Person:Elizabeth Danson (1)

The Estate of the Widow Elizabeth Wilson of Hartford and an Analysis of Documents Establishing the Identities of Her Four Husbands

"Wilson, Elizabeth,* widow of Phineas Wilson, Hartford. The identity of this woman having been questioned, and conflicting claims having been made in regard thereto, the compiler of this work has spared no pains in order to make it as clear as possible, with the following result:—

By the will of John Warren of Boston, Mass. (a cardmaker), dated 10 July, 1677, and probated 31 July, 1677 [see Suffolk County, Mass., Probate Book 6, page 191], he gives all his personal estate to his wife Elizabeth to bring up 'my son Nathaniel and Abigail.' He also mentions 'my other children,' also 'son Joshua' and 'son Thomas.' The witnesses to this will were John Comer and John ffernside. This, according to the research which has been made, is the first mention of the Elizabeth Wilson named above, when she appears (1677) as Elizabeth Warren, widow of John Warren. It seems evident by a comparison of dates that at this time she was at least 40 years of age.

This Elizabeth Warren, widow, next appears (1681) as one of the principal parties to a marriage contract, the other being Samuel Sendall, a limeburner, of Boston. By this contract (ante-nuptial) Samuel Sendall quitclaims to Elizabeth Warren, widow, all his right, title and interest in any property at that time in her possession as John Warren's widow, an inventory of which accompanies the contract; and as a further inducement to effect the marriage, Samuel Sendall gives to Elizabeth Warren, widow, certain real estate in Condit Street, Boston, the same being mentioned in later deeds and agreements. The 'feoffees in trust' to this agreement or contract were John Danson, a pastry cook, and Edward Drinker, a potter. The date is 29 September, 1681.— [Suffolk County Land Records, Book 12, pages 1, 2, 3.

She next appears (1685) as the widow of Samuel Sendall (limeburner) of Boston, and also as a party to a 'triparte' indenture made 11 July, 1685, between John Hayward (public notary), of the first part; Elizabeth Sendall, widow of Samuel Sendall (limeburner), of the second part; and John Comer (pewterer) and Edward Drinker (potter), of the third part, all of Boston; which indenture is simply another ante-nuptial contract between Elizabeth Sendall, widow, and John Hayward, public notary (with John Comer and Edward Drinker as witnesses), which secures to her the property already given her by her former husbands, John Warren and Samuel Sendall.— [Suffolk County Land Records, Book 13, page 354.

It may be interesting to note right here that this John Hayward (public notary) testifies in a deposition made 28 November, 1672 (he being then 33 years old), as to instructions given him to make a certain deed, etc. This is mentioned because an ante-nuptial agreement or contract apparently existed between John Warren and his wife Elizabeth, as he mentions it in his will (1677). If so, it may be that the above mentioned deposition refers to that agreement, as its date (1672) would be about the time that John Warren and Elizabeth his wife were married. And if this agreement could be found anywhere upon record, it might disclose the identity of her maiden name, which is believed to have been Danson, and might also prove that she was Elizabeth Crossthwayt, widow, when she married John Warren, about 1672. Thus it is possible that this woman Elizabeth Danson had during her life five husbands, as follows: ……… Crossthwayt, John Warren, cardmaker, Samuel Sendall, limeburner, John Hayward, public notary, Phineas Wilson, merchant.

Of the first husband mentioned here we are not sure, but of the four others, in the order mentioned, there is no doubt.

We next meet with her (1687) as the widow of John Hayward, public notary, who, in his will (dated 15 February, 1687-8) ratifies and confirms 'that covenant which I made with my now wife, or feoffees in trust in her behalfe, before marriage, relating to her house and lands in Condit street, in said Boston. Also, I doe hereby confirme unto my said wife the warehouse and land wch: I purchased for her of Gyles Dyer, adjoyning to her said lands, wch: I caused to be made over to feoffees in trust for her use. All of which is in lieue of her right of dower or thirds in or to my estate.' She was also appointed executrix of his will.— [Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. 10, pp. 224-226.

At last she appears (in 1692) as the widow of Phineas Wilson, who, in his will (dated 6 May, 1691) gives 'to Elizabeth, my well-beloved wife, my new dwelling house scituate in Hartford.' Also, 'to my only son (by a former wife, daughter of Nathaniel Sanford, of Hartford) Nathaniel Wilson, lands in Hartford, formerly the estate of his grandfather, Mr. Nathaniel Sanford decd.' Also, unto 'my wife's daughter, Abigail Warren, ten pounds in money.' Here we have in this Abigail Warren, mentioned by Phineas Wilson as 'my wife's daughter,' added and sufficient proof that Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson was originally the wife of John Warren, and, if so, then necessarily the wife successively of Samuel Sendall and John Hayward.— [Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. 13, pp. 37, 106; Vol. 15, p. 120.

This Abigail Warren, daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson by a former husband (John Warren of Boston) was married about 1691 to Richard Lord of Hartford, who died in January or February, 1711-12 (see pages 254 and 255 of this book), and after Mr. Lord's death she became the wife of the Rev. Timothy Woodbridge.

The next we hear from Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson (1717) is through a Probate Court Record entry at Hartford, Vol. IX, Page 32, wherein she, 'being indisposed in body and not able to go from home' (she was at this time probably about 80 years old), desires that a Court of Probate might be held at her house, in Hartford, which was accordingly granted. And at this session of the Hartford Probate Court, held in her own house, 8 May, 1717, Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson, now widow of Phineas Wilson, renders an additional account to the Court on the estate of her former husband, Mr. John 'Howard' of Boston, Pub: Notary (a sale of £100 worth of lands in Dunstable, Mass., and disbursements of £68-13-00 on account of his estate), she being his executrix. A record of this meeting is also to be found in Probate Book 19, pp. 332-333, Suffolk County Probate Records (Boston), to which Samuel Sewell, Esq., Judge of Probate at that time, added: 'Mrs. Elizabeth Hayward (now Wilson), the executrix, being unable to travel by reason of her great age and infirmity, and having seen the vouchers, I allow the foregoing account,' etc. A record of this meeting also appears on page 405 of this volume, under 'Howard' John, which is as it is recorded in Hartford, but nevertheless should have been Hayward.

Finally, on the 5th of January, 1724-5, and when she could not have been far from 87 years old, she makes her own will, signing it as Elizabeth Wilson, and then lived some three years longer, as her death occurred in July, 1727, and her will was probated in August of the same year, thus making her age at death about 90 years.

The account of this person is really very interesting, and shows her to have been a woman of great business ability; and, when taken in connection with the account of Nathaniel Wilson, son of Phineas Wilson (see page 140 of this volume), proves not only that truth is stranger than fiction, but also how easy it is to be mistaken.

The will of Phineas Wilson, merchant, of Hartford and Boston, may be found on record in Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. 13, page 37; and in Hartford Probate Records, Vol. V, page 139; also on page 522, Vol. I, of this work. See also page 358, Vol. I, of this work, a petition of Phineas Wilson to the Court of Probate at Hartford in behalf of his son Nathaniel Wilson, that the latter might be awarded his legal share (in right of his mother deceased) in the estate of his maternal grandfather, Nathaniel Sandford, whose daughter was the first wife of Phineas Wilson.

The will and inventory of John Hayward, public notary, of Boston, Mass., whose widow married Phineas Wilson, is as follows:

Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. 10, pp. 224-226.

In the name of God, amen. The eight day of July, Anno Dom. One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Seaven. I, John Hayward, of Boston, in New England, notary, make and ordain this my last will and testament:

First. My soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator, and my body to the earth to be buryed (intirely and without mangling for the sattisfaction of the curiosities of any person whatsoever) and in such desent manner (yett without any millitary or expensive ceremonies whatsoever) as to my executrix shall be thought meete.

Item. I do hereby ratifie and confirm that covenant which I made with my now wife, or feoffees in trust in her behalfe, before marriage, relateing to her house and lands in Condit Streete, in said Boston. Alsoe I doe hereby confirme unto my said wife the warehouse and land wch: I purchased for her of Gyles Dyer, adjoyning to her said lands, wch: I caused to be made over to feoffees in trust for her use. All of which is in leiue of her right of dower or thirds in or to my estate.

Item. I give to my daughter Abigaell ten pounds.

Item. I give to my father and mother-in-law Danson twenty shilds a peece to buy them rings.

Item. I give the full remainder of my estate, reale and personally unto my two sonns, Samll and John, to be equally divided betweene them.

Item. John shall be mainteyned out of my entire estate and therewith educated untill he attaine the age of sixteene yeares.

To my two sisters, namely, Hannah and Sarah.

Item. I doe hereby nominate and appoint my wife Elizabeth Hayward executrix, and my very loveing friends, Mr. Edward Wyllys, of Boston, and Mr. Benjamin Browne, of Salem, merchants, to be overseers and guardians to my children til they come of age.

JOHN HAYWARD. [SEAL.]

The Witnesses: Thomas Smith, Benjamin Bullivant, Thomas Creese.

Made oath to the signing of the will, the 15th ffebruary, 1687. Before me,
ANDROSS.

An inventory of the estate of John Hayward of Boston, public notary, late decd., taken this 23 day of February, Anno Dom. 1687-8, as followeth, vizt.: [A list of personal property]; land at Dunstable containing about 540 acres in severall parcells, as per deeds and platts are mentioned. Item. A parcell of land in Boston.

Elizabeth Howard, executrix of the last will and testament of John Howard, late of Boston decd., exhibited the within inventory and made oath, etc.

Sworne the 14th ffebruary, 1688-9, before me,
J. DUDLEY.

*The facts here given in relation to this woman were extracted from the original records in Boston, Mass., and furnished the compiler through the kindness and courtesy of Mr. James Allen Kibbe of Warehouse Point, Conn., and Mr. Alanson H. Reed of Wellesley Hills, Mass.—[C. W. M."^[2]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Barclay, Mrs. John E. Barclay, and Rachel E. Barclay Barclay. Elizabeth Danson and Her Four Husbands:: Warren-Sendall-Hayward-Wilson. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Jan 1971)
   47:17.

   Elizabeth Danson was born probably in England about 1643 and thus about 85 (instead of 90 as estimated by Mr. Manwaring) when she died July 1727 in Hartford, Conn. In the records are several references to Elizabeth Danson, the wife and widow of George, but none to Elizabeth Danson as his daughter. However, in the Massachusetts Archives 10:284 f. we find an Exhortation by Elizabeth Danson, Quaker, to the General Court, recorded 12 Feb. 1674/5. Since her parents were living in Middleboro at this date, this must refer to the daughter and not to the wife of George Danson and is proof that she was not yet the wife of John Warren.

2. ↑ Wilson, Elizabeth, widow of Phineas Wilson, Hartford, in Manwaring, Charles W. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records. (Hartford, Conn.: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904-06)
   2:619-24.