 1608 - 1681
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| Name |
Thomas Sanford |
| Born |
1608 |
Broad Oak, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
09 Oct 1681 |
Milford, New Haven Co, Connecticut |
| Notes |
- Thomas Sanford (1-1) first appeared in the Town Records of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Dorchester was settled in 1630, but no lands were allotted until 3 April 1633. It is now a part of Boston and called South Boston and Dorchester. The town records begin 16 Jan 1632. The first settlers were prior to 1636 were one hundred and thirty eight in number, and Thomas Sanford was one of them. He was made a Freeman on 9 March 1637. This right or title conferred upon the holder the right of suffrage and also an advantage in the division of lands. The principal qualification for this position was church membership in a Congregational church. Much reference is made in the notes as to the term "freeman". A freeman was required to be of godly walk and conversation, required to be at least twenty years of age, to take the Freeman's Oath of allegiance to the government of Massachusetts, to be worth ¹200, to hold office if elected or pay a fine of forty shillings, to vote at all elections or pay same fine.
He was allotted land in Dorchester in 1635. He entered into an agreement to look after the town cows for the season of 1635 and 1637. It is believed that he married in Dorchester and this his first two children were born there. It is also believed that he stayed there until after April, 1640, when the parcel of land was granted to him that had been previously only "booked" to him. He was surely in Milford in January, 1642, when he joined the church. His third child, Mary, is recorded in the records of the First Church of Milford as having been born in January 1641.
Milford land records indicate that he was allotted land there beginning in 1643. His name appears in other instances over the years as late as 1680. They indicate that he bore his part and was held in the good opinion of this neighbors, that he was a frugal and industrious citizen, which was shown by the amount of his estate, appraised 21 Oct 1681, soon after his death at over ¹450. Two of his sons, Ezekiel and Samuel became quite wealthy for those times. Records indicate that he could read, write, and "cast accompts (accounts)." His will shows him to have been a prosperous, successful man, of a kindly and generous nature and of exceptional character.
Thomas Sanford Genealogy
c., 1911, pp. 60-82
Thomas Sanford arrived in the colonies with his younger brother Andrew and his uncle, Andrew Warner, in 1632 at Dorchester, Massachusetts. He sailed on the ship Arabella as part of the Winthrop Fleet. Many ships over many months came as a part of that activity. He, one brother and their uncle, traveled as single men. He married Dorothea Meadows in Dorchester and they had two children. She died shortly after. He married Sarah Meadows and they set out for Hartford, Connecticut, where some of his relatives had settled, then went on to Milford, Connecticut, where they made their home and had more children. They became an important part of that community by owning property and being very active in both church and civic affairs. They were considered among the founders of Milford, Connecticut. All but the first two children were born at Milford and the parents were buried there. He was married to Sarah Meadows in 1641 in Dorchester. There are no stones marking their graves. The oldest stone marker is 1726, Mrs. Samuel Sanford. Maid Sara Whitlock is mentioned in his will. (Source: Elizabeth Wallace)
John Sanford, San Jose, CA (June, 1996)
|
| Person ID |
I28451 |
Bryant |
| Last Modified |
13 May 2007 |
| Father |
Ezekiel Sanford, b. 20 Feb 1586, Stansted-Mountfitchet, Essex, England , d. Abt 1683, Stansted-Mountfitchet, Essex, England |
| Mother |
Rose Warner, b. 1588, Broad Oak, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England , d. Great Waltham, Essex, England |
| Married |
1607 |
Broad Oak, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England |
| Family ID |
F1705 |
Group Sheet |
| Family 1 |
Sarah Meadows, b. Abt 1612, England |
| Married |
Abt 1635 |
Dorchester, Suffolk Co, Massachusetts |
| Children |
| | 1. Ezekiell Sanford, b. Between 1635 and 1637, England , d. 05 Oct 1683, Fairfield, Fairfield Co, Connecticut |
| | 2. Samuel Sanford, b. 30 Apr 1643, Milford, New Haven Co, Connecticut , d. 27 Nov 1691, Milford, New Haven Co, Connecticut |
| | 3. Thomas Sanford, b. Dec 1644, probably, New Haven, New Haven Co, Connecticut , d. 1721, New Haven, New Haven Co, Connecticut |
| | 4. Elizabeth Sanford, b. 27 Aug 1648, Milford, New Haven Co, Connecticut |
|
| Family ID |
F2419 |
Group Sheet |
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