Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

James Bemis

Male - 1665


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name James Bemis 
    Gender Male 
    Died 1665 
    Person ID I4589  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family Sarah Diamond,   b. Abt 1632, Kenilworth, Warwick, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married Bef 1665  of, , Connecticut, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Mary Bemis,   d. 27 Oct 1679, Killingworth (now Clinton), Middlesex, Connecticut, United States Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F1239  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. 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, pp. 88-89:
      "Samuel Phelps, b. England, about 1625, emigrated to New England with his father, in ship Mary and John, settling with his father in Dorchester, removing from there to settling of Windsor, Ct., in 1635-6, where he m. Sarah Griswold, and b. Kenilworth, England, and came to New England with her father in 1639. After the death of Mr. Phelps, she m. 2nd Nathaniel Pinney, 21st July, 1670, and had Nathaniel Pinney b. 11th May, 1671, and Sarah Pinney b. 11th Oct., 1673. Mrs. Pinney died 6th Nov., 1715. [Nathaniel Pinney was the brother of Sarah Pinney who married Samuel Phelps' brother William.]
      Mr. Phelps bought 1st Oct., 1657, Thomas Orton's house and land south of road separating it from his father's homestead, and brother William's: the house stood on the rear of the lot just opposite his father's house. This lot was a triangular shape, 4 rods on the rivulet, 60 rods on east and west road, 40 rods on Mill road, and 47 rods on the southeast line. The rear of this lot and house he sold to his brother Nathaniel, and removed to Poquonock, where he had received a grant of land, and where he also bought John Bartlett's place east of Stony Creek, and north of Thomas Holcomb's, and running east of the rivulet. Here he died 15th May, 1669. He witnessed a deed of land to his father by the Indians in 1666.
      January 8th, 1660, he paid rates for short slips, 7 shillings, highest amount assessed that year.
      Town Records - 24th May, 1669, 'There was a day of training; by reason of the death of Samuel Phelps, voted that Benjamin Holcomb supply his place as Way Warden.'
      (Noted - Edward and Matthew Griswold, two brothers, the latter of whom was the ancestor of the two Govs. Griswold, resided in Kenilworth, England, where they had a third brother, Thomas. These two brothers came to New England in 1639, in a vessel sent out by Mr. William Whitney. Edward b. in England, 1607, settled in that part of Windsor, called Poquonock, m. 1st Margaret, and later settled in Killingworth, Ct., one of the first settlers, and a prominent man. His wife died Aug 22nd, 1670. (A slab may be seen in the Clinton, Ct., burying ground, 7 in. by 2-1/2 ft., with inscription M.G. 1670.) Had eleven children all by 1st wife. He m. 2nd Sarah Bemis, daughter of James Bemis, of New London; of his children a daughter Sarah, m. Samuel Phelps, and. m. Nathaniel Pinney. Another daughter, Mary, m. Timothy Phelps son of William the emigrant of 1630.)

      2. From the book "The Griswold Family: England-America," by Glenn E. Griswold, 1935, vols. 2 and 3, pps. 13-34:
      A. "John, bapt. Windsor, Conn., Aug.. 1, 1652 (Edward) m. (1) in Killingworth, Conn., Nov. 28, 1672, Mary Bemis, daughter of James and Sarah (Dimond) Bemis, who became his stepsister by the marriage of his father to Sarah (Dimond) Bemis. Mary d. Oct. 27, 1679."
      B. "Edward married second, 1673, Sarah Bemis, widow of James Bemis, constable of New London, who died in 1665. She was the daughter of John and Rebecca (Bemis) Dimond."

      3. The book "The Griswold Family, the First Five Generations in America," comp. and ed. by Esther Griswold French and Robert Lewis French, May 1990, printed by The Griswold Family Association, 116 Garden St., Wethersfield, CT, 06109, pages 6-24. The authors note that their book updates Vol. II, "The Griswold Family England - America," which was published 50 years ago. The following is a partial quote of what is fully quoted in the notes of Edward Griswold:
      "Edward was baptized July 26, 1607 at Wooten Wawen, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of George Griswold born Nov. 6, 1574, and his first wife Dousabel (possibly Leigh, Lye, Ley) who was buried Aug. 28, 1615 at Wooten Wawen. Edward married ca. 1628 Margaret (surname unknown) who was born ca. 1609, making her age 20 at the birth of her first child and 43 when her last child was born. Margaret died Aug. 23, 1670 at Clinton, originally Killingworth, Conn. Her gravestone marked 'M.G. 1670' is the oldest stone in the cemetery behind the Congregational Church in Clinton. However it does not show the patient devotion nor the hardship endured in rearing her family in that vast wilderness...
      Edward married (2) Sarah Dimond Bemis, daughter of John and Rebecca (Bemis) Dimond and widow of James Bemis, constable of New London, who died in 1665. Her daughter married as his first wife, John, youngest son of Edward and Margaret. The date of Edward's second marriage was before Dec 25, 1672 when a deed of gift to his son John was executed 'of and for natural affection and also for divers other good causes' giving John 'my housing and land lying and being in the the Township of Killingworth' for which John was to pay to:
      'Samuel son of ffrancis Griswold deceased ₤60 when he attains the age of 21 and if he dye before he be twenty-one years of age then John is to pay ₤5 a year to his six sisters the daughters of ffrancis. In case John dye childless and have no issue then the ₤60 or the ₤30 is to be returned by those that inherit the land to the widdow and relict of John Griswold or whom he shall bequeath it to. And all the above sayde land and housing so returne to the eldest sons of George, Joseph and Samuel Griswold the imediat sons of Edward Griswold Snr and if they have no sons then to their eldest daughters. Also the sayde John Griswold is to kepe all the housing in good repayre and to allow to my wife after my decease the use and benefit of the parlors and meadow to kepe two cowes during the time of her widdowhood. Also if John Griswold dye and have no issue his widdow is to enjoy the one halfe of the housing and lands during the time of her widdowhood. Witnesses: Tobias Hull, Jonas Westover. December 25, 1672.'...
      References: Parish Register, Kenilworth, England; Killingworth and Clinton, Conn. Records; Historic Families of America, p. 297; Conn. Society of Colonial Dames Register; Savage: Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England II:316; Dimond Family pp. 13-14; Bemis Family p. 211; NEHGR Vol. V; Magazine of American History I:120-129; Wyllys Papers XXXI; Trumbull: Hartford County II:521, 548, 552; Hartford Probate Records; Stiles: Ancient Windsor I:71, 148, 157, 158; II:351; Anniversary of the First Church, Clinton, Conn. p. 25; Conn. Magazine VIII;489, 504; Booth and Allied Families; Caulkins: History of New London p. 283; History of Norwich, Conn. pp. 92, 176; Conn. Historical Society Collections XXII; Conn. Colony Records I, II, III; TAG 41:214."