Saturday, July 28, 2012

WILLIAM KELSEY 1600-1680

[Ancestral Link: Harold William Miller, son of Edward Emerson Miller, son of Anna Hull (Miller), daughter of William Hull, son of William E. Hull, son of Sarah Wilcox (Hull), daughter of Stephen Wilcox, son of Hannah Kelsey (Wilcox), daughter of John Kelsey, son of William Kelsey.]
Hartford Founders monument Wm Kelsey



Grave marker



"The original Founders Monument in the Ancient Burying Ground, also sometimes referred to at the "Old" or "Center" Cemetery. The cemetery is located at the rear of the First Congregational ("Center") Church at the corner of Main and Gold Streets in Hartford."



Founders Monument Ancient Burying Ground Hartford Connecticut

1st plan of Killingworth-Clinton Connecticut


Ancient Burying Ground Hartford Connecticut



This marker is one of a series of reproduction stones placed in a row in an area of Kelsey family stones. With two exceptions, each is marked only with a first name and date. This is one of those exceptions. These stones correspond to the names and dates of second and third generation Kelsey family members who died in Killingworth, now Clinton. This stone may have been placed for the William (1673-1718) who married Elizabeth SHEATER and who was the father of William, Ephrain, Jehiel, Matthias, Mary, Deborah, and Gamaliel. According to descendant Lucia Finley, "As both his son John and grandson John are buried here, this is likely for William Kelsey born about 1600 Chelmsford, Essex, England and died 1680 Killngworth, Middlesex, Connecticut. This William was the son of George and Elizabeth Hammond Kelsey. He married Bethia Hopkins and had the following children: Mark, Bethia, Priscilla, Anna, Hester, John, Abigail, Stephen, Daniel and William Kelsey."

Headstone Details
Cemetery name Indian River Cemetery
Name on headstone William Kelsey
Birth 1600 - Chelmsford, Essex, England
Death 1680 - Killngworth, Middlesex, Connecticut.


The Dove House in 18th century walled gardens of Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk




1836, Killingworth, Middlesex, Connecticut

Preliminary drawing for Connecticut Historical Collections, John Warner Barber, New Haven, 1836. When Barber made his drawing, the village was known as Killingworth and was the most populous part of that town. It incorporated as Clinton in 1838. Source: Source The Connecticut Historical Society, John Warner Barber Collection.

Birth: unknown
Death: 1680

This marker is one of a series of reproduction stones placed in a row in an area of Kelsey family stones. With two exceptions, each is marked only with a first name and date. This is one of those exceptions. These stones correspond to the names and dates of second and third generation Kelsey family members who died in Killingworth, now Clinton. This stone may have been placed for the William (1673-1718) who married Elizabeth SHEATER and who was the father of William, Ephrain, Jehiel, Matthias, Mary, Deborah, and Gamaliel.

Accoprding to descendant Lucia Finley, "As both his son John and grandson John are buried here, this is likely for William Kelsey born about 1600 Chelmsford, Essex, England and died 1680 Killngworth, Middlesex, Connecticut. This William was the son of George and Elizabeth Hammond Kelsey. He married Bethia Hopkins and had the following children: Mark, Bethia, Priscilla, Anna, Hester, John, Abigail, Stephen, Daniel and William Kelsey."

Burial: Indian River Cemetery, Clinton, Middlesex County, Connecticut, USA
found on findagrave.com

THE KELSEY KINDRED GENEALOGY HOW IT ALL BEGANBy 1890, Leroy Huron Kelsey #5369 of St. Joseph, Missouri had had some success on gathering data on his branch in Kentucky. In 2 or 3 years several more Kelseys in Denver, Chicago, New York, and Connecticut had pooled findings in the keeping of Horatio Nelson Kelsey #3553 in Chicago. A slow but steady flow of information was encouraging the task to embrace all William Kelsey descendants in America.In October 1908, Mr. Edward A. Claypool, a professional genealogist, was engaged by Horatio N. Kelsey. He started immediately to send out blanks seeking information to some 1200 suspected descendants, which by 1914 had increased to about 2500. Mr. Claypool died in July 1916, but in little less than eight years his work had generated a formidable amount of family data and, equally important, had alerted at least a dozen more descendants of William #1, who enjoyed the ancestor hobby. Our project was wounded, but not fatally!On December 16, 1916, Horatio Nelson Kelsey, who by now had moved to New York City, joined with professor Francis Willy Kelsey #3643 of Ann Arbor, MI (an internationally known Archaeologist and Egyptologist) and David Stone Kelsey #7004 of Connecticut to arrange for continued work on our genealogy by Miss Azalea Clizbee, a reputable genealogist.Expense money was a major problem but the work survived another 10 years. With added problems caused by World War I, our family history was laid aside until 1927, when Joseph Jonathan Kelsey #3805 and Earl Leland Kelsey #7398, both of Connecticut, picked up the torch sparked by the prospect of a formal organization which would be called The Kelsey Kindred.During the summer of 1926, Joseph J. Kelsey of Clinton, Connecticut, who began collecting data about the same time Mr. Claypool died, met by chance in the Town Clerk's office in Killingworth, Connecticut with Mr. Earl Leland Kelsey of Torrington, Connecticut, who had been more or less interested in his ancestors since boyhood. They discussed the possibility of the printing of a Kelsey Genealogy book. At another chance meeting of these two Kelseys in July 1927, this time in the Office of the Town Clerk of Clinton, Connecticut. It was agreed that something should be done towards publishing the book, holding a reunion and other matters related thereto, but nothing definite was decided upon. However, Earl L. Kelsey was not surprised when about 2 months later he received a circular signed by Joseph J. Kelsey as chairman of the "Kelsey Genealogy Committee", asking for contributions to help finish the work. He replied and received notification that he was to act as secretary of this committee and to secure the services of Horatio N. Kelsey as treasurer. Horatio consented to act in this capacity. Then came the slow procedure of securing a new mailing list, as the old one of 1915 was almost worthless. So, a larger committee was formed. All known descendants of William Kelsey and through the efforts of this committee, Volume I was published and the 1st Annual Reunion and business meeting was held September 15, 1928 in Clinton, Connecticut.

AN ASSOCIATION OF DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM KELSEY, THE PURITAN ANCESTOR, ORGANIZED SEPTEMBER 13, 1928
Since The Kindred was organized in 1928, it has published 7 genealogy volumes containing family histories of the descendants of William Kelsey. Our genealogist, Paula R. Carter, has over 58,000 descendants, all serial numbered and indexed in our computer and more data arrives each week. Unfortunately, there are many, many lines of descent that are still unknown. The Kindred, presently, has well over 850 active members and receiving new applications weekly. The genealogy volumes were financed by dues, donations, large gifts and loans from Kindred members.

THE ANCESTOR - WILLIAM KELSEY
William Kelsey, the first of the Kelsey name in America, was born in 1600, Chelmsford, Essex County, England. He was the son of George Kelsey Jr. and Elizabeth Hammond and had 2 brothers: John and Henry.William Kelsey was one of the original "Braintree Company" followers of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who came to America and they were the first settlers of "New Towne" (now Cambridge) Massachusetts in 1632. Reverend Hooker joined them the following year.In June, 1636, Mr. Hooker and Mr. Stone, with more than 50 families of the "first church" (Mr. Hooker's) removed to Connecticut where, in the valley of the same name, they established another "New Towne" which was changed to "Hartford" on February 21, 1637. Among these were William Kelsey.Coming to "Hartford" with the Hooker Company, William Kelsey was one of the "original proprietors" and, as such, his name appears on the "Founders Monument" in the "ancient burying ground" of the First Congregational Church of that city, presently known as "Center Church". His name is also found on the "Adventurers Boulder" located at City Hall, Hartford, Connecticut.In March 1663, William Kelsey and 26 others migrated to the "Hammonasset Plantation" and founded the Town of "Kenilworth", later changed to "Killingworth". In 1838, the town was separated into North and South parts. The South part called "Clinton" and the North, "Killingworth".William Kelsey had 9 children: (his wife or wives have not been verified). Mark, Bethia (recent data questions this daughter's name; and, it is thought that it may be either Hester or Esther), Priscilla, Mary, John, Abigail, Stephen, Daniel, and William Jr.Mark Kelsey lived in Windsor and Wethersfield. He first married Rebecca Hoskins, second Mrs. Abigail Atwood. Rebecca was the daughter of John Hoskins and his wife, Ann Filer. John Hoskins came to New England on the "Mary and John" in 1630. Mark and Rebecca had 8 or more children.Priscilla Kelsey lived and died in Windsor, Connecticut. She married Cornelius Gillette. They had 9 children.Mary Kelsey lived and died in Windsor, Connecticut. She married Jonathan Gillette (brother of Cornelius Gillette). They had 10 children.John Kelsey removed to Killingworth with his father, William Kelsey, at the age of 27. He married Hannah Disborough 2 years later in Hartford, Connecticut. They had 9 children. John and his father are noted as two of the first settlers of Kenilworth.

Abigail Kelsey also accompanied her father, William Kelsey, to Killingworth at the age of 18. She married Lieutenant John Hull. They had 4 children.Stephen Kelsey lived and died in Hartford, Connecticut. He married Hannah Ingersoll. They had 10 children.Daniel Kelsey also removed to Killingworth with his father, William Kelsey, at the age of 13. He later married first Mary Stevens. They had 5 children. He married second, Jane Chalker. They had 5 children.William Kelsey Jr. was born 3/23/1654. It is supposed that he died young before the family removed to Killingworth, Connecticut.
found on ancestry.com

William Kelsey (1600-1680)
The following is from The Original Ancestor and Immigrant:William Kelsey was one of the original Braintree Company, which came with the Reverend Thomas Hooker from the parishes of County Essex in Old England to Cambridge, Massachusetts in New England in 1632. In June 1636, Reverend Hooker and fifty of his congregation moved to Connecticut where they settled Hartford. Among this congregation was William Kelsey. As one of the original proprietors of Hartford, William Kelsey's name appears on the Founder's Monument. He owned 16 acres of land and had a "working shoppe" on his lot. In 1663, he moved with a colony of 16 families to a new town called Killingworth on the south shore of Connecticut.The following notes are from Ellie Burch:William was possibly the son of George Kelsey, who was born about 1572 in Thorpe, Essex County, England, and Elizabeth Hammond, born in 1575 in Cheshire, Essex County, England. George died in 1599 in Thorpe. They had the following children: William (see above), John (abt 1602-1680, married to Martha Lingwood), and Henry (born about 1604, married to Mary Manning).
found on ancestry.com

William Kelsey
Part of Thomas Hooker's "Congregation of Braintree" near Newtowne, Cambridge. There is mention of him there on 29 March 1632 (before Hooker arrived there). Freeman on 4 March 1635. He followed Hooker to Hartford, Connecticut, in June 1636. Perhaps because of a religious dispute involving his daughter Bethia, he sold his house in Hartford on March 1663 (to his son Stephen) and moved to the new settlement called "Killingworth." On 11 May 1671, he is mentioned as the deputy from Killingworth to the General Court at Hartford (held in "Jeremy Adams' Tavern"). His date of birth is established by mention of him in a September 1674 Court in Harford (Private Controversies, Hartford, Vol. 1, 128). Also mentioned in Winthrop's Journal (Vol. I, 104-105). The link below goes into minute detail about surviving records of William Kelsey.

Edward A. Claypool and Azalea Clizbee. "A Genealogy of the Descendants of William Kelsey: A genealogy of the William Kelsey family who settled at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1632; at Hartford, Connecticut, in 1636; and at Killingworth, Connecticut, in 1663." Vol. I (New Haven: Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor, 1928).

"WILLIAM KELSEY, born in England about 1600, died about 1680 at Killingworth and was probably buried there. He married, probably about 1625-1628 in England, BETHIA HOPKINS(?), born about 1605-1610, in England; died (???). (Bethia possibly died about 1636 and William may have married a second wife shortly after this, who would thus have been the mother of the four younger children, and possibly of John6.) There is no mention of William Kelsey's wife in any known records.
Children: 9 (KELSEY), five sons and four daughters. *
i MARK, born about 1628; died before February 27, 1722/3. 
ii BETHIA, born about 1630; died (???); married before September 1665, David Phillips. That this Bethia Kelsey, wife of David Phillips, was a daughter of William1 seems beyond contradiction. Hinman says that it was Bethia Kelsey, widow of William1 who became the wife of David Phillips of Milford, but the Hartford Town Records disprove this by the record of September 1665, when it was voted that "the town will give tenn pounds to David Phillips, of Milford provided he remove from Hartford with Bethia Kelsy (wrongly copied as Kelly) his wife, at such a time as the townsmen appoynt him." As William1 was living for at least ten years after this meeting, it could not have been his widow who was here named, so it must have been a daughter. Nothing further is known of Bethia and her husband, David Phillips.
iii PRISCILLA, born about 1632; died (???).
iv MARY, born about 1633; died April 18, 1676.
v JOHN, born about 1636; died July 22, 1709.
vi ABIGAIL, born April 19, 1645; died May 12, 1717.
vii STEPHEN, born November 7, 1647; died November 30, 1710.
viii DANIEL, born July 6, 1650; died June 5, 1727.
ix WILLIAM, born March 23, 1654; died (???). It is supposed that he died young, without issue, before the family removed to Killingworth."
Proprietors' Records of Cambridge:
"William Kellsie--In the Towne one house with Garden and backside aboute halfe a roode Creeke land Northwest long street north east--south east Andrew Warner south west. "Moore one smale lott hill aboute three Ackers Symon Sakett north east Samuel Dudley southeast Mathew Allen southwest the high way to the Common Palls on the north west. "Moore In the Great Marsh, aboute three Ackers to oyster bancke bay southeast Richard Lord southwest John Talcott northwest Abraham Morrell northeast."Moore In West end aboute halfe an Acker Andrew Warner southwest William Spencer north west and northeast The Creek southeas-. "Moore In Westend ffield aboute Three ackers Garrad Haddon southeast the hi--way to fresh pond southwest Edmond gearne--north West the highway to the great swamp (???) northeast --"
Paige's History of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Prince's Annals; Cambridge, Massachusetts, Register Book, with the Proprietors' Records, pp. 24, 42; Cambridge, Massachusetts, Town Records, (published 1901): 5, 9, 13; Colonial Records of Massachusetts, Vol. I, p. 370.

"WILLIAM KELSEY TO THOMAS FISHER "The 19th of ye second month, 1636: Know all men by these presents that I William Kelsey of ye Newtowne, have solde and past over all ye Righte Title and Interest I have in any parsell of meddowe Ground lieing and being In ye New Towne Aforesaid, unto Thomas ffisher to him and to his Aires for ever: as his or yer proper Righte. In Wittnes Whereof I have sett my hand; ye Daye and yeare above mencioned: (signed) "William Kelsey his marke"

The will of Jonathan Gilbert (Gillett) (his son, Jonathan Gillett, who died before his father, married William Kelsey's daughter Mary) 10 SEP 1674, N. E. Hist. and Gen. Register, Vol. IV, 34:

"...that little land I bought of Mr. Callsey." Church of Killingworth in the old "Church Records":
"Know all men by these presents that I, William Kelsey of Killingworth, being desirous to promote religion and the maintenance thereof, according to my power, do freely give to be paid yearly and forever after my decease Twenty shillings in current ountry pay, to the Church of Killingworth, for the use of the ministry that shall from time to time be there called, and for the ensurance thereof I do firmly bind over my land in the Neck field, purchased of John Meigs, Jun., unto the Church of Killingworth, and do give full power to him or them that are or from time to time shall be Deacons of the said Church, or in their absence, to any two of the Brethren thereof to demand, recover or dispose of the money as aforesaid, and upon refusal to pay or in case of non-solvency, to seize upon the land and use and improve it as they see cause for the aforesaid end. "In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand this present day of June 6, 1674. (Signed) William Kelsey his mark."
Killingworth Records, Vol. I, 36-37:
"June eight 1674. These presents testifie that I William Kellsey of Kinollworth in the Countie of new London in the Collonie of Conetiqut, do and heareby give unto my son John Kellsey all my house Lott Containning Six acres more or Less * * * Also my Cowyard on the north side of the Street over agaynst my house Sixty rods of Land more or Less * * * Also I give unto him my division of meadow Lying on the river * * *. "The marke of William Kellsey." (Signed)

ibid., 38:

"These presents testifie that I William Kellsey of Kenellworth * * * do give unto my son Daniell Kellsy of the Same town * * * my north Lott * * *."William his marke Kellsey (Signed) "June 8, 1674."
found on ancestry.com

William Kelsey
WILLIAM KELSEY from The Great Migration Begins Immigrants to New England 1620 - 1633 by Robert Charles Anderson, Boston 1995
ORIGIN: Unknown
MIGRATION: 1633
FIRST RESIDENCE: Cambridge
REMOVES: Hartford 1635, Killingworth by 1668
FREEMAN: In Killingworth section of 1669 Connecticut list of freemen (as "William Keilsey") [CCCR 2:525].
EDUCATION: Signed deed by mark [CaBOP 42].
OFFICES: On 11 May 1671 "W[illia]m Callsey" was deputy to Connecticut General Court from Killingworth [CCCR 2:147].
On 24 March 1657/8 "William Kelsey is freed from watching, warding and training" [CCCR 1:314].
ESTATE: Granted one rood for a cowyard in Cambridge, 5 August 1633 [CaTR 5]. Granted three acres in Westend Field, 4 August 1634 [CaTR 9]. Granted a proportional share of one in the meadow ground, 21 April 1635 [CaTR 13].
In the Cambridge land inventory on 5 October 1635 "William Kellsie" held five parcels: half a rood in town with one house, garden and backside; three acres on Small Lot Hill; three acres in the Great Marsh; half an acre in the West End; and three acres in Westend Field [CaBOP 24]. On 19 April 1636 "William Kelsey of the New Towne [Cambridge]" sold to Thomas Fisher his right in "any parcel of meadow ground lying and being in the New Towne aforesaid" [CaBOP 42].
In the Hartford land inventory of February 1639 "Will[ia]m Kelsy" was credited with twenty-one parcels: one acre with dwelling house, outhouses, yards and gardens; three acres "lying partly in the neck of land"; one rood in the Little Meadow; two roods eighteen perches in the North Meadow; five acres, three roods and thirty-eight perches of meadow and swamp in the North Meadow; one acre eight perches on the east side of the Great River; five acres in the Cowpasture; nine acres three roods in the Middle Oxpasture (annotated "sold Wm. Spencer"); five acres of meadow on the east side of the Great River "which he received in exchange of William Spencer"; one acre, two roods and fourteen perches in the neck of land; three roods thirty-seven perches in the neck of land; seven acres, twenty-four perches in the Cowpasture; two acres, one rood and thirty-one perches in the neck of land "part whereof he received of Edward Ellmer"; threescore perches in the neck of land; three acres, three roods and twenty perches in the neck of land; one acre, thirty-three perches in the neck of land "which he bought of John Maynord"; three acres in the neck of land "which he bought of Richard Goodman"; one acre in the neck of land "which he bought of John Tayllcott"; five acres on the east side of the Great River "part of which he bought of William Edwordes"; thirty perches of swamp on the east side of the Great River "which he bought of William Edwordes"; and two roods "that he bought of William Williams and did sometime belong to John Beddell" (annotated "sold G. Granis 1664") [HaBOP 141-44]. (Five of these parcels were marked as given to "Steven Callsey" in 1670/1.)

On 21 September 1676 the will and inventory of William Kelsey were presented at New London County Court; these documents do not, unfortunately, survive [TAG 69:28, citing New London County Court Records, Trials, 3:83].

BIRTH: By about 1609 based on estimated date of marriage.
DEATH: Killingworth between June 1675 and 21 September 1676 [TAG 69:218].
MARRIAGE: By 1634 _____ _____, who was "born about 1613 and living at Hartford in December 1666" [TAG 68:213-14]. (Several false leads regarding the identity of the wife of William Kelsey have been carefully examined and discarded by George E. McCracken and Gale Ion Harris [TAG 37:38-42, 68:211-14]. Based on onomastic evidence Harris suggests that her given name was Hester.)
CHILDREN:
MARK, born say 1634; married (1) Windsor 8 March 1658/9 Rebecca Hoskins [WiLR 1:58]; married (2) Windsor 26 December 1683 Abigail (_____) Atwood, widow of Captain Thomas Atwood [WiLR 1:58; CTVR 52 (giving only the year of the event)].

HESTER, born say 1636; married (1) by 1656 James Eggleston, son of BIGOD EGGLESTON; married (2) Windsor 29 April 1680 James Eno; married (3) Windsor 10 June 1686 John Williams. (See TAG 68:208-10 for a detailed discussion of Hester's marital career, which includes full documentation.)

JOHN, born say 1638; married by 1668 Hannah Desborough [TAG 38:210-11, 68:214].

PRISCILLA, born about 1640 (aged 17 on 22 December 1657 [TAG 68:214, citing WMJ 74]); married by January 1659[/60?] Cornelius Gillett, son of JONATHAN GILLETT [TAG 68:214].

MARY, born about 1644 (aged 14 in May 1658 [TAG 68:215, citing WMJ 109]); married Windsor 23 April 1661 Jonathan Gillett [Grant 39], son of JONATHAN GILLETT.

ABIGAIL, born Hartford 19 April 1645 [HaBOP 575]; married Killingworth 3 December 1668 John Hull [TAG 68:215].

STEPHEN, baptized Hartford 7 November 1647 [HaBOP 578]; living 1670/1 [HaBOP 141-44].

DANIEL, born Hartford [blank] July 1650 [HaBOP 581]; married (1) Killingworth 27 March 1672 Mary Stevens [TAG 68:215]; married (2) by 1693 Jane Chalker [TAG 68:231].

COMMENTS: William Kelsey appears in a list dated 7 January 1632/3 of those who were to make fence [CaTR 5], but this list was actually compiled at a later date.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: In 1993 Gale Ion Harris published a definitive study of the family of William Kelsey [TAG 68:208-15]. We rely on his conclusions here, except for a few minor adjustments in approximated dates to conform with the guidelines used in these volumes.
found on ancestry.com

Notes for William Kelsey
1632 - William Kelsey was one of the original "Braintree Company" followers of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who came to America and were the first settlers of "New Towne" (now Cambridge) Massachusetts.
1634 - William made freeman.
1636 - William sold a meadow at Cambridge. In June, Reverend Hooker and Mr. Stone, with more than 50 families, the Kelseys included, established another "New Towne", laster changed to Hartford. As one of the original members of the First Congregation Church (presently known as Center Church), William's name appears on the "Founders Monument" in the ancient burying ground of that church.
William's name also appears on the "Adventurers Boulder" located at City Hall, Hartford, Connecticut.
1663 - In March, William and 26 others migrated to the "Hammonossit Plantation" and founded the town of Kenilworth, later changed to Killingworth. In 1738, the town was separated into north and south parts. The south part became "Clinton" and the north remained "Killingworth".
found on ancestry.com

Founders Monument, Hartford, Connecticut
Founders Monument, located in the Ancient Burying Ground, also known as the Center Church Cemetery. "The Council of the Founders organized the Ancient Burying Ground Association in 1982 as a committee of the Founders. An earlier organization of the same name was formed in 1836 and erected the Founders Monument in 1837. A brownstone obelisk which listed the names of the city's founders, the monument had deteriorated severely, despite various conservation efforts.
"The Ancient Burying Ground Association determined that it was impossible to restore the 1837 monument. A replacement monument, carved from beautiful, durable Connecticut granite, was dedicated on August 6, 1986. While the new monument retains the size and proportions of the original, the Founders' names are now listed in alphabetical order. Several names, omitted from the 1837 monument, are now included."
[Monument Base - East Face]
Erected by the Society of the Descendants of The Founders of Hartford A. D. 1986 to Commemorate the 350th Anniversary of the City. This stone replaces the original sandstone monument of 1837
found on ancestry.com

The Adventurer's Boulder, Hartford, Connecticut
The plaque reads:
In Memory of the Courageous
Adventurers
Who Inspired and Directed by
Thomas Hooker Journeyed Though the
Wilderness from Newton (Cambridge)
in the Massachusetts Bay to
Suckiaug (Hartford) - October, 1635
Matthew Allyn William Lewis
John Barnard Mathew Marvin
William Butler James Olmsted
Clement Chaplin William Pantry
Nicholas Clarke Thomas Scott
Robert Day Timothy Stanley
Edward Elmer Thomas Stanley
Nathaniel Ely Edward Stebbins
Richard Goodman John Steele
William Goodwin John Stone
Stephen Hart John Talcott
William Kelsey Richard Webb
William Westwood
From the Society of the Descendants
of the Founders of Hartford
To the People of Hartford
October 15, 1935
found on ancestry.com

William Kelsey, immigrant ancestor
William Kelsey, immigrant ancestor, was born doubtless in England, but may have been of the Scotch family of Kelso, as the name was frequently spelled in early records. He settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as early as 1632 and was a proprietor in 1633. He was admitted a freeman March 4, 1634-35. He sold a meadow there April 19, 1636. He removed to Hartford where he lived until 1663 and then settled in the adjacent town of Killingworth, Connecticut. He was deputy to the general court in 167i.
Children:
1. Abigail, born April, 1645.
2. Stephen, November 7, 1647, mentioned below.
3. Daniel, born 1650.
4. Mark, married, March 8, 165859, Rebecca Hoskins; second, December 26, 1683, Abigail Atwood; resided in Wethersfield and Windsor, Connecticut; children: i. Rebecca, born January 2, 1659; ii. Thomas, October 16, 1663; iii. John, died June 18, 1685.
5. Lieutenant John, resided in Hartford; was admitted freeman 1658; removed to Killingworth: married Phebe Disbrow, daughter of Nicholas; children: John, Joseph, Josiah and three daughters
found on ancestry.com

5 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this blog. I have just discovered it. You and I share a few ancestors - Kelsey and Disborough. Maybe more. I have descended from Disborough through daughter Hannah and John Kelsey. Their daughter, Lydia, married into my Lane family. You have a great deal of information about the early people that I just haven't had a chance to collect. Great job!

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  2. Can't seem to find an email address for you. Wanted to have permission to use the photo of the simple grave marker for William Kelsey you have on your blog, on my website. Thank you.

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  3. Thank you for posting this information. I'm an Ancestry member and for some reason I didn't find this information on their website. Once again, many thanks! Joan T.

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  4. As far as I know my family is from Florida as far back as i can trace it in this country. Have any of the kelsey's you have researched libed in Florida?

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  5. Thanks for sharing. William Kelsey was my 8th great grandfather.

    ReplyDelete