Person:Benjamin Garfield (1)
Benjamin Garfield
b.Abt 1643 Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts
d.28 Nov 1717 Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Parents and Siblings
(edit)
m. Bef 1637
  1. Joseph Garfield1637 - 1691
  2. Rebecca Garfield1639/40 - 1681/82
  3. Benjamin GarfieldAbt 1643 - 1717
  4. Abigail Garfield1646 - 1726
Spouse and Children
(edit)
m. 1672
  1. Benjamin Garfield1674 - 1700
  2. Benoni Garfield1675 - 1725
Spouse and Children
(edit)
m. 17 Jan 1677/78
  1. Thomas Garfield1680 - 1752
  2. Anna Garfield1683 -
  3. Abigail Garfield1685 -
  4. Mehitable Garfield1687 -
  5. Samuel Garfield1690 -
Add another spouse & children
Facts and Events
Name Benjamin Garfield
Gender Male
Birth[4][5] Abt 1643 Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Marriage 1672 Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United Statesto Mehitable Hawkins
Marriage 17 Jan 1677/78 Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United Statesto Elizabeth Bridge
Death[4] 28 Nov 1717 Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts

From: "Court Files of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, 1649-1675" (NewEnglandAncestors.org)

4 1674. June 15. Inquest on John Lawrence Ae abt. tenn yrs [10] & James Smith abt seaven [7] run over by a load of Bricks Witnessed by Rich'd Sawtell & Benj Garfield. Signed by the Barron Joseph Bemas John Bigolo Gregory Cooke John Traine Samuel Livermore Jonathan Whitney Philip Chadwicke John Randall Richard Whitnee James Barnard Benj. Gearfield Samuel Stearnes Richd Sawtell Benj Willington.

FHL microfilm 397070: Will of "Benjamin Gearfield of Water Town ... yeoman", dated "second day of May one Thousen seven hundred & seventen", proved Middlesex County 23 Dec 1717, mentions "my son Benoni Gearfield", "my son Tomas Gearfield", "my daughter Anna Brown", "my Daughter Abigail Allin", "my daughter Mehetabel Jones", "my daughter Mary Gearfield", "Elizabeth my now beloved wife", "my son Samuel Gearfield" [executor]. Witnessed by Jonathan Sanderson, Abraham Geal, Joshua Child.

References
  1.   Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
    2:231.

    [The Savage entry on Garfield is hopelessly confused, making two people out of the one (long) life of the father.]
    GARFIELD, BENJAMIN, Watertown, s. of Edward sec. of the same, freem. 1690, was rep. 1689 and 92. By first w. Mehitable, d. of Timothy Hawkins, he had Benjamin, b. 8 May 1674; and Benoni, 4 Dec 1675; and his w. d. five days after. He m. 17 Jan 1677, sec. w. Eliz. Bridge, had Eliz. b. 30 June 1679; Thomas, 12 Dec 1680; Ann, 2 June 1683; Abigail, 13 July 1685; Mehitable, 7 Dec. 1687; Samuel, 3 Sep. 1690; and Mary, 2 Oct. 1695; and d. 28 Nov. 1717. His wid. m. 25 Oct 1720, Daniel Harrington.

  2.   "Kirk and Allied Families", in Americana Illustrated (American Historical Society)
    vol. 23, p. 500.
  3.   Nichols, John Benjamin. "Edward Garffield (1572-1672), of Watertown, Mass", in National Genealogical Society quarterly. (Washington, District of Columbia: National Genealogical Society)
    vol. 27, p. 66.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Historical Society of Watertown (Massachusetts). Watertown Records. (Watertown, Mass.: Press of Fred Barker, 1894-1939)
    2:62.

    Cap't: Benjamin Gearfield Aged Seventy foure, Deced the twenty eight of November 1717.
    [Birth calculates to about 1643.]

  5. ↑ Many sources give the birth date of Benjamin as 29 Jun 1646. This would make him a twin with his sister Abigail. But Abigail's birth is recorded in the Source:Watertown records (p. 1:13) and not his. It is hard to imagine that one birth of a set of twins would get recorded without the other. When you combine this with the age at death calculating to a birth about 1643, it seems most likely that the birth date in 1646 is not valid, probably a bookkeeping error.
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