Person:Edward Garfield (1)

"Edward Garfield, immigrant ancestor, was born in England, about 1575, of an ancient English family. It has been difficult for genealogists to believe that the long career of this man belongs to one and the same person, and in some cases he is given a hypothetical son Edward. Garfield was a proprietor of Watertown, Massachusetts; was admitted a freeman of the colony May 6, 1635, and was selectman in 1638-55-62. His wife Rebecca, mother of all his children, died April 16, 1661, aged about fifty-five years. He married second Joanna, widow of Thomas Buckminster. He was a progenitor of President James A Garfield and many other prominent Americans. He died June 14, 1672, aged about ninety-seven years. His will, dated December 30, 1668, proved August 11, 1672, bequenthed to sons Samuel, Joseph and Benjamin Garfield; daughters Rebecca Mixer and Abigail Garfield; grandchildren Sarah Parkhurst and Sarah and Ephraim Garfield, and to his wife. The widow's will, dated March 8, proved August 17, 1676, bequenthed to daughters Marie, Dorcas and Sarah, daughter-in-law Elizabeth Spowell, grandchild Johanna Lawrence, and son Jabez Buckmaster (sic). She deeded land to her son Joseph Buckmaster June 25, 1663. Children of Edward and Rebecca Garfield: 1. Samuel, married Susanna _____, who died May 2, 1652; second September 28, 1652, Mary Benfield; settled in Lancaster, and had descendants in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, and vicinity. 2. Edward, born in England, a proprietor of Watertown, died before his father. 3. Joseph, born September 1, 1637; mentioned below. 4. Rebecca, born March 10, 1641; died March 16, 1683: married January 10, 1662, Isaac Mixer, Jr. 5. Benjamin, born 1643; died November 28, 1717. 6. Abigail, born June 29, 1646; died October 18, 1726; married, 1670, John Parkhurst."

[Note: to see the original spelling go here.]

"I, Edward Garfield of Watertown, being sick in body yet through God's goodness sound in my memory, do declare this to be my last will and testament as followeth:

Imprimis: I give and bequeath unto my son, Samuel Garfield, ten pounds, to be paid in corn or cattle within one year after my decease; and forty acres of my land, lying on the side of Prospect Hill; and a piece of meadow containing about two acres and a half and being on the east side of Stony Brook (the same piece of meadow which the said Samuel have made use [of] already for diverse years with my allowance)&151;provided the same Samuel allows a cartway through the said piece of meadow to my meadow on the other side of Stony Brook. Also I give unto the said Samuel all my wearing clothes and my great Bible. Now the reason why I give no more to my said son Samuel is because (he marrying many years ago) I have formerly given him both land and other estate.

Secondly, I give unto my son, Joseph Garfield, the house and land which now lives in, the land containing about nine and twenty acres. Also I give unto the said Joseph ten acres of meadow, lying on the farther side of Chester's Brook, westward, commonly called plain meadow. Also I give unto the said Joseph my farm, as also a mare colt of about a year old.

Thirdly, I give unto my daughter, Rebecca Mixter, twenty pounds, to be paid her in corn or cattle within two years after my decease; as also two pewter platters.

Fourthly, I give unto my daughter Abigail Garfield, twenty pounds, ten pounds to be paid at the time of her marriage and ten pounds to be paid two years after; but if the said Abigail shall die unmarried, then my will [is] that the said twenty pounds be equally divided to Samuel Garfield, my son, and Joseph Garfield, my son, and Benjamin Garfield, my son, and Rebecca Mixter, my daughter; and if the said Abigail do live unmarried [I declare] that then my will is [that] she shall be allowed five and twenty shillings a year so long as she lives unmarried. Also I give unto the said Abigail a feather bed and bolster, with a rug and two blankets and one pewter platter.

Fifthly, I give unto my grandchild, Sarah Parkhurst, one ewe sheep and a ewe lamb.

Sixthly, I give unto Sarah Garfield, my grandchild, seven pounds, provided she serves out her time; but if she serves not out her time, then my will is [that] she shall have but fifty shillings only.

Seventhly, I give unto Ephraim Garfield, my grandchild, two cows, to be paid within three years after my decease.

Eighthly, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife a cow, which my said wife shall have liberty to choose [from] among all my cattle. Also I allow unto my said wife five pounds a year as long as she lives, for which my wife had a bond of me before marriage. The said five pounds is to be paid in wheat and peas and rye and Indian [corn], by equal proportion (if my executor have them growing), at country price at such [a] place in Cambridge as my said wife shall appoint. Also my will is that my said wife shall, if she please, continue in my house. She shall have the new bedchamber for her use, with all the furniture in it, for space of seven months, as also a sufficiency of firewood for her own particular burning. Also my will is [that] my beloved wife abovesaid and my daughter Abigail abovesaid and my maid Ann should enjoy the benefit of what flax or hemp or wool there shall be in my house at my decease; and also that they are to live at the charge of my estate for the space of seven months as abovesaid.

As an addition to my beloved wife's legacy, my will is that she shall enjoy a feather bed and bolster and two little pillows which were of her own making; also a woolen wheel and a linen wheel.

Also I nominate and appoint my loving son, Benjamin Garfield, executor to this my will and testament&151;to receive all [that is] due to me, and to pay all my just debts.

Thus resigning my spirit to God that gave it and my body to the dust from whence it was taken, I declare this to be my last will and testament, and do hereunto set my hand [on] this thirtieth day of December, one thousand, six hundred, sixty and eight&151;desiring my loving friends Nathan Fiske, senior, and William Bond, senior, to see that this my will be performed.

Edward Garfield did own this to be his
will and did subscribe to it on the day
and year abovesaid, as testifieth
Nathan Fiske William Bond

[The mark of] Edward Garfield"

[p. 72] 1672. edward Gearffld dyed the 14 of June aged abought 97.

(per Anderson, Savage is correct that Bond had made two Edwards out of one.)
EDWARD, Watertown, d. 14 June, if Bond be correct, 1672, aged 97. EDWARD, Watertown, s. of the preced. b. in Eng. freem. 6 May 1635, by w. Rebecca had Samuel; Joseph, b. 11 Sept. 1637; Rebecca, 10 or 18 Mar. 1641; Benjamin, 1643; and Abigail, 29 June 1646, wh. m. John Parkhurst, and d. bef. her f. His w. Rebecca d. 16 Apr. 1661, aged 55, and he m. 1 Sept. 1661, Joan, wid. of Thomas Buckminster of Muddy river, now Brookline. His will of 10 Dec. 1668, pro. 11 July 1672, four weeks after his d. makes Benjamin, bef. ment. his excor. names, also, Samuel, "m. many yrs. ago," and two other s. two ds. Mixer and Garfield, beside gr. childr. Sarah Parkhurst, and Sarah and Ephraim G. Rebecca bec. 10 Jan. 1661, 2d w. of lsaac Mixer. It seems to me, that Dr. Bond has confused the f. and s. making ea. d. on the same day, and the age of the elder forbidding the likelihood of his being f. of the ch.

ORIGIN: Coventry, Warwickshire. MIGRATION: 1634 (based on admission to freemanship at 1635 election court). FIRST RESIDENCE: Watertown.
BIRTH: Baptized Hillmorton, Warwickshire, 28 July 1583, son of Thomas and Agnes (_____) Garfield.
DEATH: Watertown 14 June 1672, "aged about 97" [WaVR 1:36].