Based on Essex County, Massachusetts Court Records and two deed records, Philip appears to be the illegitimate son of Sarah (Fairfield) Needham and a Philip Parsons., born in the spring of 1681. Sarah later married a Thomas Abbey and the family moved to Enfield, Connecticut. Sarah was the daughter of Walter Fairfield of Wenham, Essex, Massachusetts. Little is known about Philip Parsons, the presumed father of Philip of Enfield. Dietrich speculates that Philip (of Enfield, Connecticut) was perhaps related to the Love Parsons who married Peter Lurvey in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1702 because he named his first daughter Love.
