Concerning the wife of John Kirby nothing is positively known except that her name was Elizabeth; that she married (2) Abraham Randall of Windsor, Ct.; outlived her second husband, and died after 1697. It is believed, however, that her name was Elizabeth Hinds; that she was the niece of Sarah (Hinds) Cheplin, wife of Clement Cheplin of Bury St. Edmunds, Co. Suftolk, England, and afterward of Wethersfield, Ct. ; that she was born in Bury St. Edmunds, and accompanied, or followed, her aunt to Wethersfield, Ct., and was married to John Kirby before 1645. The reasons for such belief are based mainly upon the following letter, found in Hartford in the manuscript copy of the first book of the Colonial Records of Connecticut, page 273 (original book, page 285)
Cozin Kirby. My love remembered to you both. I have sent your Wife a small token with a Letter to you by Wm. Goodrich. Your Wife's Father is yett alive and in good Health. I doe forgive you all that you oweth me and pray God that it may doe you good. I Desire you may grow in Grace and so wishing you much good from God I remain your Loving Kinsman Sarah Cheplin.
Bury, 2 January 1661.
Superscribed to my Cozin John Kirby late of Wethersfield.
The terms of John Kirby's will show that his wife Elizabeth must have been a woman whose husband could safely trust in her, for he left her the possession and use of all his estate during her life. And that she was worthy of such confidence is evident from her relinquishment of the estate so bequeathed to her, "that she might not be destitute of a comfortable subsistence," to her children after her second marriage. She married a second time, Oct. 27, 1681, Abraham Randall of Windsor, Ct, the son of Philip Randall of Dorchester and Windsor. Mr. Randall died Oct. 2, 1690, in Windsor and she returned to Middletown. In April, 1697, she had become a resident of Wethersfield, and probably died there.
