Thomas Gilbert, of Wethersfield
Also Known As:	"Senior", "Sr.", "The first"
Birthdate:	before April 25, 1589
Birthplace:	(baptism), Yardley, Worcestershire, England
Death:	before September 05, 1659 (inventory), Wethersfield, Connecticut Colony (lost at sea)
Place of Burial:	Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States
Immediate Family:	Son of Richard Gilbert and Margery Gilbert Husband of Elizabeth Gilbert Father of Jonathan Gilbert; Capt. John Gilbert; Thomas Gilbert, Jr.; Ezekiel Gilbert; Infant daughter Gilbert, died young and 3 others Brother of Elizabeth Marshe; Parnell Gilbert; Margaret Merston and Richard Gilbert
Occupation:	Farmer

Managed by:	Private User
Last Updated:	September 13, 2022

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Immediate Family

Elizabeth Gilbert

wife
Jonathan Gilbert

son
Capt. John Gilbert

son
Thomas Gilbert, Jr.

son
Ezekiel Gilbert

son
Infant daughter Gilbert, died young

daughter
Sarah Jenkins

daughter
Josiah Gilbert

son
Obadiah Gilbert

son
Richard Gilbert

father
Margery Gilbert

mother
Elizabeth Marshe

sister

About Thomas Gilbert, of Wethersfield

Do not confuse with Thomas Gilbert of Taunton, Massachusetts, son of John Gilbert and Mary Street.

Biography

Source: The English Origins of Thomas Gilbert are covered in: Douglas Richardson, "The English Origins of Thomas Gilbert of Braintree, Mass and Wethersfield, Conn", The American Genealogist, 67:161-66, 1992.

Recap: Descendant register of Richard Gilbert of Yardley, England

Born April 25, 1589 in Yardley, Worcester, England. Son of Richard Gilbert and Margery Morken. Married Elizabeth Bennett (ca. 1586 - January 1654). Married only ONCE.

Children:

Thomas Gilbert.
Sarah Gilbert b. Abt 1615, England, m. Aft Jul 14 1640, in Braintree, Norfolk Co., MA, Joel Jenkins, d. 1688, Malden, MA. Her bp. not found, living presumably in Malden, MA on Feb 06 1663/4 when she was named in the division of her father's estate. Her husband was a servant of her father who may have accompanied the Gilberts to New England. He died between Jul 04 and Nov 02 1668 the dates of execution and probate of his will.
Jonathan Gilbert.
John Gilbert Jan 09 1619/20, Yardley, Worcester, England, m. May 06 1647, in Hartford, Hartford Co., CT, Amy Lord, Nov 30 1626, Towcester, Northants, England, (daughter of Thomas Lord and Dorothy Bird) d. Jan 08 1690/1. John died Dec 29 1690, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. John and Amy were ancestors of Herbert Clark Hoover, 31st President of the United States.
Ezekial Gilbert Feb 17 1621/2, Yardley, Worcester, England, d. Aft Feb 06 1663. He is supposed to have been a mariner. Nothing has been found to indicate that he had a wife or family. He was living Feb 06 1663/4 when he was named in the division of his father's estate.
_____ Gilbert buried: Nov 03 1624, Yardley, Worcester, England. died young
Josiah Gilbert also known as: Josias Gilbert Nov 27 1625, Yardley, Worcester, England, m. (1) Bef Sep 22 1652, Elizabeth Belcher, b. Abt 1632, (daughter of Gregory Belcher and Catherine _____) d. Oct 17 1682, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT, m. (2) Jan 1687/8, Mary Harris, b. Jul 01 1645, Rowland, MA, (daughter of William Harris and Edith _____) d. Bef Aug 30 1721, Middletown, Middlesex Co., CT. Josiah died Aug 22 1688, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT.
Obadiah Gilbert Jun 07 1629, Yardley, Worcester, England, m. Elizabeth Burr, (daughter of Jehu Burr). Obadiah died 1674, Fairfield, Fairfield Co., CT. His will was dated Aug 23 1664, and inventory taken Sep 16 1674.

Sources and Notes

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?jenkins::gilbert... Uses good sources.

New England marriages prior to 1700 By Clarence Almon Torrey, Elizabeth Petty Bentley
http://books.google.com/books?id=mOgK8dM9qqUC&pg=PA214&lpg=PA214&dq...
Pg.302
(THIS IS NOT CORRECT WIFE FOR THOMAS (d.1659) GILBERT)
GILBERT, Thomas1 (?1582-1659, ae 77?) & Lydia __; in Eng. b 1618; Braintree/Windsor, CT/ Wethersfield, CT/ Stamford, CT
GILBERT, Thomas (-1676,1677) & Jane (COMBE) ROSSITER (-1691), Taunton, ?w Hugh?; 23 Mar 1639, 1639/40 (no); Taunton
GILBERT, John (-1657) & 3/wf Winifred (ROSSITER) COMBE (-1663+); in Eng, b 1619; Dorchester/ Taunton _________________________
Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal ..., Volume 4 By Ellery Bicknell Crane
http://books.google.com/books?id=ByzhgLUOIRIC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq...
Pg.199
"GILBERT FAMILY.
Thomas Gilbert (I), the immigrant ancestor of Charles Warren Gilbert, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was born in England probably before 1600."
"He was in Windsor from 1649 to 1651, and probably until witchcraft horrors broke up his home."
"Henry Stiles was killed October 3, 1651, by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of Thomas Allyn on Training Day."
"Nevertheless, an attempt was made over a year after the death of Stiles to fasten the blame on Lydia Gilbert. She was indicted, under the charge of witchcraft, alleging: "Thou hast of late years and still dost give entertainment to Sathan (Satan)--& by his help has killed the body of Henry Stiles, besides other witchcraft." She was convicted, sentenced to be hanged and undoubtedly suffered the penalty, though the record of death has not been found. The trial was in March, 1653-54."
"What relation she bore to Thomas Gilbert we do not know, for he seems to have had no children born to him in Windsor, nor mention of any wife. She may have been his sister. The writer believes that Lydia was most likely the wife of Thomas, for the home was broken up in Windsor directly afterward and Thomas Gilbert went to New Haven or Hartford, where he had brothers, and died in 1659. At that time his three sons had already gone from Windsor to Sprinfield, Massachusetts. "
"S. O. Griswold, of Cleveland, is authority for the statement that the probate records at New Haven show the names of his heirs, but that he left no widow. The fact that no Lydia is mentioned in the probate papers is one indication that the death sentence had been executed. Children: 1 Thomas, see forward. 2 Jonathan received grant of land at Woronoco (Westfield), Massachusetts, August 9, 1656; forfeited because they did not settle there and granted 1661 to Benjamin Coolidge."
"(II) Thomas Gilbert, son of Thomas Gilbert (I), was born probably about 1625 in England; settled with his father at Windsor, whence after the witchcraft trial he removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1655."
"He died at Springfield, June 5, 1662, leaving a family of young children. He married Catherine (Chapin) Bliss, June 30 1655, widow of Nathaniel Bliss and daughter of Samuel and Cisely Chapin. He (MUST BE TYPO for She) married (third), December 8, 1664, Samuel Marshfield. She was born about 1630; married (first), November 20, 1646, and died February 4, 1712. Children of Thomas, born in Springfield; 1. Sarah, born February 9, 1655-56, married Samuel Field. 2. John, born October 18, 1657. 3. Thomas, born March 15, 1658-59 (the record of him in North Brookfield history is of his son chiefly, though he was doubtless in Brookfield from 1688 to1690, and doubtless gave his property to his son Thomas), married, August 4, 1680, Abilene Marshfield; she died November 26, 1689; married (second), April 9, 1690, Anna Bancroft; had five children by each wife, all at Springfield; died there May 14, 1698, and widow married James Sexton, of Westfield, son of Thomas Sexton, of Brookfield, born November 3, 1681. 4. Henry, see forward. _____________________

Gilbert Family Genealogy 1978

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3807902/Gilbert-Family-Genealogy-1978

CHILDREN:

1. Jonathan, b. ca 1618, married (1) Mary White, (2) Mary Wells

2. Thomas, b. ca 1620, m. Catherine (Chapin) Bliss

3. Ezekiel, b. ca 1622. In 1664, received a share of father's estate; thought to be a mariner

4. Sarah, b. ca 1624, m. Joel Jenkins

5. John, b. ca 1626, m. Amy Lord

6 Josiah, b. ca 1628, m. (1) Elizabeth Belcher; (2) Mary (Harris) Ward

7. Obadiah, b. ca 1630, m. Elizabeth (Burr) Olmstead.

continues about witchcraft trial

__________________________

http://otal.umd.edu/~walt/gen/misc-htm/Gilbert,Thomas-EnglishOrigin...

THE ENGLISH ORIGIN OF THOMAS¹ GILBERT

OF BRAINTREE, MASS., AND WETHERSFIELD, CONN.

With a Note on Lydia Gilbert,

Executed for Witchcraft in 1654

By Douglas Richardson, M.A..

"The American Genealogist" #267, vol. 67, July 1992, pp. 161–166

This information was provide to me by Jim Gilbert as a Microsoft Word document; I formatted it as a web page. I have not verified any of the sources yet.

Walter Gilbert

Thomas¹ Gilbert, the immigrant, settled at Braintree, Mass., before 24 Feb. 1639/40, when he was granted 28 acres (with seven heads in his household). He does not appear on any surviving passenger list for this time period, but he doubtless arrived in New England shortly before this date. In May 1646, a petition prepared by fourteen Braintree men was addressed to the Massachusetts Bay General Court "for the persuading or forcing Thomas Gilbert either to forbeare feeding yt iland or upland with certaine medowes or their environs, or else to lett it on reasonable termes to the petitioners." As early as 1651, three of Gilbert's sons, Jonathan, John and Josiah, leased a farm belonging to Lt. John Hollister of Nayaug. This farm was then in Wethersfield, Conn., but now is in Glastonbury, Conn. At some unknown date, Thomas Gilbert moved from Braintree to Wethersfield and assumed operation of the Hollister farm. He was clearly in Wethersfield by 17 Aug. 1658, for on that date a petition signed by Thomas Gilbert and others was presented to the Governor and Magistrates of the Connecticut Colony in support of Gilbert's landlord, Lt. Hollister. Thomas Gilbert died in Wethersfield before 5 Sept. 1659, when the inventory of his estate was taken. His wife, whose name does not appear in colonial records, apparently died at nearly the same time, since the estate inventory includes funeral charges for both Thomas Gilbert and his wife. On 6 Feb. 1663/4, his estate was distributed to his heirs: his six sons, Jonathan, Thomas, Ezekiel, Josiah, Obadiah and John Gilbert, and his daughter, Sarah Jenkins. (See Homer W. Brainard, Harold S. Gilbert, and Clarence A. Torrey, The Gilbert Family. Descendants of Thomas Gilbert, 1582(?)–1659 of Mt. Wollaston (Braintree), Windsor, and Wethersfield), ed. Donald Lines Jacobus [New Haven 1953, hereafter Gilbert Fam., pp. 9–24.)

The English origin of Thomas¹ Gilbert has not been previously discovered. Since all his children were born before he emigrated, it should be possible to find him in an English parish—if the parish register survives. Here the CD-ROM version of the LDS International Genealogical Index [IGI] is invaluable since it permits a large-scale search of all English counties. Hence I ran a search for any entries that showed a Thomas Gilbert as a parent in England in the 1600s. Because the surname is very common, I found many children born to men named Thomas Gilbert in this period. However, since the immigrant had sons named Ezekiel, Josiah and Obadiah, I searched specifically for them. I was able to locate a Thomas Gilbert who had three such children baptized at Yardley, co. Worcester, in the proper time period. I then made a full search for all Gilbert entries up to 1650 on a microfilm of the Yardley parish register (Family History Library [FHL] film #1,520,013). The entries are abstracted below:

BAPTISMS

25 Jan. 1556/7 Lettes Gylbert [parentage not stated]

10 Dec. 1563 Ysber Gy1bard [parentage not stated]

8 April 1576 Elizabeth Gylberte the daughter of Richard

15 June 1578 Parnell Gylberde the daughter of Richard

7 Oct. 1580 Margarett Gylbert the daughter of Richard

1 Jan. 1585/6 Richard Gylbert the sonne of Richard Gylbert

25 April 1589 Thomas Gilbert the sonne of Richard Gylbert

16 Feb. 1611/2 Thomas Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert

8 June 1617 Jonathan Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert

9 Jan. 1619/20 John Gilberte the sonne of Thomas Gilberte

17 Feb. 1621/2 Ezechiell Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert

27 Nov. 1625 Josiah Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert

7 June 1629 Obadia Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert

12 Dec. 1641 Mary Gilbert the daughter of Thomas and Mary his wife

MARRIAGES

31 July 1563 John Gylbard and Ellenor Arnam

25 June 1575 Richard Gylberde and Margary Morken

2 Nov. 1603 John Merston and Margarete Gylberte

16 April 1605 Thomas Marshe and Elizabe the Gilbert

29 Aug. 1610 Thomas Gilbert and Elizabe the Bennett

29 April 1628 William Gilbert and Marie Hanne 23

Oct. 1637 Edward Bennett and Elizabeth Foxe

BURIALS

18 Jan. 1585/6 Richard Gylbert the sonne of Richard

3 Nov. 1624 An infant of Thomas Gilberte

8 April 1626 Richard Gilbert

4 Sept. 1627 Katharine Gilbert

The Gilbert records in Yardley, co. Worcester, are consistent with our knowledge of the New England family. They show that Thomas¹ Gilbert was baptized there in 1589, a son of RichardA and Margery (Morken) Gilbert. He was married at Yardley in 1610 to Elizabeth Bennett. Baptisms for six of their seven known children were found in the Yardley parish register, as well as the burial of a previously unknown infant child. WHO WAS LYDIA GILBERT,

EXECUTED FOR WITCHCRAFT IN 1654?

Although past researchers have not been positive about the name of Thomas¹ Gilbert's wife, some thought that he might have spent some time in Windsor, Conn., and that this wife was the Lydia Gilbert condemned for witchcraft in 1654 at Windsor. The case both for and against this identification is made in The Gilbert Family. As I shall show below, it was Thomas Gilbert Jr., not Sr., who lived at Windsor. And from the Yardley parish register, we now know that Thomas¹ Gilbert's wife was Elizabeth Bennett; if she was his unnamed wife who died at about the same time he did, he could not have married Lydia. Who then was Lydia Gilbert?

Recent research indicates that the immigrant's eldest son, Thomas Gilbert Jr., did not accompany the rest of the family to New England about 1640. Rather, it appears that he married first on 17 Sept. 1639 in All Saints parish, West Bromwich, co. Stafford, England, to Mary James (FHL film #873,647). West Bromwich is some eight miles from Yardley. Following their marriage, they had a daughter, Mary, baptized at Yardley in 1641. Shortly before 24 Jan. 1644/5, Thomas Gilbert Jr. immigrated to New England, for on that date, he bought a five-acre houselot in Windsor, Conn., from Francis Stiles (Gilbert Fam. p. 14). The Windsor man has been identified as Thomas Gilbert Sr., but since Thomas Sr. was still living in Braintree, Mass., as late as May 1646, he could not have been the Windsor resident.

Windsor records show that sometime prior to 1652, Thomas Gilbert [Jr.] conveyed his houselot in Windsor to John Drake Sr. and, in turn, acquired an 113/4 acre houselot from Josiah Hull (Gilbert Fam. p. 14). Afterwards, he sold this second Windsor houselot to Thomas Bissell and in 1655 left Windsor for Springfield, Mass. (Gilbert Fam. pp. 14, 50–52). While still "of Windsor," he entered into a marriage contract on 23 May 1655 with Katherine (Chapin) Bliss, the widow of Nathaniel Bliss of Springfield (Joseph H. Smith, ed., Colonial Justice in Western Massachusetts (1639–1702): The Pynchon Court Record [Cambridge, Mass., 1961], hereafter Pynchon Court Rec., p. 233). He thereafter lived in Springfield where he died in 1662 (Gilbert Fam. pp. 50–52).

It is apparent that Thomas Gilbert Jr. was widowed before 23 May 1655, when he signed the marriage contract with widow Bliss. Lydia Gilbert of Windsor was condemned to death for witchcraft at a court session which began on 28 Nov. 1654 (Records of the Particular Court of Connecticut, 1639– [Hartford 1928] p. 131):

[Indictment] Lydea GiIburt thou art heere indited by that name of Lydea Gilburt that not hauing the feare of god before thy Eyes thou hast of late years or still dust giue Entertainement to Bather [sic] the greate Enemy of god and mankinde and by his helpe hast killed the Body of Henry Styles besides other witchcrafts for which according to the law of god and the Estableshed law of this Comon wealth thou deservest to Dye[.]

[Verdict] ye Party aboue mentioned is found guilty of witchcraft by ye Jury[.]

The court record does not identify Lydia Gilbert, but she almost certainly was Thomas Gilbert Jr.'s wife. We can be reasonably sure of this, for Lydia Gilbert was accused of using witchcraft to kill Henry Stiles of Windsor, who had been Thomas Gilbert Jr.'s former employer (Gilbert Fam. pp. 14–19). If this conclusion is correct, Thomas Gilbert Jr. had at least three wives: Mary James, whom he married in 1639 in England; Lydia _____, who was executed for witchcraft in 1654; and Katherine (Chapin) Bliss of Springfield, Mass., whom he married in 1655.

In addition to Thomas Gilbert Jr.'s known issue by his marriage to widow Bliss, he had surviving children by an earlier marriage who have never been identified, for in his will, dated 3 May 1662 and probated 20 Sept. 1662, be specifically left a sum of money to "my sons and daughters which are in the first family" (Gilbert Fam. p. 51). My own efforts to identify them have not gone beyond finding that Clarence Almon Torrey lists no stray Gilberts who married prior to 1700 in the Connecticut River Valley (New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [Baltimore 1985]).

Note: Jonathan "Gilburt" was bound over to the Hampshire Co., Mass., court on 28 March 1676, " for that he being one Yea a Cheife Actor in that Riotious Assembly at Hadley being then Present with them and haveing his Cudgell, Sideing with them in their Publique affronteing of Authority" (Pynchon Court Rec. p. 285). This Jonathan Gilbert was probably Jonathan³ (Jonathan², Thomas¹) of Hartford and Middletown, who, about 1674, had admitted to "youthful vanities" (Gilbert Fam. p. 72).

1 RICHARDA GILBERT was born say 1550. He married at Yardley, co. Worcester, England, on 25 June 1575 MARGERY MORKEN, whose parentage is unknown. There are no other Morken entries in the Yardley parish registers, none in the Worcester probate index and none in the 1603 subsidy rolls for northern Worcestershire (John Amphlett, Lay Subsidy Roll A.D. 1603 for the County of Worcester [Oxford 1901]). Further search for Margery should center on nearby parishes across the border in Warwickshire or Staffordshire. Following their marriage, Richard and Margery (Morken) Gilbert lived in Yardley, where a Richard Gilbert was buried on 8 April 1626. There is no burial in Yardley for Margery under the Gilbert surname, nor have probate records in the Consistory Court of Worcester or the Prerogative Court of Canterbury been found for either of them.

Children (GILBERT) of RichardA and Margery (Morken), bp. Yardley, co. Worcester:

i ELIZABETH bp. 8 April 1576; prob. m. Yardley 16 April 1605 THOMAS MARS Child (MARSHE): Elizabeth bp. Yardley 25 Oct. 1607.

ii PARNELL bp. 15 June 1578.

iii MARGARET bp. 7 Oct. 1580; m. Yardley 2 Nov. 1603 JOHN MERSTON.

iv RICHARD bp. 1 Jan. 1585/6, bur. Yardley 18 Jan. 1585/6.

2 v Thomas¹ bp. 25 April 1589; in. ELIZABETH Bennett.

2 THOMAS¹ GILBERT was baptized in Yardley, co. Worcester, on 25 April 1589. He died in Wethersfield, Conn., before 5 Sept. 1659, when his inventory was taken. He married in Yardley on 29 Aug. 1610 ELIZABETH BENNETT, whose parentage is unknown. Her baptism was not recorded at Yardley, so presumably she came from a nearby parish. She may have been related to Edmond "Benettes" who married in 1552 Alice Pretty in the adjacent parish of King's Norton, co. Worcester. Elizabeth (Bennett) Gilbert may be Thomas Gilbert's unnamed wife who died in Wethersfield, Conn., at about the same time that he did.

Children (GILBERT) of Thomas¹ and Elizabeth (Bennett) (English recs. above; Gilbert Fam. pp. 9–71, and sources as cited).

i Thomas² bp. Yardley, co. Worcester, England, 16 Feb. 1611/2, d. Springfield, Mass., 5 June 1662; in. (1) All Saints, West Bromwich, co. Stafford, England, 17 Sept. 1639 MARY James, (2) LYDIA ________ , executed for witchcraft, Windsor, Conn., shortly aft. 28 Nov. 1654, (3) Springfield, Mass., 30 June/1 July 1655 (marriage contract 23 May 1655) Katherine² (CHAPIN) BLISS, bp. Berry Pomeroy, co. Devon, England, 1626, d. Springfield 4 Feb. 1712/3, dau. of Samuel and Cicely (Penny) Chapin (NEHGR 83[1929]:354–55) and widow of Nathaniel Bliss.

ii SARAH b. say 1615, bp. not found, living presumably Malden, Mass., 6 Feb. 1663/4, when she was named in the division of her father's estate; m. Braintree, Mass., shortly after 14 July 1640 JOEL JENKINS (Winthrop Papers 4[Boston 19441:268), a servant of her father who may have accompanied the Gilberts to New England. He d. Malden, Mass., bet. 4 July and 2 Nov. 1688 (dates of execution and probate of will). For their descendants, see NEHGR 66:268–73, 315–21, which does not identify Sarah.

iii (Cornet) JONATHAN bp. Yardley 8 June 1617, d. Hartford, Conn., 19 Dec. 1682; m. (1) Hartford, Conn., 29 Jan. 1645/6 Mary2 WHITE, bp. Messing, co. Essex, England, d. Hartford, ca. Dec. 1649, dau. of John¹ and Mary ([Lev?]it%29 White (Frank Farnsworth Starr, Various Ancestral Lines of James Goodwin and Lucy (Morgan) Goodwin (Hartford 1915 2:399–409), (2) by 25 July 1651 Mary² WELLS, bp. Evesham St. Lawrence, co. Worcester, 15 July 1630, d. Hartford, Conn., 3 July 1700 ae 74 [sic] , dau. of Thomas and Frances¹ (Albright) Wells (NEHGR 146:28–34; The Wells Chronicles 2[1989]:121–23). He was Master Marshall of Connecticut for many years and cornet of the Hartford Troop.

iv JOHN bp. Yardley 9 Jan. 1619/20, d. Hartford 29 Dec. 1690; m. Hartford 6 May 1647 Amy² Lord, bp. Towcester, co. Northants., England, 30 Nov. 1626, d. 8 Jan. 1690/1, dau. of Thomas¹ and Dorothy (Bird) Lord (Donald Lines Jacobus, History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield [Fairfield, Conn., 1930–32], hereafter Fairfield Fams., 1:220; Ernest Flagg, Genealogical Notes on the Founding of New England [Hartford 1926] pp. 2–4, 273–74, 328–31, 361; Kenneth Lord, Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Lord . . [New York 1946] pp. 2–4, 361; N. Grier Parke, II, Ancestry of Lorenzo Ackley and His Wife Emma Arabella Bosworth [Woodstock, Vt., 1962 p. 282). They were ancestors of Herbert Clark Hoover, 31st President of the United States (Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, preliminary ed. rev. [Santa Clarita, Calif., 1989 pp. 59–63).

v EZEKIEL bp. Yardley 17 Feb. 1621/2, living 6 Feb. 1663/4, when he was named in the division of his father's estate.

vi child bur. Yardley 3 Nov. 1624.

vii Josiah/Josias bp. Yardley 27 Nov. 1625, d. Wethersfield, Conn., 22 Aug. 1698; in. (1) by 22 Sept. 1652 ELIZABETH² BELCHER, b. ca.1632, d. Wethersfield 17 Oct. 1682 ae 50, dau. of Gregory¹ and Catherine (_____) Belcher of Braintree, Mass. (NEHGR 60:128–29), (2) Jan. 1687/8 MARY3 (HARRIS) WARD, b. Rowley, Mass., 1 July 1645, d. prob. Middletown, Conn., bef. 30 Aug. 1721, dau. of William² Harris (Thomas¹ Williams alias Harris) of Middletown, Conn., and his wife Edith _____, and widow of John Ward (Walter Goodwin Davis, Ancestry of Bethia Harris [Portland, Maine, 1934 pp. 8–9; TAG 23:153–54; Fairfield Fams. 1:219–20).

viii OBADIAH bp. Yardley 7 June 1629, d. Fairfield, Conn., bet. 23 Aug. and 16 Sept. 1674 (dates of will and inventory); in. ELIZABETH (BURR) Olmstead, dau. of Jehu Burr and widow of Nehemiah Olmstead (Fairfield Fams. 1:116–17, 221).

Mr. Richardson is a commercial real estate appraiser. His address is 4791 Red Wolf Dr., Tucson AZ 85741

__________________________

Thomas Gilbert1
M, b. 25 April 1589, d. 5 September 1659
Father Richard Gilbert2 b. c 1552, d. 8 Apr 1626
Mother Margery Morken2 b. c 1554
Thomas Gilbert was born on 25 April 1589 at Yardley, Worcestershire, England.1,2 He married Elizabeth Bennett on 29 August 1610 at Yardley, Worcestershire, England.3 Thomas Gilbert died on 5 September 1659 at Wethersfield, Hartford, CT, at age 70.1
Family Elizabeth Bennett b. c 1595, d. 1659
Children
- Thomas Gilbert+2 b. 16 Feb 1612, d. 5 Jun 1662
- Prudence Gilbert+1 b. c 1617, d. 14 Nov 1660
Citations
1.[S14] Unknown author, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey., p. 302.
2.[S61] Unknown author, Family Group Sheets, SLC Archives.
3.[S14] Unknown author, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey., 3rd Supplement, p. 111.
From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p2780.htm#... ____________________

Will probated in Wethersfield, CT

_________________

LDS shows a different ancestry for Thomas - Born 25 Apr 1589, married 1618 in Meriden W, England, died 5 Sep 1659 Weathersfield W America. Son of Thomas Gilbert, 1556, Beverley, Y, England, and Aleny Brooke, 1560, Beverley, Y, England.

Is this the same family? http://www.otal.umd.edu/~walt/gen/htmfile/1024.htm That would make Lydia a convicted witch.

________________

He was in Braintree, MA by 1640, his family consisted of 7, he bought a house and lot in Windsor, CT from Francis Stiles 24 Jan 1644, later selling it to John Drake. He bought the home lot of Thomas Gunn and sold it to Thomas Bissell in 1658 and re-moved to Wethersfield, CT.

_______________

   Page 127 Name: Thomas Gilbert Location: Wethersfield

   Died 5 September, 1659. Invt. ?189-07-06. Taken by Thomas Wright, Thomas Curtiss & John Nott.

   Court Record, Page 128--6 February, 1663: Order to Dist. the Estate: Debts and Charges being first paid, 169-18-11 There remains, 19-08-07 to be divided to Jonathan, Thomas, Ezekiel and John Gilbert and to Sarah Jenkins. This Court grant Adms. to Jonathan and John Gilbert. A DIGEST OF THE EARLY CONNECTICUT PROBATE RECORDS.

   1650 to 1663.

# Note:

   The internet site says Thomas Gilbert purchased five acres of land on January 24, 1644/5, in Windsor, CT. He had rented and lived on several different sites in Windsor.

   Thomas Gilbert's wife, Lydia, was tried and found guilty of witchcraft in November 28, 1654. After Lydia's supposed death, Thomas sold his place in Windsor and joined his sons on land leased as early as 1851 that belonged to Lieut. John Hollister. Hollister's farm was in Nayaug, now in Glastonbury, east of the Connecticut River, in the district of South Glastonbury. There is no proof that Lydia was put to death after her confiction. There is also speculation as to whether she was the wife of Thomas Sr, or Thomas Jr.

_______________________________

Thomas Gilbert, the immigrant, was in Braintree, Mass. by Feb. 24, 1639/40 when he was granted 28 acres. He does not appear on any known passenger list for this time period, but no doubt arrived shortly before this date with seven heads in his household. As early as 1651, three of his sons, Jonathan, John, and Josiah, leased a farm in what was then Wethersfield, Conn. At some unknown date, Thomas himself moved from Braintree to Wethersfield and assummed operation of that land. He was definitely in Wethersfield by August 17, 1658 when he signed a petition. Thomas Gilbert died before Sept. 5, 1659 when inventory of his estate was taken in Wethersfield. His wife apparently died at nearly the same time since the estate inventory contains funeral charges for both her and Thomas. On Feb 6, 1663/4, his estate was distributed to his living heirs, six sons and one daughter. Thomas had one other child who died as an infant in England. Thomas was not married to Lydia Gilbert who was executed for witchcraft in 1654 as reported in "The Gilbert Family". Instead she was married to his son Thomas Gilbert, Jr. (Ref: The American Genealogist, Vol. 67, No. 3, 1992) Elizabeth: Her bp. was not recorded at Yardley, so presumably she was from a nearby parish. She may have been related to Edmond Benettes in the adjacent parish of King's Norton who m. Alice Pretty in 1552. Elizabeth may have been the unnamed wife of Thomas Gilbert who died at about the same time as him. (Ref: The American Genealogist, Vol. 67, No. 3, 1992).

More About *Thomas Gilbert and Elizabeth Bennett: Marriage: August 29, 1610, Yardley, Worcester, England.

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L557-YT4
From "The Gilbert Family, Descendants of Thomas Gilbert 1582(?)-1659 of Wollaston (Braintree), Windsor, and Wethersfield" by Homer Brainard, Harold Gilbert, and Clarence Torrey. (New Haven, CT, 1953) (written earlier in the 20th cent.) This says: Lydia was executed for being a witch; that sometime a fake Gilbert Genealogy was made; that Thomas probably was NOT a descendent of Sir Humphry Gilbert. One of the authors, Torrey, appears to have done a lot of research in tring to find the English ancestors, but no definite links were found. [A later source found a probable home town, etc.] Thomas was granted 28 acres of land in Mt. Wollaston, then in Braintree, but now in Quincy, in 1639 - for "7 heads" presumably Thomas and 6 sons. In about 1644 Thomas moved to Windsor, CT, with his son Josiah remaining. In 1674 the wife of Thomas's son Thomas was tried for witchcraft and probably executed. After this he sold his farm in Windsor and moved to the farm of John Hollister at Nayang, Wethersfield, a farm that had been leased by three of his sons. When he died in 1659 he had a lot of debts. The above source states, p. 20, that the doctor who attended him in his final ilness was CT Governor John Winthrop, Jr., whose medical journal has survived. In it he stated that in 1659 Thomas was 77 years old. This source also contains the inventory of Thomas's estate. From it, it appears he was a farmer.

Custom Event • Immigration 1639 Mt. Wollaston, Norfolk, Massachuttes, United States Custom Event • Resided at 1644 Windsor, Hartford, CT Custom Event • Resided at 1655 Wethersfield, Hartford, CT Custom Event • Probate 6 February 1663/4 Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut, United States Custom Event • AKA (Facts Pg) "The earliest mention of Thomas Gilbert in any New England record is found in Boston Town Residence • England; bef 1643 to Braintree, MA; by 1653 to Windsor, CT; abt 1655 to Wethersfield/Glastonbury, CT

THE ENGLISH ORIGIN OF THOMAS¹ GILBERTOF BRAINTREE, MASS., AND WETHERSFIELD, CONN.

With a Note on Lydia Gilbert, Executed for Witchcraft in 1654

By Douglas Richardson, M.A.."The American Genealogist" #267, vol. 67, July 1992, pp. 161–166

This information was provide to me by Jim Gilbert as a Microsoft Word document; I formatted it as a web page. I have not verified any of the sources yet.

Walter Gilbert

Thomas¹ Gilbert, the immigrant, settled at Braintree, Mass., before 24 Feb. 1639/40, when he was granted 28 acres (with seven heads in his household). He does not appear on any surviving passenger list for this time period, but he doubtless arrived in New England shortly before this date. In May 1646, a petition prepared by fourteen Braintree men was addressed to the Massachusetts Bay General Court "for the persuading or forcing Thomas Gilbert either to forbeare feeding yt iland or upland with certaine medowes or their environs, or else to lett it on reasonable termes to the petitioners." As early as 1651, three of Gilbert's sons, Jonathan, John and Josiah, leased a farm belonging to Lt. John Hollister of Nayaug. This farm was then in Wethersfield, Conn., but now is in Glastonbury, Conn. At some unknown date, Thomas Gilbert moved from Braintree to Wethersfield and assumed operation of the Hollister farm. He was clearly in Wethersfield by 17 Aug. 1658, for on that date a petition signed by Thomas Gilbert and others was presented to the Governor and Magistrates of the Connecticut Colony in support of Gilbert's landlord, Lt. Hollister. Thomas Gilbert died in Wethersfield before 5 Sept. 1659, when the inventory of his estate was taken. His wife, whose name does not appear in colonial records, apparently died at nearly the same time, since the estate inventory includes funeral charges for both Thomas Gilbert and his wife. On 6 Feb. 1663/4, his estate was distributed to his heirs: his six sons, Jonathan, Thomas, Ezekiel, Josiah, Obadiah and John Gilbert, and his daughter, Sarah Jenkins. (See Homer W. Brainard, Harold S. Gilbert, and Clarence A. Torrey, The Gilbert Family. Descendants of Thomas Gilbert, 1582(?)–1659 of Mt. Wollaston (Braintree), Windsor, and Wethersfield), ed. Donald Lines Jacobus [New Haven 1953, hereafter Gilbert Fam., pp. 9–24.)

The English origin of Thomas¹ Gilbert has not been previously discovered. Since all his children were born before he emigrated, it should be possible to find him in an English parish—if the parish register survives. Here the CD-ROM version of the LDS International Genealogical Index [IGI] is invaluable since it permits a large-scale search of all English counties. Hence I ran a search for any entries that showed a Thomas Gilbert as a parent in England in the 1600s. Because the surname is very common, I found many children born to men named Thomas Gilbert in this period. However, since the immigrant had sons named Ezekiel, Josiah and Obadiah, I searched specifically for them. I was able to locate a Thomas Gilbert who had three such children baptized at Yardley, co. Worcester, in the proper time period. I then made a full search for all Gilbert entries up to 1650 on a microfilm of the Yardley parish register (Family History Library [FHL] film #1,520,013). The entries are abstracted below:

BAPTISMS 25 Jan. 1556/7 Lettes Gylbert [parentage not stated] 10 Dec. 1563 Ysber Gy1bard [parentage not stated] 8 April 1576 Elizabeth Gylberte the daughter of Richard 15 June 1578 Parnell Gylberde the daughter of Richard 7 Oct. 1580 Margarett Gylbert the daughter of Richard 1 Jan. 1585/6 Richard Gylbert the sonne of Richard Gylbert 25 April 1589 Thomas Gilbert the sonne of Richard Gylbert 16 Feb. 1611/2 Thomas Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert 8 June 1617 Jonathan Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert 9 Jan. 1619/20 John Gilberte the sonne of Thomas Gilberte 17 Feb. 1621/2 Ezechiell Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert 27 Nov. 1625 Josiah Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert 7 June 1629 Obadia Gilbert the sonne of Thomas Gilbert 12 Dec. 1641 Mary Gilbert the daughter of Thomas and Mary his wife

MARRIAGES 31 July 1563	John Gylbard and Ellenor Arnam 25 June 1575	Richard Gylberde and Margary Morken 2 Nov. 1603	John Merston and Margarete Gylberte 16 April 1605	Thomas Marshe and Elizabe the Gilbert 29 Aug. 1610	Thomas Gilbert and Elizabe the Bennett 29 April 1628	William Gilbert and Marie Hanne 23 Oct. 1637	Edward Bennett and Elizabeth Foxe

BURIALS 18 Jan. 1585/6	Richard Gylbert the sonne of Richard 3 Nov. 1624	An infant of Thomas Gilberte 8 April 1626	Richard Gilbert 4 Sept. 1627	Katharine Gilbert

The Gilbert records in Yardley, co. Worcester, are consistent with our knowledge of the New England family. They show that Thomas¹ Gilbert was baptized there in 1589, a son of RichardA and Margery (Morken) Gilbert. He was married at Yardley in 1610 to Elizabeth Bennett. Baptisms for six of their seven known children were found in the Yardley parish register, as well as the burial of a previously unknown infant child.

WHO WAS LYDIA GILBERT,EXECUTED FOR WITCHCRAFT IN 1654?