Nehemiah Royce

Nehemiah Royce

• born: circa 1638 (Long Sutton, Somerset, England / of Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts)
• died: 7 November 1706 at Wallingford, New Haven, CT.
• Father: Robert Royce b. c 1605, d. 1676
• Mother: Mary b. 17 Dec 1607, d. 14 Jul 1697
• Wife: 1) Hannah Morgan b. 18 May 1642, d. 12 Dec 1706

Their children include:

1. Joseph Royce (ca 1663-19 Dec 1707)
2. Joanna Royce (ca 1670-ca 1688)
3. Margery Royce (-ca 12 Sep 1683)
4. Mercy Royce (-4 Feb 1675)
5. Mary Royce (12 Aug 1675-)
6. Esther Royce (15 Aug 1677-)
7. Lydia Royce (28 May 1680-bet 1747 and 1651)
8. Nehemiah Royce (18 Mar 1682/3-30 Oct 1725)

The oldest house in Wallingford is the Nehemiah Royce House on North Main Street. Nehemiah Royce (who died in 1706) and his first wife Hannah, were among the first settlers of Wallingford. Royce‘s saltbox house was built in 1672. The house is also known as the Washington Elm House because it used to be next to the Washington Elm: in 1775, when George Washington was on his way to take command of the Continental Army in Massachusetts, he stopped in Wallingford to purchase gunpowder and addressed the people of the town in front of the house near the Elm. (Is it possible George Washington slept here?) The house was moved to its present location in 1924. For a time it was a museum and then was used as a residence by Choate Rosemary Hall, until donated to the Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust in the 1990s.

Nehemiah Royce House Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehemiah_Royce_House
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nehemiah_Royce_House,_Wallingford...
• http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=27689
• http://historicbuildingsct.com/?tag=saltbox&paged=4

Nehemiah Royce House 538 North Main Street, built in 1672. It is the oldest house in town and one of the most notable examples of saltbox construction in Connecticut.

A nearby ground marker records its history. The house is owned by the Historic Preservation Trust.

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From "History of Wallingford, Conn: From Its Settlement in 1670 to the Present Time, Including Meriden, which was One of Its Parishes Until 1806, and Cheshire, which was Incorporated in 1780"

By Charles Henry Stanley Davis Published by The author, 1870

Nehemiah Royce ( shoemaker ) was in Wallingford with his wife Hannah, among the first settlers. She died June 19, 1677, and married Esther ----, who died Sept. 12, 1706. He died Nov. 7, 1706, ae. 72 years. He was the original owner of the James Rice place at the head of Main-st., in Wallingford.

Children: 11 Mary, b Aug. 12, 1673, d Aug. 12, 1675 ; 12 Mercy, b Feb. 4, 1675, d Feb. 24, 1675 ; 14 Esther, b Oct. 15, 1678 ; 15 Lydia, b May 28, 1680, m Daniel Messenger ; 16 Nehemiah, b May 18, 1682-3, m Keziah Hall, Feb. 9, 1700 ; 17 Margery, d Sept. 12, 1683.

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Y-DNA Haplogroup: I1b2a

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The Nehemiah Royce House (1672) in Wallingford, CT is open to the public summers. It is an exhibit of 17th century furniture, pewter, costumes, china. The Nehemiah Royce House has the distinction of being the oldest house in Wallingford. This classic New England saltbox was built in 1672, just two years after our town was founded. Until recently Choate Rosemary Hall, who donated the house to the Trust in 1995, had used it as a residence. While it is reasonably sound structurally and is often used for Trust events, looks can be deceiving. For example, those bright spots all over the roof are not photographic "highlights"; they are aluminum patches needed to stop the worst of the leaks!

Prior to being acquired by Choate Rosemary Hall, the house was used as a residence by members of the Royce family.

NEHEMIA4 ROYCE (ROBERT3, ROBERT2, THOMAS1) was born 16361, and died November 07, 1706 in Wallingford, CT1. He married HANNAH MORGAN November 20, 1660 in New London, CT1. She died June 19, 1677 in Wallingford, CT1.

Notes for NEHEMIA ROYCE: Nehemia was the original owner of the James Rice place at the head of Main Street in Wallingford, CT.

More About NEHEMIA ROYCE: Occupation: shoemaker

Sam Behling writes: Nehemiah ROYCE. Born abt 1636. Nehemiah died in Wallingford, New Haven, CT on 7 Nov 1706; he was 70. Occupation: Shoemaker. On 20 Nov 1660 when Nehemiah was 24, he married Hannah MORGAN, in New London, New London, CT. Hannah died in Wallingford, New Haven, CT on 12 Dec 1706; she was 64. Born on 18 Jul 1642 in Roxbury, Litchfield, CT. They had the following children:

• 18 i. Joseph (~1663-1707)
• ii. Joanna. Born abt 1663 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT. Joanna died in Wallingford, New Haven, CT abt 1688; she was 25. Joanna married Walter JOHNSON.
• iii. Margery (Died Young). Margery died on 12 Sep 1683 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT.
• iv. Mercy (Died Young). Born on 4 Feb 1675/1676 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT. Mercy died on 24 Feb 1675/1676 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT.
• v. Mary. Born on 12 Aug 1676. About 1702 when Mary was 25, she married Samuel LEWIS.
• vi. Esther. Born on 15 Oct 1678 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT. Esther died aft 1731; she was 52. On 23 Nov 1698 when Esther was 20, she married John BULL, in Farmington, Hartford, CT.
• 19 vii. Lydia (1680-<1751)
• 20 viii. Nehemiah (1682-1725)

Research notes

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Royce-176

There is some confusion between. Nehemiah and his brother Nathaniel’s wives in the Davis book. Apparently Nehemiah only married once.

Nathaniel Royce married Esther, Oct. 27, 1673. She died June 19, 1677. He was married to Sarah Lathrop by Mr. Moss, April 21, 1681. She died Nov. 11, 1706. He then married Hannah Farnham, Aug. 24, 1707. She died Feb. 6, 1708, and he married Abigail Hoyt, Aug. 25, 1708. She died and he married Phebe Clark, Dec. 27, 1720. He died Feb. 8, 1736; was by trade, a carpenter and joiner and blacksmith in 1687. Esther and Nathaniel's 2nd child was born May 6, 1677.

Notice that allegedly Hannah and Esther died on the same day. But the town record says very clearly that Hannah. wid. Neamiah died 12 Dec 1706 in Wallingford, CT. [3] and that Esther w. of Nath'll died June 19, 1677 [3]. Nathaniel went on to have other children by other wives, where as the town records continue to record children to Nehemiah and Hannah. As a matter of record they name their next daughter born in Oct 1699 Esther [3]

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BIOGRAPHY: Among first settlers in Wallingford; shoemaker. He was the original owner of the fames Rice place at the head of Main-st., in Wallingford

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Biography of Nehemiah RoyceEarly life: He was born about 1636 in England, the son of Robert Royce (c1606-1676) and Mary. He may have been the Nehemiah Royce christened on May 30, 1637 at St Michael the Greater Anglican Church, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. There was only one Nehemiah Royce in all of England, coincidentally christened 1637, whose parents coincidentally are named Robert and Mary. He died on November 1, 1706 at New Haven, Connecticut and is buried in Center Street Cemetery, Wallingford, Connecticut[2]

Marriage and family: On Nov. 20, 1660, he married Hannah Morgan at New London New London County, Connecticut. They were the parents of nine children. She was born on July 18, 1642 at Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and died on June 19, 1677 at Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut. She was the daughter of James Morgan and Margery Hill. He married as his second wife, Esther Moss in 1678.

Royce, a carpenter, joiner and blacksmith by trade, was one of Wallingford's original 38 proprietors authorized by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1667 to purchase land from Mantowese and Sunk Squa, daughter of the Great Sachem of the Quinnipiacs. On May 12, 1670, Wallingford was incorporated and about 126 people settled in the town. On May 11, 1693 Royce was elected deputy representing Wallingford to the Court of the Connecticut Colony [3].

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Father to both Joseph and Nehemiah Rice.

Joseph's is grandfather to Phebe Rice (b. 12/30/1743)who marries Nehemiah's grandson, Ebenezer Rice (b. 12/8/1745)

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GEDCOM Note

Esther Moss is not the wife of Nehemiah, but the wife of Nathaniel

Biography==This person is an ancestor of President Millard Fillmore<ref> Roberts, Gary Boyd; Ancestors of American Presidents</ref>

Nehemiah Royce

Born:
Nehemiah Royce, son of Robert Royce and Mary, was born about 1636 in England. There is a good possibility that he is Nehemiah Royse christened 30 May 1637 at Saint Michael, Stamford, Lincoln, England. s/o Robert & Mary<ref>"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N26T-9P2 : accessed 04May 2014), Nehemiah Royse, 30 May 1637; citing SAINT MICHAEL, STAMFORD, LINCOLN, ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 1450475 IT 2.</ref> Seehis father's profile for information. Some researchers believe he was born in Somerset England, based on the fact that he may be the son of Robert & Mary Sims.

Married:
Hannah Morgan d. James married Nehemyah Royce s. of Robert, 20 Nov 1660 in New London.<ref name="Barbour">White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.</ref>

Died:
Neamiah Royce died Nov. 1, 1706 in his 72nd year.<ref name="Barbour"/> Eureka !!! I have discovered the source of the confusion over the wife/wives of Nehemiah Royce. B-404 00:07, 6 May 2014 (EDT)

From Davis' History of Wallingford: "Nehemiah Royce (shoemaker) was in Wallingford with his wife Hannah, among the first settlers. She died June 19, 1677, and he married Esther, who died Sept. 12, 1706. He died Nov. 7, 1706, ae. 72 years. He was the original owner of the James Rice place at the head of Main St., inWallingford."<ref name="Davis">Davis, Charles Henry Stanley. History Of Wallingford, Conn. From Its Settlement in 1670 to the present Time, Including MERIDEN, Which Was One Of Its Parishes Until 1806, And CHESHIRE, Which Was Incorporated in 1780. Meriden, Conn.: By the Author, 1870. page 891.</ref>

Compare this to the paragraph on his brother: Nathaniel Royce married Esther, Oct. 27, 1673. She died June 19, 1677.He was married to Sarah Lathrop by Mr. Moss, April 21, 1681. She diedNov. 11, 1706. He then married Hannah Farnham, Aug. 24, 1707. She died Feb. 6, 1708, and he married Abigail Hoyt, Aug. 25, 1708. She died and he married Phebe Clark, Dec. 27, 1720. He died Feb. 8, 1736; was bytrade, a carpenter and joiner and blacksmith in 1687. Esther and Nathaniel's 2nd child was born May 6, 1677.<ref name="Davis"/> Notice that allegedly Hannah and Esther died on the same day. But the town record says very clearly that Hannah. wid. Neamiah died 12 Dec 1706 in Wallingford, CT.<ref name="Barbour"/> and that Esther w. of Nath'll died June 19, 1677<ref name="Barbour"/>. Nathaniel went on to haveother children by other wives, where as the town records continue to record children to Nehemiah and Hannah. As a matter of record they name their next daughter born in Oct 1699 Esther<ref name="Barbour"/>.

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Additional info from The Royce family in America by Alvin Lee Rhods.... Nehemiah received a home lot from his father at New London Feb. 7, 1662 which was formerly owned by James Morgan. Nehemiah was a Shoemaker.He is the original owner of the home at Main St. in Wallingford CT which he built in 1672. Helen Royce and her sister Lucy saved the house from destruction and had it moved in the late 1920's. After the house was given to the Society for Preservation of New England Antiquities, it was turned over to The Choate School Foundation in 1962 and transferred to the Wallingford Preservation Society in 1999.Nehemiah is one of the 13 Pillars, founders of the First Congregational Church in Wallingford CT, in 1675.

Children listed are:

• Joseph b. ca. 1663, d. 19 Mar 1707 m. 1 Oct 1684 Mary Porter
• Mary (Mercy) b. 12 Aug 1663 d. 4 Feb 1675
• Joanna b. ca. 1670 d. before July 1689 m. before 1688 Walter Johnson (Wouter Jansen)
• Margery b. ? d. 12 Sep 1683
• Mary b. 12 Aug 1675 d. ? m. ca. 1702 Samuel Lewis
• Esther b. 15 Oct 1677 d. after 1731 m. 23 Nov 1698 John Bull
• Lydia b. 28 May 1680 d. between 1747 and 1751 m. 20 Jan 1703/4 Daniel Messinger
• Nehemiah b. 18 Mar 1682/3 d. 3 Nov 1725 m. 9 Feb 1709/10 Kezia Hall

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• Fact: Christening (30 May 1637) Saint Michael, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England
• Fact: Burial (7 November 1706) Center Street Cemetery Wallingford New Haven Connecticut, United States Record added: Sep 08, 2005 www.Find A Grave Memorial# 11711015
• Fact: http://familysearch.org/v1/LifeSketch Nehemiah Royce (1636-1676) was christened on 30 May 1637 at St Michael the Greater Anglican Church, Stamford, Lincolnshire, England., the son of Robert Royce (c 1606-1676) and Mary Jackson. (There was only one Nehemiah Royce in all of England, coincidentally christened 1637, whose parents coincidentally are named Robert and Mary.) On Nov. 20, 1660, he married Hannah Morgan at New London New London County, Connecticut. They were the parents of nine children. She was born on July 18, 1642 at Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and died on 12 December 1706 at Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut. Shewas the daughter of James Morgan and Margery Hill. Royce, a carpenter, joiner and blacksmith by trade, was one of Wallingford's original 38 proprietors authorized by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1667 to purchase land from Mantowese and Sunk Squa, daughter of the Great Sachem of the Quinnipiacs. On May 12, 1670, Wallingfordwas incorporated and about 126 people settled in the town. On May 11,1693 Royce was elected deputy representing Wallingford to the Court of the Connecticut Colony.He died on November 1, 1706 at New Haven, Connecticut and is buried in Center Street Cemetery, Wallingford, Connecticut. (from Wikipedia...)
• Fact: Residence Stamford, Lincoln, England
• Fact: Occupation Shoemaker

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, <i>FamilySearch</i> (http://familysearch.org : modified 21 October 2017, 05:24), entry for Nehemiah Royce(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:MB2H-CJ9); contributed by varioususers.
• Roberts, Gary Boyd; Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.
• The Royce family in America by Alvin Lee Rhods - May 2005 Edition. Added by Quall-1

References

See Also

• Nehemiah Royce House-Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehemiah_Royce_House
• There is a {FindAGrave|11711015 at Center Street Cemetery. It contains errors. There was no stone legible at the time of the Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions (ie 1930's)
• http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/gen/report/rr02/rr02_351.html#P14861