Nicholas Disborough

Nicholas Disborough

• Birth: June 16 1612 / Abt 1613 - Saffron Waldon, Essex, England
• Death: Aug 31 1683 - Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
• Parents: Nicholas Disbrowe, Mary Gylbye
• Married: Mary Brunson; Elizabeth Shepard, widow of Thwaite Strickland
• AKA: Nicholas Desborough, Nicholas Disbrow, Nicholas Disbroe

Biographical Summary:

Nicholas Desborough (Disbro, Desbrough, Disbrow, Desbrow), Hartford, 1639, a proprietor "by courtesie of the town"; his home-lot was on the east side of road to the Cow Pasture (North Main St.), not far from the present tunnel. He served in the Pequot War; received a grant of fifty acres for his services, May 11, 1671. He married 1640, Mary Brunson, probably sister of John. Chosen chimney-viewer, 1647, 1655, 1663, 1669; surveyor of highways, 1665; freed from training, etc, March 6, 1672-3, when sixty years old. He married (2), after 1669, Elizabeth, widow of Thwaite Strickland.1 Cotton Mather (Magnalia, vi. 69) tolls a marvelous story of molestations in Desborough's house by invisible hands, in 1683. He died in 1683; inventory August 31, £81. 15.

Children:

i. Mary, married Obadiah Spencer, of Hartford,

ii. Sarah, married Samuel Eggleston, of Middletown; died 1683, aged 71.

iii. Phebe, baptized December 20, 1646; married John Kelsey, of Hartford, who removed to Killingworth.

iv. Abigail, born Fob. 1, 1648-9; married (1) Robert Flood, of Wethersfield; (2) Matthew Barry.

SOURCE: James Hammond Trumbull, editor, The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, Volume 1 (Boston, Massachusetts: Edward L. Osgood, 1886), page 237. Retrieved: 3 May 2011 from Google Books

Note: Grandpa a witch?

Sources

1. New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011) Vol. I, p. 456. DISBOROUGH, Nicholas (1612-1683) & Elizabeth (?SHEPARD) STRICKLAND, w. Thwaite; 30 Jun 1674 or ?bef; Hartford
2. New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011) Vol. I, p. 456. DISBROW, Nicholas (1612-1683) & 2/wf? Mary [BRONSON]; by 1640, by 1648?; Hartford/Killingworth,CT

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"He married his first wife Mary Brownson March 01, 1639/40 in Hartford Connecticut. Their known children are Mary, Sarah, Hannah, Phebe, and Abigail Disborough. He was later married to Elizabeth Shepard." (from Find A Grave Memorial# 20836116)

Nicholas served in the Pequot Indian War and for this service he received a grant of fifty acres on 11 May 1671. He was Hartford's chimney viewer and surveyor of highways. He was oneof the few inhabitants of Hartford who was allowed to bring woodand keep sheep in the village comman. He was a furniture maker and some of his work is displayed at the Hartford Anthenaeum, aswell as the Metropolitan Museum of NYC. This information is recorded in "The Original Propietors of Hartford Connecticut,Vol. I, page 237.

Served in the Pequot Indian War, surveyor of highways, chimney viewer, furniture maker in Hartford, CT

Nicholas was also charged with witchcraft in 1683, as Cotton Mather told a story of molestations in Desborough's house by invisible hands. This included things being thrown at Nicholas while he was in his house (stones, indian corn). The case was dropped prior to Nicholas' death.

From Disbrows - Chapter 3.  NICHOLAS DISBROW (1612 - 1683)

In 1660 he obtained permission to build a 16-foot- square shop on the highway - probably the first recorded road-side stand.  He held the office of "Chimney Viewer" (Tax Assessor) in 1647, 55, 63, and 69.  In 1665 he was Surveyor of Highways, thus preceding your Uncle Don inthat office by exactly 270 years.
      In 1669, Mary Brunson having presumably died meanwhile, Nicholas now 57 married again, this time Elizabeth, the young widow of one Thwaite Strickland, and the mother of four children.  This union of June and December seems to have been the cause of no end of excitement for our Henry Disbrow in the neighborhood of Oyster Bay that same summer as we shall later see; but the marriage itself must have worked out smoothly enough for we find no entries to the contrary.

For his services in the Pequot War, Nicholas was on May 11th, 1671 granted fifty acres of land.  On March 16 1673, at the age of 60, he was freed from further liability for military service.  A little later he was charged with practicing witch-craft, the charge apparently being dragged into the proceedings surrounding a disputed bill for a chest he had made and delivered to Colonel Allyn. It was here too that Mary Brunson's unfortunate girlhood experience was entered as evidence of something or other.

Through all these years Nicholas continued his trade of furniture maker and when he died in 1683 he left a total property of £210, a sizeable estate for Hartford in those days.  He is today rated highly as the earliest American cabinet maker.  

Notes

Married: 1 MAR 1639/40 in Hartford, Hartford, CT to Mary Brunson. Torrey indicated birth of first child in 1640. He indicated Mary [Brunson] might have been a second wife. Louise Barker got the marriage specifics from a Richard, name not further specified. (3 5 6 2)

Links

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lkcopelan...
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mscheffle...

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Burial record:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20836116/Nicholas-Desborough

Nicholas Desborough (Disborough, Disbrow, Disbroe, Disbrowe) was a founding father of Hartford Connecticut. He married his first wife Mary Brownson March 01, 1639/40 in Hartford Connecticut. Their known children are Mary, Sarah, Hannah, Phebe, and Abigail Disborough. He was later married to Elizabeth Shepard.

Nicholas served in the Pequot Indian War in 1637. On May 11, 1671, he received 50 acres of land for his military service.

Nicholas' home was on the east side of the road to the cow pasture (North Main Street). He was chimney viewer for the years 1647, 1655, 1663, 1669; surveyor of highways 1665.

Nicholas was also charged with witchcraft in 1683, as Cotton Mather told a story of molestations in Desborough's house by invisible hands. This included things being thrown at Nicholas while he was in his house (stones, Indian corn). The case was dropped prior to Nicholas' death.

Nicholas was also a fine carpenter, and made dressers, and chairs. Some of his works are still on display in museums across the country.

The Ancient Burying Ground is the oldest historic site in Hartford, and the only one surviving from the 1600s. From 1640, four years after the arrival of the first English settlers, down until the early 1800s, it was Hartford's only graveyard. During that period anyone who died in town, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnic background, economic status, or religious faith, was interred here.

Rest in Peace Nicholas.

MIGRATION: 1635 on the Hopewell.

FIRST RESIDENCE: Lynn.

RETURN TRIPS: Late 1639 or soon after, permanently.

ESTATE: We find no record of his estate in New England, a problem compounded by his probable residence in Lynn.

BIRTH: Baptized Eltisley, Cambridgeshire, 30 April 1615, son of Isaac and Mary (_____) Desborough.

DEATH: Eltisley [blank] [blank] 1658 ("Isaac Disbrow Junior deceased").

MARRIAGE: By about 1644 Elizabeth _____.

CHILDREN:

JOHN, b. say 1644; living 6 December 1660, when named in grandfather's will; no further record.

ISAAC, b. Eltisley 24 December 1646 ("Isaacus Disbrow filius Isaaci Disbrow Juni[or] et Elizabeth uxor eius natus erat vicesimo quarto die Decembris Anno Domini 1646"); d. soon.

JAMES, bur. Eltisley 17 October 1647.

ELIZABETH, b. Eltisley 9 April 1649 ("Elizabeth Disbrow filia Isaacus Disbrowe juni[or] et Elizabeth uxor eius nata erat nono die Aprilis"); living 6 December 1660, when named in grandfather's will; no further record.

ANN, b. say 1651; living 6 December 1660, when named in grandfather's will; no further record.

SUSAN, b. Eltisley 10 November 1653; living 6 December 1660, when named in grandfather's will; no further record.

ISAAC, b. Eltisley 26 February 1654[/5]; living 6 December 1660, when named in grandfather's will; no further record.

MARY, b. Eltisley 30 April 1657; living 6 December 1660, when named in grandfather's will; no further record.

ASSOCIATIONS: This immigrant was the eldest child of his father, also named Isaac. The immigrant's siblings, all baptized at Eltisley, were John (16 February 1616/7), Elizabeth (3 December 1619), Samuel (29 June 1624, and apparently died soon), Hannah (25 October 1626), Samuel (12 December 1628), James (9 March 1630/1, and buried 15 March 1630/1), Nathaniel (24 August 1632) and Sarah (9 April 1635).

"Isaac Disbrowe gentl[eman]" was buried at Eltisley on 8 December 1660. In his will, dated 6 December 1660 and proved 21 December 1660, "Isaac Disbrowe of Elseworth in the County of Cambridge gentleman" bequeathed to "John Disbrowe and Isaac Disbrowe my grandsons children of Isaac Disbrowe deceased," John being called "my eldest grandchild"; to "my son John Disbrowe"; to "Elizabeth Disbrowe my grandchild"; to "Anne Disbrowe my grandchild"; to "Susan Disborowe one other of my grandchildren"; to "Mary Disbrowe one other of my grandchildren"; to "my son Nathaniell Disbrow"; to "the four sisters of the aforenamed John and Isaac Disbrowe my grandsons (vizt.) to Elizabeth, Ann, Susan and Mary Disbrow"; to "my son Samuell Disborowe"; to "my daughter Elizabeth Johnson"; to "my daughter Hannah Stocker"; to "my daughter Sarah Croxen"; to "Sarah Croxen my granddaughter"; to "Richard Kempton"; to "Alice Toff"; residue of land to "be equally divided between my grandchildren John, Isaac, Elizabeth, Ann, Susan and Mary Disborowe"; to "Thomas Croxton my son-in-law," he to be executor [PCC 264 Nabbs].

Comparison of this will with the baptisms of the children of Isaac Desborough, the father of the immigrant, allows a number of conclusions. The list of children named in the will matches exactly the list of children baptized to Isaac (omitting those known to have died young). From this we can conclude that the grandchildren named in this will, the children of the testator's deceased son Isaac, are the children of Isaac Desborough, immigrant to New England. Of these six grandchildren, John is called the eldest, and the four granddaughters are consistently named in the same sequence, suggesting that this is the order of their birth.

Returning to the Eltisley parish register, we find on 13 December 1608 the baptism of "John Disbrow filius Jacobi Disbrow Senior & Elizabeth uxor eius," and on 30 November 1619 the baptism of "Samuell Disbrow filius Jacobi Disbrow et Elizabeth uxor eius." These were John Desborough, eventually Major General in Cromwell's Army [DNB], and SAMUEL DESBOROUGH , who resided in New Haven Colony from 1639 to 1650 and then returned to England, also serving the Parliamentary side [Waters 245-51].

The name James was common in the Desborough family of Eltisley, and there were at least two candidates to be the father of John and Samuel. In his will of 12 October 1581, "Bruno Disborough of Eltisley" included a bequest to "James Disburrough my eldest son" at age 21 [Archdeaconry of Ely 3:355]. In his will of 27 August 1608, "John Disborowe of Eltisley" included bequests to "every of the children of James Disborowe my eldest son" and to "Isaac Disborowe my third son" [Consistory Court of Ely Y:23].

The baptisms of the children of each of these Jameses took place at Eltisley, each had wife Elizabeth, and the designations Senior and Junior were not always used. Nevertheless, it has been possible to separate the baptisms into two groups, one of which includes two sons named Bruno, both of whom died young. Assuming that this is the James named in the will of Bruno Desborough, then the other James having children in Eltisley during the same years would be the son of John Desborough, the testator of 1608, and in the grouping of children assigned to this other James are the John and Samuel noted above, baptized in 1608 and 1619.

John Desborough, the testator of 1608, also named a son Isaac, the only Isaac found in Desborough wills who could be the father of Isaac Desborough, the immigrant to New England. Under this interpretation, then, ISAAC DESBOROUGH and SAMUEL DESBOROUGH were first cousins, and were grandsons of John Desborough.

Stretching our analysis further, the earliest Eltisley Desborough will is for "John Disborowe of Elsley the elder," who, in his will of 14 September 1574, names, among other children, "John Disborow my son" and "my son Bruno Disborow," who would seem to be the two testators noted above, each with son James.

The font of all Desboroughs appears to be a small region in eastern Cambridgeshire, near the borders of Suffolk and Essex, including the parishes of Stetchworth, Burrough Green, Brinkley and West Wickham. An extremely important will is that of "Agnes Disbrowe of Brinkley, singlewoman," dated 7 April 1590, in which she names dozens of Desborough kin, including "John Disbrowe of Eltisley ... my cousin," and a number of children of this John, who would be the testator of 1608 (his father of the same name having died by 1574) [Consistory Court of Ely VC 20:240]. This leads us to the will of "John Disborow of West Wickling [West Wickham]," dated 10 June 1530, which names "Katherin my wife"; "John and Henry my sons"; "Jeffrey my son"; "Thomas my son"; "the younger sisters Elenor, Agnes and Elizabeth"; and "Alys my daughter" [Consistory Court of Ely VC 8:168].

If this Agnes named in the will of 1530 is the same as the testator of 1590 (and all evidence examined to this point is consistent with that conclusion), then the first John Desborough of Eltisley would be her brother. Furthermore, her brother Henry, also named in the will of 1530, is the only candidate so far available to be the man of that name who was buried in Saffron Walden in 1559, and whom we have identified as grandfather of WALTER DESBOROUGH and great-grandfather of NICHOLAS DESBOROUGH . This would make Walter Desborough second-cousin once-removed to Isaac Desborough and Samuel Desborough, and Nicholas Desborough would be third-cousin to these latter two men.

Further research on the Desborough family is recommended; such efforts should be highly fruitful.

COMMENTS: On 3 April 1635, "Husbandman Isack Disbrough of Ell-Tisley in co[unty] Cambridge," aged 18, was enrolled at London for passage to New England on the Hopewell [Hotten 46].

In the Quarter Court held at Boston 5 March 1638/9, "Isaack Deesbury" was committed and fined ??5 for stealing at "Pecoit," having three witnesses appear against him [RCA 2:81].

In 1638 and 1639, "Isaac Disberoe," evidently of Lynn, became embroiled in a defamation case against Hugh Burt.? Ann Burt stood in for her husband, he "being absent," but the court found repeatedly for Desborough [EQC 1:9-10, 12]. At the 25 December 1638 term of Essex court, "Isaack Disberoe" successfully sued Nathaniel Kirtland for an undisclosed cause [EQC 1:10].

At the 24 September 1639 term, Hugh Burt of Lynn returned the favor and sued back [EQC 1:12], but his case was treated as an appeal and was referred to the Court of Assistants, where on 3 March 1639/40, "Isaack Deesbro" and his surety John Farrington forfeited their bond by failing to appear [RCA 2:90, 92]. In all likelihood, Isaac Desborough was home in England by this time.

•Death: 1658 •_SDATE: 1 JUL 1658 in Eltisley, Cambridgeshire, England 1

HintsAncestry Hints for Isaac DESBOROUGH

   2 possible matches found on Ancestry.com Ancestry.com 

Father: Isaac DESBOROUGH Mother: Mary NLN (DESBOROUGH)

Marriage 1 Elizabeth NLN (DESBOROUGH) •Married: BY ABT 1644 2

Sources: 1.Abbrev: Great Migration C-F Title: Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, <i>The Great Migration, Volume II, C-F</i> (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001) Repository: Name: Kimberly L. Branagan's Library Baldwinsville, NY 13027 USA Repository: Name: Kimberly L. Branagan's Library Baldwinsville, NY 13027 USA Page: p. 338 Quality: 2 2.Abbrev: Great Migration C-F Title: Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, <i>The Great Migration, Volume II, C-F</i> (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001) Repository: Name: Kimberly L. Branagan's Library Baldwinsville, NY 13027 USA Repository: Name: Kimberly L. Branagan's Library Baldwinsville, NY 13027 USA Page: p. 338

GEDCOM Note

The Founders of Hartford

Nicholas Desborough (Disbro, Desbrough, Disborow Desbrow), Hartford, 1639, a proprietor “by courtesie of the town”; his home-lot was on the east side of road to the Cow Pasture (North Main St.), not far from the present tunnel. He served in the Pequot War; received a grant of fifty acres for his services, May 11, 1671. He m. 1640, Mary Brunson, prob. sister of John. Chosen chimney-viewer, 1647, 1655, 1663, 1669 ; surveyor of highways, 1665 ; freed from training, etc., March 6, 1672-3, when sixty years old. He m. (2), after 1669, Elizabeth, widow of Thwaite Strickland.1 Cotton Mather (Magnolia, vi. 69) tells a marvellous story of molestations in Desborough's house by invisible hands, in 1683. He d. in 1683 ; inv. Aug. 31, £81. 15. - Ch.: i. Mary, m. Obadiah Spencer, of Hartford. ii. Sarah, m. Samuel Eggleston, of Middletown; d. 1683, aged 71. iii. Phebe, bapt. Dec. 20, 1646 ; m. John Kelsey, of Hartford, who removed to Killingworth. iv. Abigail, b. Feb. 1, 1648-9; m. (1) Robert Flood, of Wethersfield; (2) Matthew Barry.
1 Elizabeth, dau. of Edward Shepard of Cambridge, prob. m. (1) Thwaite Strickland, of Hfd.; (2) Nicholas Disboro, Gregory Wilterton gave her land in Hid. by deed, with reversion to her dau. by her first husband, Thwaite Strickland, and her sons, John, Joseph, Jonathan, and Ephraim Strickland. The dau. m. John Andrews - Gen. Reg. xxxix. 192 ; xxxiii. 856.

NICHOLAS DISBOROWE, from Saffron Walden, Essex, was an early settler in Hartford, Connecticut . He was baptized 16 June 1613 in Saffron Walden, son of Nicholas, Sr. and Mary (Gylbye) . His arrival here is not recorded but he may have been a member of Thomas Hooker's group who came in 1632 and eventually settled Hartford. Nicholas took part in the Pequot wars and later received a reward of land for his service. He was a joiner (cabinetmaker) by trade and is mentioned in a number of books on early American furniture, particularly noted for his distinctive chests. By his wife Mary (Brownson) he had four daughters. He died in Wethersfield, CT, in 1683. [Ref: Johnson, Eddis, Disbrow Families of England, 16th and 17th Centurie s, An Interim Report, (unpublished manuscript, 1976), pp. 28-31; Barbour, Lucius B., Fam ilies of Early Hartford, Conn., p. 219; Bjerkoe, Ethel H., The Cabinetmakers of America, pp . 80-2]