settlement in the world" part of their shares of his estate.

• The first gift was made to his eldest son, March 12, 1735-6, "in Consideration of Love and Goodwill and Effection which I have and do have towards my loving son Benjamin Chaffee of Ashford." The property was that which he had bought two years previous of Joel Chaffee.
• The next gift was December 31, 1743, to "Joseph Chaffee Jun of Ashford," 100 acres of land there, the southerly part of the tract which the grantor bought in 1730 of Jonathan Hayward.
• The next son to receive his share was "Thomas Chaffe of Woodstock Weaver" who received, January 13, 1745-6, 23 acres of land, in Woodstock, valued at £230, on which land he had already built a dwelling-house. "
• Samuel Chaffe of Woodstock " received the other half of the Hayward tract in Ashford, adjoining Joseph, Jr., May 24, 1750.
• September 26th of the same year James Chaffe received a house and 25 acres of land in the south half of Woodstock, for a nominal consideration of 10 shillings, the property being really a gift.
• Stephen received sixteen acres of land, also in the south half of Woodstock, February 17, 1758, and
• July 4, 1758, Josiah received three-fourths of an acre of land in Woodstock, the value being stated as £3. Whether this was also a nominal consideration or whether the transaction was a bona fide sale is not clear. Perhaps it was a wedding gift, as Josiah was married nine days later.

Joseph Chaffe left no will, but the following inventory of his estate was filed, August 30, 1759, probably soon after his death:

INVENTORY OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH CHAFFE

"An Inventory of the estate of Mr. Joseph Chaffe Late of Woodstock in the County of Windham Desd Shown to us the Subscribers Appraisers under oath by Mr. James Chaffe Administrator on said estate, August 30th 1759. Which is as follows viz. £ s d

• The orchard computed to be Two acres and half of Land 20- 0-0
• About 20 acres adjoining to ye orchard 90- 0-0
• About 12 acres of woodland &c. 48- 0-0
• Two acres of medow land by the grate Pond 25- 0-0
• A Peace of Land on ye west side of ye way about 2^ acres 10- 0-0
• Mare sheep and cattle 16-13-0
• [Other items, wearing apparel, household and farm utensils etc.]
• sum total £233- 6-0

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• "Thom Chandler
• "Abel May
• "Nathl Childs."

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The following agreement of the heirs was signed two months later :

"We the subscribers Children and descendants of Mr. Joseph Chaffe Late of Woodstock in the County of Windham Desd vizt Benjamin Chafie of Ashford Eldest son of ye Said Desd, James Chaffe of Woodstock, Joseph Chaffe aforesaid Samuel Chaffee Josiah Chaffe Stephen Chaffe Joseph Wright & Abigail his Wife all of Woodstock and all in ye County of Windham and being all desirous to settle the Real Estate that ye said Desd Left to us in Love and peace and notwithstand- ing our Late Brother Thomas Chaffe Late of said Woodstock Desd haveing in his lifetime Reed of our Said Father about six pounds Lawful money more than any of us Reed of our Said Father in his life time Yet we are hereby willing & Desirous ye Real Estate Left by our said Father Desd to be Settled to and amongst us in the following manner and from vizt So Benjamin Chaffe aforesaid one share and half in leiw of his Double Portion of what is left and no more And to the Heirs of our Late Thomas Chaffe Desd one single share of what Notwithstanding what he in his Life Received of said Estate more than any of us And to the said James, Joseph, Samuel, Stephen, and Josiah one single share and to Joseph Wright and Abigail his wife one single Share making Eight single Shares and half in all in all and as Ebenezer Williams Esq Judge of ye Court of Probate for ye District of Pomfret has given a Comn To mess Thos Chandler Nathanl Child and Theophilus Chandler to divide the Estate Left by ye said Joseph Chaffe Desd to us the subscribers and to and amongst us according to the Instructions therein Set Yet we Dessire ye Said Distributors to Divide ye same according to our minds herein Set to all which Instructions and Directions herein by us given we bind and oblige us the Subscribers and Each of us our and Each of our Several & respective heirs in the Penal sum of Thousand pounds Lawfull money to stand to and abide by ye aforesaid agreement in witness Whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this Tenth day of October Anno Dom 1759

• " Signed Sealed and Delivered Joseph Chaffe [l. s.]
• " In Presence of Benjamin Chaffe [l. s.]
• "Nathel Child James Chaffe [l. s.]
• " Thos Chandler Samuel Chaffe [l. s.]
• Stephen Chaffe [l. s.]
• Josiah Chaffe [l. s.]
• "Windham SS Woodstock Oct. 10th 1759

"Benjamin Chaffe, James Chaffe, Joseph Chaffe, Samuel Chaffe, Stephen Chaffe, Josiah Chaffe, Joseph Wright, and Abigail his wife all personally appearing freely acknowledged this Instrument to be their respective act and Deed. "Coram Thos Chandler Justice Peace.

"January ye 1st 1765 then this deed was reed for record and by the Judge ordered to be recorded and kept on file."

At a meeting of the Second Precinct, December 11, 1760, it was voted that "the person who had been the highest or most on the Grand List for the five years past (except those who have pews) shall have the pew that was Mr. Joseph Chaffe's, late of Woodstock deceased. He paying or satisfying the heirs of said Chaffe therefore." [Records of the Second Ecclesiastical Society.] This is the last mention in the records of him.

Child, by first wife, born in Swansea:

• + 90 i Benjamin* Chaffe, born September 11, 1710; married (1) Hannah Chapman; (2) Priscilla Green.

Children, by second wife:

• + 91 ii James Chaffe, born about 1713; married (1) Beriah Hayden; (2) Rhoda Cady.
• + 92 iii Abigail Chaffe, born March 5, 1714-15; married Joseph Wright.
• + 93 iv Thomas Chaffe, born October 18, 1716; married Dorcas Abbot.
• + 94 v Joseph Chaffe, Jr., married Hannah Gould.
• + 95 vi Samuel Chaffe, born about 1722; married (1) Susanna Lyon; (2) Mary Howlett.
• 96 vii Stephen Chaffe, born about 1726; died in Woodstock, February 13, 1800, in his seventy-fourth year [entered in an old Bible found in North Windham, Conn., given by him in 1798 to Chloe Chaffe (331)].

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February 17, 1758, Stephen Chaffe's father gave him thirteen and one-half acres of land (see above); April 19, 1762, "Stephen Chaffee of Woodstock" sold to his brother Josiah of the same place land there for £20; February 20, 1767, "Stephen Chaffee yeoman" sold to Josiah Hammond four acres of land in Woodstock for £3; the records of the Baptist Church, the First Society of Woodstock, December 12, 1785, show that a vote was passed that Stephen Chaffee dig the graves for the Society for the ensuing year; July 7, 1797, he sold to his niece, Chloe (Chaffee, two acres of land in Woodstock for £6; he sold other pieces of land there; his will, here given, indicates that he was unmarried.

"In the name of God Amen I Stephen Chaffe of Woodstock in Windham County on this 16th Day of October 1799 being advanced in age & under bodily infirmity but have reason to bless God, I enjoy my reason & a sound, disposing mind & memory & callng to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die.

"I do now make & ordain this my last will & testament & prencepally & first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, who gave it & as for my body I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a christian like and decent burial whenever it shall please God to put an end to my life in this world wholly trusting in the rich mercy of God thro, Christ, that at the Gen'l resurcetion, when my soiil and body shall be reunited I shall have a remembrance among the just And as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give devise & dispose there of in the following manner and form viz It is my will that in the first place all my Just debts & funeral charges be paid & satisfied out of my estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to Corbin [Calvin] Chaffe son to my brother James Chaffe ten pounds to be paid to him by my Execrs after my decease.

"Item I give and bequeath to Saml Chaffe son to my brother Samuel Chaffe deed my bed and furniture, also my great coat.

" Item I give and bequeath unto my neice Chloe Chaffe daughter to my brother Josiah Chaffe ten pounds to be paid her by my Exer out of my estate also the exclusive right of my pair trees.

"And all the rest and remainder of my estate it is my will that it be divided in equal shares (viz) to my sister Abagail, my brother Josiah, the surviving children of my brother James deed which he had by his first wife, The heirs of my brother Thomas Decc & the heirs of my brother Josh deed & the heirs of my brother Saml deed making Six Shares.

"And I do hereby make, ordain & constitute Dr. Jesse Bolles of Woodstock sole Executor to this my last will & testament, who is also hereby fully empowered and directed to make sale of my estate, real & personal to the best advantage for my heirs, & give a good title to the purchaser or purchasers, cheerfully confiding in his care and faithfulness to fulfill & execute the same in every part hereby disallowing & disannulling all other or former wills, testaments & legacies, ratifying this and no other to be and contain my last will & testament

"Signed, sealed, pubhshed, pronounced & declared by the sd Stephen Chaffe to be and contain his last will & testament

" in presence of us Stephen Chaffe [l. s.]

• "Wm Hammond
• "Isaac Hibbard
• "Christina Smith"

May 5, 1801 the executor reports, "I sold the whole of the real & personal estate of Stephen Chaffa at the Inventory prices at private sale (except bed & coverlid & sheets given to Saml Chaffa) to his brother Josiah Chaffee & to Chloe Chaffee," for $250, May 4, 1801 ; Josiah was the principal creditor of the estate.

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• + 97 viii Josiah Chaffe, born September 1, 1731; married Sarah Cady.