Notes |
- Research about the Marsh family from Bill Putman
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:dSlNfnzwzasJ:www.billputman.com/Marsh.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg2O-_LSFBNO1q6qZV4ckUOapYiR_r89ija1pdD0HfnJ4jJ1YvXoK8jVcUL2-cj5gZoFq0liu0zDzVNgMbmOlkT9lljsptGqLgRrVQc_x0RMUR0gireNT3ugY2QiYX5uRnvTFaU&sig=AHIEtbTmV74hAjLf_O0IFXda5JMSLKGqfw
THE MARSH FAMILY
The Marsh family is English in origins. Several different Marsh families came to America very early in the 1600s. The first Marsh to come to America seems to be one John Marsh who came to Salem, Massachusetts in 1633. There were many others who arrived from various parts of England during the next few years.
Two separate Marsh families came from Braintree, Essex County, England to Boston in the 1640s. How the two families were related is not certain, they may have been cousins.
One was that of John Marsh who came to Boston in 1635 and then went to Hartford, Connecticut. The second was that of Samuel Marsh and his brother Jonathan who were in Boston by 1641. The brothers were in New Haven, Connecticut by 1643. Jonathan later went to Rhode Island and Samuel to New Jersey. Our line is descended from this Samuel Marsh.
The Marsh family were pioneers in the early New Haven Puritan Colony. This colony covered most of the southern Connecticut shoreline and our Marshes were in the general area of Milford, Connecticut. They went from there to the New Jersey coastal areas around Newark and Elizabeth. From there they spread westward like so many of my ancestors seeking new lands and homes for their families.
Samuel Marsh was born in Essex County, England about the year 1620. There are references that his father may have been John Marsh born in 1589 and his mother may have been Grace Baldwin, but I have no proof. Some sources state he was in Boston by 1641, others state he came directly to the colony in New Haven in the summer of 1645. Although he was not listed as an original planter, he was carried on the records as a resident of New Haven in 1646.
He was in the Militia records on April 7, 1647. It seems he was fined two shillings six pence for missing training three times to "seek cowes". He took the oath of Fidelity in New Haven on May 2, 1647 and was then made a Freeman.
Samuel married about 1647. His wife was named Comfort. Most sources feel her maiden name was Mann, but no one seems very positive about it. They appear as members of the First Church of Christ in New Haven on List Number 2 dated February 11, 1655/56. It would seem that possibly there was a whole family that came from England. Samuel's brother Jonathan was there until about 1650 when he moved to nearby Milford, Connecticut and then to Norwalk, Connecticut by 1657. There was also a sister, Hannah, who married Lancelot Fuller in New Haven.
Samuel and Comfort Marsh raised seven children while living in New Haven. In 1665, the family moved to Elizabethtown, New Jersey. In that year England took possession of New Jersey from the Dutch. Samuel Marsh was one of the original Eighty Associates who bought the Elizabeth-town Grant, East Jersey of some five hundred thousand acres, which covered all of the present day Union County, New Jersey. Their son, Samuel Marsh junior, was also one of the original eighty associates. Samuel took the oath of allegiance to King Charles II on February 16, 1665.
In 1671, Samuel was in a major conflict with New Jersey Governor Carteret over land rights, but seems to have survived without any penalties. Samuel wrote his will on June 10, 1683 and mentioned his wife and children John, Joseph, Elizabeth and Samuel. He stated he was living at Wawanday.
He died in September of 1683. The Will was probated on February 24, 1685. His widow, Comfort, was the executrix.
They had seven children.
MARY MARSH born in 1648 and unmarried.
SAMUEL MARSH born February 12, 1649. He married Mary Trimmins in 1675 and later they moved to Philadelphia where he died in about 1684.
COMFORT MARSH born August 22, 1652. She married Joseph Meeker on May 5, 1678 and died in December 1690.
HANNAH MARSH born July 22, 1655.
ELIZABETH MARSH born December 27, 1657.
JOHN MARSH born May 2, 1661. John is our line and his life is covered next.
JOSEPH MARSH born April 1, 1663. He married Sarah Hinds in 1697 and remained in New Jersey. Joseph died at Trembly Point, New Jersey in December 1723. Their children were: Sarah who married Benjamin Watkins, Samuel who married Mary Shotwell, Joseph who married Susanna, James, Charles who married Hester Culler, Paluna, Sussanah and Ellis who married Mary Davenport.
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