Person:Henry Smith (67)

Origins

Jacobus concluded that "The origin of Rev. Henry Smith has not been ascertained. He may have been the Henry Smith who matriculated from Kings College, Cambridge, A.B., 1619/20; Fellow of Kings."^[1] Brainard went into much greater detail about the various theories of Henry's origins, but concluded that a definitive identification of his origins remains elusive.^[2]

Concerning his Wife

"There was published at Hartford in 1856, under the title Genealogical Notes by the late Nathaniel Goodwin, for many years Judge of Probate for Hartford, a work which contains the earliest published account of Rev. Henry Smith and his descendants. Judge Goodwin concluded from the terms of Rev. Henry Smith’s will that Smith must have had a wife before his wife Dorothy, who was the mother of the four younger children, born in Wethersfield, since his older daughters were in 1648 married and themselves had children. This opinion has been generally accepted by later writers. We venture to disagree. It is evident that Rev. Henry Smith was in 1636 in the prime of life and not more than thirty-five years of age. His wife, Dorothy, doubtless some years younger than he, could have been the mother of all of his children and we so place them. …"^[2]

Life in New England

History of the town of Northfield, MA, p. 536:
SMITH, Henry, Rev., prob. came over in the "Elizabeth," 1635; was at Charlestown, 1636; rem. next year to Weth., where he was settled in the ministry, 1640; he d. 1648. The controversy which disturbed the church at Weth., only ending by the removal of a large part of its members to Had., about 1659, does not seem to have broken out until two or three years after his death, although he often has the credit of creating the division.

Per history of Ancient Wethersfield, p. 150 (fn), he and his wife were admitted to the communion of the Watertown church on 5 dec 1637.

From The History of Ancient Wethersfield, pp 29-31:

"In [1642-43], the number of colonists emigrating from Watertown to Wethersfield was considerably increased... A list of these, so far as is known, has never been given... the difficulty arises from the fact that the Watertown (Mass.) records do not contain the names of all the settlers there, not even of all the males of full age, and the Wethersfield records are even more faulty in this respect... the records of [its] votes... as well as of its church, are entirely lost, as to all transactions prior to 1648, and its land records only begin in 1640. Such are the names of the first settlers of Wethersfield as are given in Bond's History of Watertown, Mass. are herewith presented-- a part of these came hither in 1635, other in the year following: ... Samuel Smith... The following are names of additional settlers, nearly all from places other than Watertown; some directly from England; most of them came between 1636 and 1640, none later than 1645... Smith, (Rev.) Henry; Smith, Samuel and Smith, Philip (sons of Rev. Henry)"

Op cit., p 40 (footnote):

"List of persons to whom land was granted by Church and Town"... Granted land by the town... Rev. Henry Smith

Op cit., p 150:

"In 1641... Wethersfield, for the first time, became possessed of a settled minister in the person of Rev. Henry Smith, who is described as "a gentleman of good family," and one who, "as the patriarch of one of the best sustained and accomplished families in New England, is entitled to our regard as a gentleman of uncommon culture, refinement and firmness." With his wife and several small children, he is supposed to have come hither in 1639, if not earlier-- probably from Charlestown, Mass., where he arrived in 1637 from England.... His life in Wethersfield was by no means a happy one, for there were still left some restless spirits among his church and congregation, and "from the very beginning of his ministry he was the victim of suspicions most unfounded and accusations the most bitter." [Chief among his culumniators was Mr. Clement Chaplin, who seems to have come to Wethersfield from Hartford, in 1638, where he had been the "ruling elder" of the church since 1639, according to all indications.

Op city., p. 153:

"Wethersfield was settled in 1637, by the Rev. Henry Smith and his followers, who left Watertown, near Boston, in order to get out of the power of [Rev.] Mr. Cotton, whose severity in New England exceeded that of the bishops in Old England. But Mr. Smith did not discard the spirit of persecution, as the sole property of Mr. Cotton; but carried with him a suficient quantity

He m. Dorothy _____, who was probably a second wife. She m. (2), 1649, John Russell; she d. 1694.

The public records of the Colony of Connecticut:
I:iii (fn): The commission to several persons to govern the people at Connecticut for the space of a year then next coming, was granted by the General Court of Massachusetts, March 3d, 1635(6)... The commissioners named were... Henry Smith.
I:88: [106] June 15th, 1643: ... In the ac. of Battery and Trespasse of Tho. Waynewright, plt, against his Master Henry Smith, fet, the Court finds for the Defndt, Costs of the Court.
I:106: [122] June VIth, 1644: .... Clement Chaplin, pl. against Henry Smith and Samuell Smith defnts, in an action of the Case, the Pltf appeareth not.
I:143: In the action of Henry Smith pl agt Maruis Mudge deft the Court judgeth Mudge to pay 5 bush: of marchantable Indian Corne.
Per these same records, he was witnessing wills right up to his death.

Hale, House and Related Families, p. 552-3: John [Goodrich] is first mentioned in 1643 as signing with Francis Norton a "declaration" written by Mr. Clement Chapin "tending to the defamation of Mr. [Henry] Smith," and was fined forty shillings. He was sued by Samuel Smith 4 Mar 1646/7

In The public records of the colony of Connecticut, p 149 it reads:

"This court [when?] grants Henry Smith, upon the accot. of his service at the Pequot warre, eight acres of land, provided he take it up where it may not prejudice any former grant or plantation.

"This court grants Nicholas Disbrough fifty acres upon the same accot. with Henry Smith, and upon the same tearmes."

Legacy

Last will and testament of Henry Smith (transcribed in The public records of the colony of Connecticut, p 502, citing #266):

I Henry Smith, of Wethersfield, being at present in health of body and soundness of minde, considering my mortality, and knoweing it to be my duty to provide for my family and settle my estate, that I may leave no occasion of trouble to my children when I am gone, and that I may be free my self from distractions of this kind, if it shall please God to visit mee with sickness before I dye; I doe therefore leave this testimony vppon Record as my last Will and Testament. Then, for my outward estate, wch, because it is little and I have well proved the difficultyes of this Country, how hard a thinge it will be for a woman to manage the affaires of so great a family as the Father of Mercyes hathe blessed me withall, and have had alsso experience of the prudence and faithfullness of my deare wife, who shall, in parting with me, parte with a great parte of her livelihood, I give to my wife full power to dispose of all my estate in howses, Lands, Cattell and Goods whatsoever, within dores and without, only providing if she marry again, or otherwise be able comfortably to spare it from her owne necessary maintenance, that she give to my sonne Samuell that part of my howselott which was intended for my sonee Peregrine lyinge next to the burying place, and the land I have beyond the great River eastward, and also to him and my 2nd sonne Noah, 5 acres apeece of meadow, with upland proportionable thereunto; and to the rest of my children unmarried, £20 apeece at the age of 21 yeares, or at the time of her death wch shall come the soonest; and for my two daughters that bee married, my desire is that they have £20 apeece, and every one of their children £5 apeece, either in books or such other thing my wife shall best please to parte withall. And I desire the Church, whose serviant I now am, to take an ouersight of my family, that they may be brought vp in the true feare of God, and to see that this my will bee faithfully prformed. Henry Smith.

(I'm not sure what it is from this will that has the History and Biographies of Wethersfield claim that he had children from a previous wife.)

Research Comments

A search of NEHGR was conducted on 20-21 January 2009 at which time very little was found about Rev. Henry Smith of Wethersfield in the publications from 1847 through 2005.

Where information about him can be found includes:

1. The history of ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut : comprising the present towns of Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, and Newington
2. The Whitney family of Connecticut, and its affiliations
3. The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. I (possibly)
4. Families of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut
5. The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. III (possibly)
6. The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. IV (possibly)
7. The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. V (possibly)
8. The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884
9. A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut (possibly)
10. The Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol. VII (possibly)
11. Lieut. Samuel Smith : his children and one line of descendants and related families
12. The Public Records of the colony of Connecticut

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Rev. Henry Smith, in Jacobus, Donald Lines, and Edgar Francis Waterman. Hale, House and Related Families, Mainly of the Connecticut River Valley. (Hartford: The Connecticut Historical Society, 1952)
   730-33.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Brainard, Homer Worthington. The Reverend Henry Smith of Wethersfield. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Jul 1933)
   10:7-12.

   TAG 10:7-12 goes into much greater detail about the various theories of Henry's origins, but concluding that a definitive identification of his origins remains elusive.

3.   Isaac More, in Anderson, Robert Charles; George F. Sanborn; and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635. (Boston, Massachusetts: NEHGS, 1999-2011)
   5:141.

   … Henry Smith {1636, Watertown}.

4.   Temple, Josiah Howard; George Sheldon; and Mary T. Stratton. History of the Town of Northfield, Massachusetts, for 150 years: with an account of the prior occupation of the territory by the Squakheags: and with family genealogies. (Albany, NY: J. Munsell, 1875)
   536.
5.   From: http://www.kinnexions.com/ancestries/smithh.htm
   Portion of a letter from Samuel Smith, son of Rev Henry, to his own son.
   
   Hadley, Massacusetts Colony, Jan. ye Firste, 1698/99
   
   My Dear & Dutiful Son:
   I was of so tender an Age at the Death of my beloved Father, that I am possessed of but little of the Information for which you seek. My Revered Father was an ordained Minister of ye Gospelle, educate at Cambridge in England, & came to yis Land by reason of Ye Great Persecution by which ye infamous Archbiship Laud and ye Black Tom Tyrante (as Mr. Russell was always wont to call ye Earl of Strafforde) die cause ye reign of his Majestie, Charles ye First, to loose favor in ye sight of ye people of England. My Father & Mother came over in 1636/37, firste to Watertown which is neare Boston, & after a yeare or two to Weathersfield on ye great River, where he became ye firste settled Pastor. Concerning of ye earlie days I can remember but little save Hardship. My Parents had broughte both Men Servants & Maid Servants from England, but ye Maids tarried not but till they got married, ye wch was shortly, for there was great scarcity of Women in ye Colonies. Ye men did abide better. Onne of em had married onne of my Mother's Maids & they did come with us to Weathersfield, to our grate Comforte for some years, untill they had manny littel onnes of theire Owne. I do well remember ye Face & Figure of my Honoured Father. He was 5 foote, 10 inches talle & spare of builde, tho not leane. He was an Active as ye Red Skin Men & sinewy. His delighte was in sportes of strengthe, & withe his owne Hands he did helpe to reare bothe our owne House & ye Firste Meetinge House of Weathersfield, wherein he preacht yeares too fewe. He was well Featured & Fresh favoured with faire Skin & longe curling Hair (as neare all of us have had) with a merrie eye & swete smilinge Mouthe, tho he coulde frowne sternlie eno' when need was.
6.   A description of Henry Smith by his son, Samuel, in a letter to Samuel's son, Ichobod: "....He was five foot ten inches tall and spare of build, tho not leane. He was active as the R'd Skin Men & sinewy. His delighte was in sportes of strengthe, & withe his owne hands he did help to rear bothe our house and the firste meeting house in Wethersfield wherein he preacht yeares to fewe. He was well Featured & Fresh favored with faire Skin & longcurling hair (as near all of us had) with a merrie eye & swete smiling Mouthe, tho he coulde frowne sternlie eno' when need was...I remembered ye sweetnesse & ye Charity of
   my firste Farther."
   
   He studied at Kings College in Cambridge, England in 1619-1620, and was ordained by the Bishop of Peterborough on June 8, 1623.
   
   Henry came with his wife, four children, four men servants, and four maid servants on a ship with John Driver, master, sailing from Weymouth, England in 1636. They settled first in Watertown, Mass., and in March of 1636, Rev. Smith and six other men were appointed commissioners, giving them full power by the Massachusetts legislature to govern Connecticut for one year. On December 5, 1637, Henry and his wife were admitted to communion at the Watertown Church.
   
   In 1638, the family removed to Wethersfield, Conn. and Rev. Henry was the first ordained minister there. His homelot consisted of five acres and was bounded by the Wethersfield Green and the burying ground. According to an article in the "Connecticut Nutmegger", there was great dissatisfaction with the leadership of Rev. Smith (the wealthy ruling elder of the church, Clement Chaplin, incited rebellion in the flock against Rev. Henry and the people brought grievances against him), and because of this, the Connecticut legislature asked that he "lay down his place, if it be done according to God". Rev. Henry refused to resign, and the court found that there was no basis to the complaints. As a result, Mr. Chaplin and others were fined for what they had done against Rev. Smith.
   
   In 1637, Henry Smith from Wethersfield was one of 90 men who joined in the Pequot-Narrigansett War in Rhode Island.
   
   Henry may have had two wives. He would have married the first wife in England where she died after the birth of their three children, Mary, PHILLIPA, and Perigrin (her name is not known). His second wife, who was much younger & named Dorothy. Some say that she was Dorothy Cotton, but I know of no proof of this. However, the name "Cotton" was used in subsequent generations of descendants. Rev. Henry & Dorothy were the parents of five known children: Samuel Smith, Dorothy (Smith) Blakeman Hall St. John Moore, Joanna (Smith) Russell, Noah Smith, and Elizabeth Smith. The year after Henry's death (1649), widow Dorothy Smith married John Russell, father of Rev. John Russell who was sucessor of Rev. Henry Smith as minister of the Wethersfield Church.
   
   According to his son, he died of the great fever just before the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth. Rev. Henry Smith's will was dated May 8, 1648, giving Dorothy full power to dispose of his estate. His will instructed that Samuel was to have his house lot which was intended for his eldest son, Peregrine, deceased. Henry left five acres each of meadow to sons, Samuel & Noah. The rest of the children were not named in the will but were to receive 20 pounds each, and the children of his two married daughters were given five pounds each. His estate was inventoried by James Boosey & Samuel Smith, and totaled a little more than 370 pounds.
7.   1. REV. HENRY SMITH. Born ca 1600 in England. Henry died in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT, aft 8 May 1648; he was 48. Occupation: Minister. Education: Cambridge Univ., Cambridge, England. Bef 1622 when Henry was 22, he first married Dorothy ?, in England. Born ca 1603 in England. Dorothy died in prob. Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA, bef 22 Dec 1694; she was 91. They had the following children:
   2 i. PHILLIPA (ca1622-ca1687)
   3 ii. Mary (ca1624-)
   iii. Peregrine. Born ca 1627/1629 in England. Peregrine died bef 8 May 1648; he was 21.
   
   iv. Rebecca. Born ca 1631 in England.
   Rebecca first married Samuel SMITH. Born ca 1625. They were divorced bef 1669. In 1669 when Rebecca was 38, she second married Nathaniel BOWMAN. Nathaniel died in 1707 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT.
   
   4 v. Dorothy (1633-1706)
   vi. Samuel. Born on 27 Jan 1638/1639 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Samuel died in Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA, on 10 Sep 1703; he was 65.
   Samuel married Mary ENSIGN.
   
   vii. Joanna. Born on 25 Dec 1641 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Joanna died in Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA, on 28 Dec 1664; she was 23. On 4 Feb 1664/1665 when Joanna was 22, she married Philip RUSSELL. Philip died on 19 May 1693 in Hatfield, Hampshire Co., MA.
   
   viii. Noah (Died Young). Born on 25 Feb 1643/1644 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Noah died aft 8 May 1648; he was 5.
   
   ix. Elizabeth (Died Young). Born on 25 Aug 1648 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT.