| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. "The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography":
a. Entry for George Barber, pg. 169: "...a descendant of Thomas Barber who came from Bedfordshire, England, to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, and won local fame by his services in the Pequot war. From him and his wife Jane (or Joan), the line is through their son Thomas and wife Mary Phelps.
b. Entry for Charles Russel Barber, pg. 399: "...a descendant of Thomas Barber, who came from England in 1635, settling at Windsor, Conn. From Thomas and his wife Jane ___ the descent was through Thomas and Mary Phelps."
2. Partial excerpt from the biographical sketch of Thomas Barber included in the book "Great Migration," which is a highly dependable modern research publication (see Thomas' notes for full transcript):
"Thomas Barber...
First Residence: Windsor...
Church Membership: Either he or his wife was a member of the Windsor church since their children were baptized there...
Estate: ...A will, written or not, is implied in the probate of Thomas Barber, but none has been found.
On 4 February 1662[/3], the distribution of Thomas Barber's estate was as follows: "to John and Sarah jointly as their father willed," the house and barn and all the home lot, land over the river, half the 24-acre lot, half the marsh, and to John a cow, as well as £20 more to John and Sarah. Thomas Barber's share comprised "a mare that he claims as a gift from his father," half his father's tools, the 14-acre upland lot, half the out lot, half the marsh, and his proportion, being £33 15s "Sam[ue]ll Barber" received £33 15s, as did "Mercey" and "Josias." "And what the estate amounts to more than the inventory when debts are paid shall be distributed betwixt the four younger children Thomas, Sam[ue]ll, Mercey and Josias and if any child die before they come to age sons 21 years daughters 18 years the portion of the deceased shall be divided amongst the survivors equally" [RPCC 263]. (The land owned jointly by Sarah and John is more fully detailed in the holdings of Timothy Hall, Sarah's husband [WiLR 1:87].)
On 4 February 1662/3, "Samuell Barber manifesting his desire thereto was then placed an apprentice unto his brother Thomas until he accomplish the age of twenty-one years [RPCC 262]. On the same day, "Mercey Barber with her consent and desire is placed with Lt. Walter Filer and his wife until she be eighteen years of age unless she marry before" (RPCC 262]. On the same day, "Josias Barber according to his desire is placed with Deacon John Moore until he accomplish the age of twenty-one years" [RPCC 262]. On 30 January 1664[/5?], "Mercy Barber made choice of Lt. Walter Fyler to be her guardian" [RPCC 264]...
Children:
i John, bp. Windsor 24 July 1642 [Grant 24; CTVR 33]; m. Springfield 2 September 1663 Bathsheba Coggins [CTVR 10; Grant 25].
ii Thomas, b. Windsor 14 July 1644 [Grant 24; CTVR 33]; m. Windsor 17 December 1663 Mary Phelps [Grant 25; CTVR 10], daughter of William Phelps [GMB 3:1446].
iii Sarah, bp. Windsor 19 July 1646 [Grant 24; CTVR 33]; at Windsor 26 November 1663 Timothy Hall [Grant 62].
iv Samuel, bp. Windsor 1 October 1648 (Grant 25; CVR 33]; m. (1) Windsor 1 December 1670 Mary Coggins [CTVR 12; Grant 25 (surname of bride not .given)]; m. (2) Windsor 25 January 1676[/7] Ruth Drake [CTVR 14; Grant 25].
v Mercy, bp. Windsor 12 October 1651 (published as "Mary" [CTVR 33]; m. Windsor 8 July l669 John Gillett [CTVR 12; Grant 40], son of Jonathan Gillett [GMB 2:768].
vi Josiah, b. Windsor 15 February 1653/4 [CTVR 40]; m. (1) Windsor 22 November 1677 Abigail Loomis [Grant 74; CTVR 14]; m. (2) by 12 March 1701/2 Sarah (___) Drake, widow of Enoch Drake [Manwaring 1:551].
Comments: ...Grant, in his list compiled 17 August 1677, reported that "Thomas Barber Snr." had six children born in Windsor [Grant 90]..."
3. FHL book 929.273 B233bd, "The Connecticut Barbers, A Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Barber of Windsor, Connecticut," 2nd Ed., Donald S. Barber, pp. 5-6: "Lt. Thomas Barber, baptized Windsor, CT, 14 Jul 1644, d. Simsbury, CT, 10 May 1713, m. Windsor 17 Dec 1663 Mary Phelps, b. 2 Mar 1644/5, d. 13 Feb 1725/6, dau. of William Sr. and Mary (Dover) Phelps. After Thomas and Mary were married, they lived in a house built by Thomas in Windsor, on a lot he purchased in 1664. About 1670/1 he moved his family to Simsbury along with his brother Samuel and family. On March 3, 1676/7 during the so-called 'King Phillip's War,' Lt. Thomas Barber of the original military company of Simsbury was instrumental in saving the Simsbury residents, according to an old tradition. Some of Phillip's Wampanoag Indians threatened to attack the town. Thomas 'ascended the roof of his house, in the place called Hopmeadow, and beat an alarm on his drum. The wind being favorable, the alarm was heard in Windsor, some seven or eight miles off.' The Windsor militia, hearing the alarm, quickly assembled, rushed to Simsbury and were able to evacuate safely the people of Simsbury to safety in Windsor, where they stayed for several months. King Phillip burned and destroyed everything on March 26th, 1676. Eventually they returned to their community and began the task of rebuilding. Once the town was rebuilt life in Simsbury was due to change. Up to this point the grain grown by the farmers had to be hauled to the Warham Gristmill in Windsor. This was no easy task, due to weather conditions not always being favorable, the roads leaving much to be desired even for the oxen, and the lessening danger of attacks by Indians or wild animals. Thomas Barber had proven his leadership ability during the King Phillip's War, and now his skills, along with those of 3 other men, were contracted by the town for a more peaceful pursuit, that of building and running a sawmill and gristmill. The Simsbury gristmill built by these men in about 1680 was still in operation until the early 1950s, when the mill was operated as a Jute Yarn factory under the ownership of R.H. Ensign. After that the mill was idle for about 30 years. In 1985 major renovations took place. The Ensign-Bickford Company dismantled the entire building board by board and reassembled it. The present-day building is beautifully restored, winning for the owners the Greater Hartford Architecture Conservancy Award. The Hop Brook Restaurant was recently located for a time in the present structure. This was an absolutely delightful place beside the brook, for lunch or dinner. Thomas Barber's carpentry skills, passed on from his father, were much in demand, and he later built the first church in Simsbury, in 1683. He was hired by the town in 1671 to build 'a meeting house for public worship,' but for 12 years there was a bitter argument over which side of the river it would be built on. Finally 2 slips of paper were placed in a hat, and one was drawn, in favor of the West side of the river. Once it was completed, the new building was used for 60 years. [Sources: 1909 Barber Gen; Lure of the Litchfield Hills; Barbour Index; Lyman Barber Gen; CT Hist Soc: LB Barbour Manuscripts.] children of Thomas and Mary:
a. John, b. Windsor, 1 Nov 1664, m. Mary Holcomb.
b. Mary, b. Windsor, 11 Jan 1666/7.
c. Sarah, b. Windsor, 2 Jul 1669, d. 31 Mar 1748, m. Simsbury 26 Nov 1701 Andrew Robe, b. 30 May 1662. Sarah had no children.
d. Joanna, b. 1670(?), m. (1) Simsbury 3 Jan 1710/1 Josiah Adkins, bapt. 16 Jan 1686/7, d. Hartford, CT, 25 Jun 1713, son of Thomas and Jane (Williams) Adkins. Joanna and Josiah had no children. Joanna m. (2) Benjamin Colt, born abt. Apr 1669, d. at Hartford May or June 1739, son of John and Hester (Edwards) Colt... Benjamin res. Windsor 1710, East Windsor in 1722, and later in Hartford. [One child noted of Joanna and Benjamin.]
e. Anne, b. Simsbury 1671, d. there 15 Nov 1722, m. Simsbury ('both of Simsbury') 4 Dec 1701 Jonathan Higley, b. Windsor 16 Feb 1675/6, d. May 1716, son of Captain John and Hannah (Drake) Higley. [Notes children born of this couple.]
f. Thomas, b. Simsbury 7 Oct 1671 (?confused with birthdate of Thomas, son of Samuel), m. Abigail Buel.
g. Samuel, b. Simsbury 17 May 1673, m. Sarah Holcomb.
h. Child, b. Simsbury 1677, d. young."
4. FHL book 929.273 B233w, "Descendants of Thomas Barber of Windsor, Connecticut, 1614-1909," John Barber White:
Pp. 15-19: "The Hartford Probate Records contain the following regarding the settlement of Thomas Barber's estate: 'Barber, Thomas, Windsor, Invt. ₤132-14-00; taken 10, Oct. 1662, by Benj. Newberry and John Moore. 'Court Record, Page 187 - 4 Feb., 1662-3, Invt approved. Samuel was placed with his brother Thomas Barber to learn a trade; Mercy (Mary) Barber was placed with Lt. Walter Fyler and his wife until 18 years of age, unless she marries before, with her Master's and Dame's and eldest brother's approbation; Josias Barber was placed with Dea. John Moore until 21 years of age to learn a trade; Thomas Barber doth engage to take Samuel Barber's portion and after two years from the present to allow 6% simple interest per annum. John Barber took Josias' portion upon the same terms. Page 188 - 6 Jun 1662, Dist. to John and Sarah jointly. House and Home lot as their Father willed - 126-13-04. To Thomas Barber by Gift & his portion - 13-00-00. To Samuel, Mercy & Josias each - 36-15-00. By Capt Newberry, Deacon Moore, Sgt. Alvord.' He died on Sept. 11th, and his wife Joan on Sept. 10th, 1662. Children: John, bp. 24 Jul 1642; Thomas, b. 14 Jul 1644; Sarah, bp. 19 Jul 1646; Samuel, bp. 1 Oct 1648; Mary, bp. 12 Oct 1651; Josiah, b. 15 Feb 1653. In the Hartford Probate records it will be observed that the name of the fifth child of Thomas and Joan Barber is given as Mercy instead of Mary, as shown above. Also some records seem to indicate that she married a Hale, but the Gillett family records furnish conclusive evidence of her marriage to John Gillett. It is possible that in the records showing the name of Hale, her marriage was confused with that of her sister Sarah's to Timothy Hall, as a confusion of the names Hale and Hall is quite common."
Pp. 21-22: "Thomas Barber, b. July 14, 1644; m. Dec 17, 1663, Mary Phelps, who was b. Mch. 2, 1644. She was the dau. of William Phelps, Sr., known as 'Ould Mr. Phelps,' and his second wife, Mary (Dover) Phelps. The old Windsor records show that in 1664, Thomas Barber bought land in Windsor 'whereon he builded, the lot of Samuel Pond, except about 1-1/2 acres next to Silver Street on which Pond's house stood, and which doubtless faced the Hollow Fall Road.' Other records show that Thomas and his brothers John and Samuel were among the original grantees of Simsbury, having received a portion of the 'Meadow Lands' lying along the River Massaco, under an order of the General Court, of Hartford, of December, 1666, which stipulated that 'within two years the person to whom granted should improve them by plowing, mowing, building, fencing, etc.' In 1669 Massaco was set off from Windsor and made a separate township under the name of Simsbury, to which Thomas and his brother Samuel, with their families, removed in 1670 or 1671, and began improving the lands at that place which they had inherited from their father Thomas. Thomas Barber was lieutenant of the first military company of Simsbury, and was known as Lieut. Thomas. He built the first saw-mill and grist-mill in Simsbury, also the first church regarding the location of which there was some contention among the settlers, which was finally decided by lot, and the location fixed in the southern end of Terry's Plains. Thomas Barber died in Simsbury, May 10, 1713. His estate was valued at ₤488 18s 3d. Children:
a. John, b. Nov. 1, 1664; m. Mary Holcomb.
b. Mary, b. Jan. 11, 1666.
c. Sarah, b. July 12, 1669; m. Andrew Robe; no issue. The name of the husband of Sarah Barber, third child in the above family, is given in some records as 'Roe,' and it has been claimed that he was an ancestor of the Rev. A.S. Roe. The name, however, is given 'Robe' in the Simsbury records, and in his will Thomas Barber mentions his daughter Sarah, wife of Andrew Robe. The evidence is also fairly conclusive that there was no issue.
d. Joanna, b. 1670; m. Jan. 3, 1710-11, Josiah Adkins.
e. Anne, b. 1671; m. Jonathan Higley.
f. Thomas, b. Oct. 7, 1672; m. Abigail Buel.
g. Samuel, b. May 17, 1673; m. Sarah Holcomb.
h. Child, b. 1677; d. young.
5. The book "The Phelps Family of America and their English Ancestors," comp. by Oliver Seymour Phelps of Portland, Oregon and Andrew T. Servin of Lenox, Massachusetts, 1899, p. 97:
"Mary Phelps, b. Windsor, Ct., 2 Mar 1644, bp. 19 Jul 1644, m. Lieut. Thomas Barber, 13 Dec 1660, the son of Thomas Barber, (who was the first of his name in New England, coming with Francis Stiles in 1635.)
Mr. Barber first settled in Windsor, where he built a house in 1671, soon removing to Simsbury, where he died 10 Mar 1701 (or 3), in his 55th year, leaving an estate of 488 pounds, 18 shillings and 3 pence.
Children [all with surname Barber]:
I. John, b. Windsor, Ct. 1 Nov 1662, m. Mary Holcomb.
II. Mary, b. Windsor, 11 May 1666.
III. Sarah, b. Windsor, 12 Jul 1669. m. 26 Nov 1701, Andrew Robe. No issue.
IV. Joanna, b. Windsor abt. 1670, m. Josiah Adkins, 3 Jan 1710-11. No issue.
V. Anna, b. Windsor abt 1670, m. Jonathan Higley.
VI Thomas, b. Simsbury, Ct., 7 Oct 1671, m. Abigail Buell.
VII. Samuel, b. Simsbury, 17 May 1673, m. Sarah Holcomb.
VIII. A child, b. Windsor in 1677, died young."
6. Henry R. Stiles, "The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut," 1892, v. 2, p. 50: "Barber, Thomas, first of name in New England, came to Windsor 1635, with the Saltonstall party under Mr. Francis Stiles; was then ae. 21 years. The Court at Hartford, 28 Mch., 1637, 'ord. that Mr. Francis Stiles shall teach George Chapple, Thomas Cooper and Thomas Barber, his servants, in the trade of a carpenter, according to his promise, for their service of their term, behind 4 days in a week only to saw and slit their own work.' He was made freeman 1645; was a soldier in the Pequot fight (see p. 69, Vol. I.); 1648, dft. in Ct.; Sgt. Barber, for his disorderly conduct striking Lieut. Cook, was adjudged to forfeit his office and pay £5. He rem. to Simsbury, where he contracted to build the first meeting house. He m. Jane ___, 7 Oct 1640 (Old Ch. Rec.); he d. 11, she d. 10 Sept., 1662 (Col. Rec.). Land gr. W. prob. 1640 (see p. 151, Vol. I.) Ch. (Old Ch. Rec.):
A. John, bp. 24 July 1642.
B. Thomas, b. 14 July 1644.
C. Sarah, bp. 19 Jul 1646.
D. Samuel, bp. 1 Oct 1648.
E. Mary, bp. 12 Oct 1651; m. a Hale; set. Suffld. [No Hale in book.]
F. Josiah, b. 15 Feb. 1653.
7. Henry R. Stiles, "The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut," 1892, v. 2, p. 50: "Barber, Thomas (son of Thomas), m. 13 Oct 166-, Mary (dau. Wm., Sen.) Phelps, 17 Dec 1663 (Col. Rec.); 1664 he bought at W. land 'whereon he builded'; the lot of Samuel Pond, except about 1-1/2 acres next to Silver street, on which P.'s house stood, and which doubtless faced the Hollow Fall road; rem. 1671 to Simsbury, where, 1682, he was a townsman; d. at S. 1701 (03?); estate £488, 18s, 3d. She b. W. 2 Mch, bp. 19 July 1644. Ch. b. at W. (O.C.R.):
A. John, b. 1 Nov 1662; m. Mary Holcomb.
B. Mary, b. 11 Jan 1666.
C. Sarah, b. 12 Jul 1669; m. And. Robe.
D. Joanna, b. abt. 1670; m. Josiah Adkins.
E. Anne, m. Jonathan Higley.
F. Thomas, b. 7 Oct 1671, m. Abigail Buel.
G. Samuel, b. 17 May 1673, m. Sarah Holcomb.
(Thos.B. Jr. is cr (O.C.R.) in 1677 with 4 ch b. in W.)
8. "The American Genealogist," 68(Jul 1990):161-166, "The English Origin of William1 Phelps of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn., with Notes on His Marriages," by Myrtle Stevens Hyde:
"William1 Phelps of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn....
Children (Phelps) of William, v-viii by his second wife Anne (Dover) (bp. Crewkerne), ix-xi either by Anne or by a third wife (see discussion above)...
xi. Mary (again) b. in March 1644, bp. 2 March (Windsor Early Recs. p. 55; Windsor VR), prob. d. Simsbury 13 Feb. 1725/6 as "Marey Barber ye Eldest" (Albert C. Bates, "Simsbury, Connecticut, Births, Marriages and Deaths..." [Hartford 1898] p. 158); m. Windsor 17 Dec. 1663 Thomas Barber (Welles p. 10, as "Marsey")."
9. FHL book 929.273 B695bo "Ancestral Lines, Third Edition," compiled by Carl Boyer, 3rd [Santa Clarita, CA; 1998], pp. 69-70:
"Thomas1 Barber, born perhaps in Bedfordshire, England, in 1614, died in Windsor, Connecticut, 11 Sept. 1662.
On 7 Oct. 1640 he married Jane or Joan, whose last name is not known. It has been said that she was a daughter of one of the first Dutch settlers of the Connecticut River Valley, and was the first white woman to land in Connecticut. She died 10 Sept. 1662, the day before her husband...
In 1641 he was granted about 600 acres in an area known to the Indians as Massaco. In the town meeting at Northampton, Mass., 24 June 1661, it was voted to ask him to move there, but apparently he chose not to do so. When he died at Windsor a little over a year later he left an estate valued at £132.14s. The probate records showed that his daughter Mercy (Mary) was placed with Lt. Walter Fyler and his wife, and Josias (Josiah) was placed with Deacon John Moore.
Children, born in Windsor:
i. John2, bapt. 24 July 1642; d. Suffield, Mass. (now Conn.), 17 Jan. 1712; m. (1) Springfield 2 Sept. 1663 Bathsheba Coggin, m. (2) 1 May 1669 Mrs. Hannah (Gardner?) Bancroft.
ii. Thomas, b. 14 July 1644; d. Simsbury, Conn., 10 May 1713; m. 17 Dec. 1663 Mary Phelps.
iii. Sarah, bapt. 19 July 1646; m. Windsor 26 Nov. 1663 Timothy2 Hale.
iv. Samuel, bapt. 1 Oct. 1648; d. 1709; m. (1) 1 Dec. 1670 Mary Coggins, m. (2) 25 Jan. 1677 Ruth3 Drake.
v. Mary, bapt. 12 Oct. 1651; m. 8 July 1669 John2 Gillett.
vi. Josiah, b. 15 Feb. 1653; d. c. 1731; m. (1) 22 Nov. 1677 Abigail Loomis, m. (2) 5 Nov. 1701 Mrs. Sarah (Porter) Drake."
MARRIAGE:
1. Note the discrepancy of marriage dates between the Barber and Phelps history books. Barber had 17 Dec 1663 with first son John b. 1 Nov 1664. Phelps has 13 Dec 1660 with John b. 1 Nov 1662. Phelps has a four year gap between the birth of John and his next sibling Mary on 11 May 1666. I have selected Barber's date for the time being subject to further research.
DEATH:
1. Per above notes, there is a discrepancy in death dates for Thomas Barber between the Phelps and Barber history books. I choose the Barber date for now subject to further research.
ACTION:
1. I originally had two undocumented additional wives for Thomas: Anne Chase, m. 27 Apr 1681, and Mary Dow, no marriage date. They don't seem correct in light of the quotation above. Check out "The Chase Family Story" compiled by Richard Chase Fassett & Rosalind Chase Bush, just in case.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1644 - 1713 (68 years)