Rebecca Foote

Rebecca married Lieut. Philip Smith on 1 Mar 1657 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut. Philip (son of Lieut. Samuel Smith and Elizabeth Smith) was born on 30 Apr 1632 in Suffolk, England; died on 10 Jan 1684 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; was buried in Old Hadley Cemetery, Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Both James Albury and the Pane-Joyce Genealogy website list an Ichabod (1675-1746) as a son, although he is not shown on the Foote Family Website. The Genealogies and Biographies of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, does show they had eight children.

Philip and Rebecca (Foote) Smith. are the seventh great-grandparents of George Herbert Walker Bush (42 President of the United States), through their daughter, Rebecca, who marreid George Stillman.

1. Deacon Samuel Smith was born in Jan 1658 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died on 28 Aug 1707 in East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.
2. Deacon John Smith was born on 18 Dec 1661 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died on 27 Apr 1727 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
3. Jonathan Smith was born about 1663 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died about 1737 in Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; was buried in Old Hadley Cemetery, Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
4. Philip Smith was born about 1665 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died on 26 Jan 1724 in East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.
5. Rebecca Smith was born about 1668 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died on 7 Oct 1750 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut.
6. Nathaniel Smith was born on 2 Jan 1670 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died about 1740 in Hatfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
7. Rev. Joseph Smith was born about 1674 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died on 8 Sep 1736 in Middletown Upper House, Middlesex County, Connecticut.

Rebecca married Maj. Aaron Cooke on 2 Oct 1688 in Hadley, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Aaron was born about 1610 in Bridport, Dorset, England; died on 5 Sep 1690. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
On 2 Oct 1688 Rebecca second married Capt. Aaron Cook, son of Aaron Cook (ca 1586-Dec 1615) & Elizabeth Charde (1589-16 Apr 1643), at Hadley, MA.12 Born ca 1613/4 at Bridport, Dorset, Eng. Baptized on 20 Mar 1613/4 at Bridport, Dorset, Eng.4 Aaron died at Northampton, MA, on 5 Sep 1690.172 Buried in Bridge St. Cem., Northampton.

Aaron emigrated with his mother and stepfather, Thomas Ford,in 1630 on the Mary & John to Dorchester, MA, where he was made freeman 6 May 1635. He received three acres of land 1 Sep 1634 with additonal grants on 5 Jul 1636. He removed to Windsor in 1653 and was granted 50 acres at Simsbury. He served as juror many times and was made lieutenant and commander-in-chief of 65 soldiers on 21 May 1652 at Windsor. He was chosen captain in 1655. He was granted land at Northampton, MA, 1659/60, and settled there the next year. He was selectman several terms, and a deputy of the General Court many years. He was known as a wolf hunter; kept an ordinary, 1668-72; cdr. garrison at Westfield, 1675; returned to Northampton, 1678.

Source: http://babbage.clarku.edu/~djoyce/gen/report/rr02/rr02_444.html

Notes:

Nathaniel Foote The Settler resided in Shalford Parish, county Essex and St Mary Bothaw Parish, London. at the age of sixteen was apprenticed on 21 September, 1608 to Samuel Croyle of Colchester, a "Grocer" and "Free Burgess", for a period of 8 years or until his 24th birthday in the year 1616. when he brought a message from Beatrice Barker, Esq., located on East Street, St James Parish, Colchester. He was a grocer himself as of 18 Oct 1619. (http://www.footefamily.org/nathno1a.htm)

Sometime before the year 1633 the family moved from London England to Boston, Massachusetts. He settled first, upon arrival in the New World, at Watertown, Mass.; where he took the freeman's oath 3 Sep 1633. According to the records of "The Original Distribution of Lands Around Wethersfield" recorded in 1640, a short time after arriving in Wethersfield in 1635, Nathaniel received a ten acre house lot on the east side of Broad Street. This land was near the south end of the street. This land was purchased directly from the Wongunk Indians at a place located along the Connecticut River that was called Pyguaq, later renamed Wethersfield. Additionally, he became the owner of several other tracts laying in part in the great meadow east of his house and containing close to 400 acres of land. In 1641, he was appointed a delegate to the General Court. He was a juror in 1643 and 1644.

Note: Part of his land is now a public park at the foot of Broad Street.

Sources: "NEHGR", Vol. IX, 1855, p.272, "Pedigree of Foote", compiled from Goodwin's Genealogy of the Foote Family.

"Foote Family, comprising the Genealogy and History of Nathaniel Foote of Wethersfield, Conn.", Vol. I, Abram W. Foote, 1907.

"Footenotes", newsletter of The Foote Family Association of North America, Vol. XI, p.9, October, 1992.

"New England Families", Vol. I, pp.279-281, William Richard Cutter, Woburn, MA., 1913.

World Family Tree, Vol. 2, chart 861.

Nathaniel's Profession Even though Nathaniel's main profession in England was that of a Crochet, he became a farmer. He was also active in the public trusts of the town. He was appointed as a delegate to the "General Court" in the year 1644.

Nathaniel Foote was the first cousin of Sir Thomas Foote, Sheriff of London in 1649 and Lord Mayor of London in 1650. Sir Thomas Foote was the son of Robert Foote of Royston and the brother of Robert Foote of Shalford, who was Nathaniel s Father.

Records show that Nathaniel Foote died in Wethersfield, Mass in November, 1644 at the age of 51. He was buried in the burying ground in the rear of the town meeting house, where nine generations are buried. Nathaniel was survived by his wife, two sons, and five daughters.

Nathaniel's Will The probate record for Nathaniel includes a complete inventory; it is recreated here with the spelling as found in the original:

To The Children:

Nathaniel Foote, about 24 years, to have #148

Robert Foote, about 17 years, to have #74

Frances Foote, about 15 years, to have #74

Sarah Foote, about 12 years, to have #74

Rebecca Foote, about 10 years, to have #74

The Wyddow of sd. Nathaniel Foote Adms. her portion, #212


Other Possession s Imprs His purse and apparrell, #7-16-00 It. In neat Cattel and in Hay, #93-00-00 It. in horsse fleshe, #34-00-00 It. in hoggs, #66-60-00 lt. in debts, #29-03-04 It. In Englishe Corne, #70-00-00 It. in goats, #3-15-00 It. in Carts, ploughs, etc. #6-00-00 It. in nayles, #1-10-00 Ite. Indean Corne, #8-00-00 It. in old Wheat and pease, #6-06-00 It. for certain things in the chamber, #2-00-00 It. for ammunition, #5-00-00 Ite. for fouer beds with the furniture, #13-06-08 It. in fyne lynen, #5-10-00 Ite. 2 table boards, 2 chests, 1 Trunke, with other Implts. #5-00-00 It. pewter & brasse and other vseful vessells, #12-00-00 It. in husbandry tooles, #3-00-00 It. in beife, butter, and cheese and other necessary provision for the howse, #8-10-00 It. in poultry, #1-00-00 somm: #380-17-00


The Land: Ten acres of home lotts with one dwelling howse and 2 barnes with other buildings thereuppon 4 acres of home lotts 6 acres of meadow with an acre of swampe 20 acres of plaine fenced in being 14 ac. broke vp 7 acres of plaine meadow plowed vp 20 acres in the great meadow of hay ground 4 acres in bever meadow 27 acres of Swampe Ground 81 Acres of Vpland in the Weste field 32 Rod broad beyond the River, being 3 Miles in length

Land Devided to The Widow

4 a-c house lott wherr her house is The hoseing 2 ac Unsubdued 7 ac plaine brok 3-1/2 plaine med: 14 ac meadow 3 ac plaine not broaks up 30 ac upland in Westfield

Land Devided to The Eldest Sonne 3 ac home lot next her 2 ac unsubdued 7 ac plaine broke up 3-1/2 of meadow 3 ac in great med: 4 ac in beavermed: 27 ac swampe 3 ac not broke up 30 ac upland West Field Halfe the east side

Land Devided to The youngest Sonne 3 ac homelott 6 ac med: in the swamp 21 ac West Field halfe of the east sd.

The age of the 5 children Dewelling with their mother. Nathaniel Foote - 24 years Robert Foote - about 17 years Francis - about 15 years Sara - about 12 years Rebecka - about 10 years.

The widdowe of the said Nath: ffote is admitted to administer the Estate, and the eldest sonne is to have the lands before mentioned as they are valued at 1261. 10s wch is to be made uppe 1481, and the youngest sonne the particular landes above mentioned for him at 651. wch is to be made uppe 741, and the daughters disposed in merrage are to have 301 .8 peece wch they have receevede made uppe 741. and the other children are to have 741. a peece provided it is left at the dispose of their mother to etacte from any of them if she sees just cause 51. of the portion here sett downe and to adde yt to such of the other as best desearve yt. The Will was endorsed by the inventorers, Richard Trott, Samuel Smith, and Nathaniel Dickinson

Per his FindAGrave Memorial page:

Nathaniel arrived in Watertown in 1634. He died after August 1, 1644, but before Nov 20, 1644 when his inventory was presented at Hartford.

He was the son of Robert Foote and Joan (Brooke) Foote of Shalford, Co.Essex.

His wife was Elizabeth Deming. She was a sister of John Deming of Wethersfield. After Nathaniel Foote's death, she married Thomas Welles (Governor of Connecticut 1655-1658).

Children: Elizabeth Foote Churchill, Nathaniel Foote Jr, Mary Foote Stoddard Goodrich Tracy, Robert Foote, Frances Foote Dickinson Barnard(whose second husband was Francis Barnard), Sarah Foote Judson, and Rebecca Foote Smith Cook.

Nathaniel married Elizabeth Deming about Jan 1614 in Colchester, Essex, England. Elizabeth was born on 4 Oct 1595 in Essex, England; died on 28 Jul 1683 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut; was buried in Wethersfield Village Cemetery, Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of John DEMMING and Honor TREAT. (FindAGrave instead lists her mother as Elizabeth GILBERT)

A short time after Nathaniel finished his apprenticeship training, he was married to Elizabeth Deeming (In January of the year 1616) in Colchester, Essex, England. She was the sister of John Deeming, who was one of the first settlers of Wethersfield Conn. in the year of 1615. John Deeming was for many years the one of the magistrates of the "Colony of the Connecticut" and one of the Patenees named in it's charter.

Very little is known of the Deming family before they left England. Since the first Puritans left England to secure a better place to practice their religion. It might be assumed that the Demings left England for similar reasons.

After the birth of their sixth child Nathaniel decided to sell his grocery business in Colchester and immigrate to the New World. By some he is considered to be the first settler of Wethersfield. Whether or not that is true we do not know. We do know he was one of ten men who settled along the bank of the Connecticut River and named their settlement, Wethersfield. They are know as the "Ten Adventurers"

Since Elizabeth Deming married Nathaniel Foote who spent his early life in Shalford, Colchester, England, it can be assumed that

(1.) John and Elizabeth lived in the same area of England.

(2) Elizabeth and Nathaniel were known to have been in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay and residing in Waterton when it is recorded Nathaniel took the oath of a freeman.

(3.) The Foote family must have joined with the Demings in feeling some dissatisfaction with the manner of life in Watertown and joined with others in making the 100 mile trek in 1635 through the forests of the New World until they arrived at Pyquag on the shores western shore of the beautiful Connecticut River.

Nathaniel Foote was one of those named in the charter of patentees of Wethersfield. The Foote family became one of the leading families of the little Connecticut Colony. He became a magistrate, a leading land owner, eventually owning more than 500 acres of land in Wethersfield, some of the great meadow, and his home on the south end of the green, next to the present Broad Street.

The family was saddened by Nathaniel's death at age 61. Elizabeth was so respected that she was allowed to be executor of his estate. Elizabeth was left a wealthy widow, but did not remain in that status for long. In 1646 she married Thomas Wells who was a widower with several children from his first marriage. Thomas Wells served as Governor of Connecticut Colony for two terms, 1655-1658. When he was not serving as governor he was a Deputy Governor. He died during his last years of being deputy governor, 14 January 1659/1660.

Elizabeth was again a widow, having two families instead of one. She was in control of a large estate from both husbands.

Elizabeth Welles was a tenacious and feisty old woman. She had not only survived a perilous voyage from England but while tending to six exuberant children and a husband, she had made a new life for herself and her family in a world they knew nothing about. This world was inhabited by Indians who were not always friendly with those pale face people. The rigors of life and managing a household did not daunt her.

Things went quite well through the intervening years since arriving on shores of the newly discovered continent, until she reached old age. In 1676 as she approched the age of 80 years, she ran into trouble with one of her step-grand children.

This was Robert Welles, a favorite of grandfather, Governor Thomas Welles when the governor was alive. Robert had arrived at the Governor's home, there to be taken care of and educated.

But now his grandfather was dead and Robert and his step-grandmother disagreed. Maybee she did not think him old enough to be married at age 24. Never-the-less it was 1676 when Elizabeth brought Robert Welles to court, because he "...hath dammyfield her Barne by Parting with the other part of the Barne that did adjoin to it."

Exactly what he did to her barn is not clear. The court's decision was clear. He was ordered to repair the barn and also to pay his step-grandmother rent for it. Elizabeth made sure the barn incedent was not here last word.

Two years later, in 1678, she made sure all of the Welles were taken care of when she made her will. She left them nothing. She stated someone outside the family would be executor of her will. Everything she had she left to her own family. That is the family she and Nathaniel has raised and nurtured. The Welles family got nothing.

Elizabeth died in 1683, at the age of 88. The estate was devided among the Footes. One of the documents in the Probates Court was that of the final disposition, that during that same year Robert Welles won a lawsuit against his step-grandmother's will that he would have to be paid by those who had been named in the will. (Source - Article in Footeprints - Spring 1999 Issue - The Foote Family Association)

http://www.footefamily.org/elizno1.htm

Notes:

Robert was the first son of John Foote of Royston. He is our second generation ancestor in England. He was born before 1552 in Royston, Hertfordshire, England, and died January 28, 1607/08 in London, England.(Colchester,Essex) A Yoeman in old England was a Freeholder, next under the rank of Gentleman, and in the early times one who owned small landed estate. Robert of Shalford was such a man. He owned property in Shalford and Royston. He was the son of John Foote of London and the father of Nathaniel Foote the Settler. (www.footefamily.org/ancestor.htm).

Robert married Joan Brooke on 18 Jun 1576 in London, Middlesex, England. Joan was born before 1555 in London, Middlesex, England; was christened on 11 May 1555 in London, Middlesex, England; died on 10 Oct 1634 in London, Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He married Joan Brooke June 18, 1576 in St Leonard's Eastcheap, London, Eng, daughter of John Brooke and Elizabeth Watman. She was born June 18, 1559 in London, England, and died October 10, 1634 in St Leonard's Parish, London, England. She was a member of the leatherseller company of London. (www.footefamily.org/ancestor.htm)

John married Helen Warren. Helen was born about 1527 in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England; died in in London, Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of Richard WARREN and Alice JENWAY. Her death was recorded at St. Leonard, N/E Chapel, London, England. She and Johnhad four children, Robert, John, Aves, and Elizabeth. (www.footefamily.org/ancestor.htm)