John Gifford

Notes:

Little Compton vital records suggest, by the placement of names and dates, that John Gifford b. 1705 d. Dec 1802 is a son of Christopher Gifford. However, Christopher does not name John as a son in his will, dated 5 Oct 1746. He does name all his (other) children, so perhaps John is not his son, as some genealogies show him to be.

I have placed him in the family of Jeremiah Gifford, as the Mayflower Descendants book indicates. This needs more research.

Some genealogies show John as having a second wife named Bathsheba who may have been the mother of one or more of his children.

The will of John Gifford, blacksmith, of Little Compton, was dated 19 Dec 1788, and proved 5 Jan 1803 at Little Compton. It mentions his son Ephraim, deceased, and four children of Ephraim: Jonathan, William, Lydia, & Esther; it also mentions by name four daughters: Judith Gifford, deceased, and her three children Ephraim, Zilla, & Judith, children of son-in-law Joseph Gifford; Elizabeth Manchester, deceased, and her five children -- Zebedee, Jabez (Isaac?), Elizabeth Burden, Judith, & Phebe; Mary Read, deceased, and her daughter Mary Taber; Lydia Manchester, deceased, and her daughter Rhoda; and possibly an unnamed daughter who would have been mother of grandson John Gibbs who is also mentioned.

John died in his 95th year.

Our possible ancestor is John's daughter Lydia, mother of Rhoda Manchester.

John married Comfort Hart Aft 24 May 1730, Little Compton, RI. Comfort (daughter of Richard Hart, Jr. and Amy Gibbs) was born 4 Apr 1710, Tiverton or Little Compton, RI; died Bef 19 Dec 1788. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

John Gifford & Comfort Hart filed a marriage intention on 24 May 1730 at Little Compton. They may have been married in May or June.

1. Mary Gifford was born Abt 1731; died 14 Dec 1798.
2. Ephram Gifford was born 18 Nov 1733; died Bef 19 Dec 1788.
3. Elizabeth Gifford was born Abt 1734; died Bef 19 Dec 1788.
4. Lydia Gifford was born Abt 1738; died Bef 14 Dec 1788.
5. Judith Gifford was born Abt 1743; died Bef 19 Dec 1788.

Notes:

A Jeremiah Gifford witnessed deed executed by Stephen Wing on the 2nd day of December, 1700, concerning Stephen's property in Sandwich, MA. If the Jeremiah who witnessed this is the son of Sarah Wing, then he was signing a deed of his grandfather.

Jeremiah & Mary settled in Dartmouth, where all of their children were born.

Jeremiah left no will, but during his lifetime deeded land to his sons Joseph, William, Jonathan, Isaac, Peleg, Benjamin, Adam, & David. Another son, Gideon, died in 1760, and in his will he mentioned by name sisters Elizabeth, Margaret (Potter), & Sarah (Parks), and a brother John.

Jeremiah & Mary had two sets of twins. Note: "Soule descendants have shown a strong genetic trait of twinning." (see "Mayflower Descendants Through Five Generations" Vol. 3 , George Soule, p. 14)

Jeremiah married Mary Wright Abt 1703, Plymouth, MA. Mary (daughter of Adam Wright and Sarah Soule) was born Between 1680 and 1685; died Aft 14 Apr 1760. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

There is strong speculation that Esther & Mary may have been twins, since the first three children seem to have been born so close together. "Soule descendants have shown a strong genetic trait of twinning." (see "Mayflower Families Through Five Generations" Vol. 3 , George Soule, p. 14)

Jeremiah & Mary had two sets of twins.

Mary Gifford, wife of Jeremiah, is mentioned by name in her father's will of 1723.

Mary died after her son Gideon's will of 14 Apr 1760.

Notes:

Robert & Sarah had about 9 children.

Robert married Sarah WING 1680, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony, MA. Sarah (daughter of Stephen WING and Sarah BRIGGS) was born 5 Feb 1658/59, Sandwich, Plymouth Colony, MA; died Between 1720 and 1724, Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Adam is mentioned by name in his father's will.

Adam's will, dated 1723, mentions by name his daughter Mary, wife of Jeremiah Gifford.

Adam married Sarah Soule Bef 1680. Sarah (daughter of John Soule and Rebecca Simmons) was born Abt 1660, Duxbury, MA; died Between 1693 and 1698. [Group Sheet]

William — Elizabeth GRANT. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

There is some uncertainly as to whether Elizabeth was the wife of William, and therefore whether she is the mother of Robert.

Notes:

(All of the following notes are from Rootsweb genealogy of Raymond T. Wing.)

"Stephen . . . was three years old in 1624 when his mother embarked from England with him and his older sister Deborah for Holland. Stephen, like his brothers, spent the first years of his life at Flushing and at The Hague, and came to New England with his mother when nine years old."

"He married Osheah Dilingham sometime in the Fall of 1646 being at that time twenty-five years of age. Then followed an event possible
only under the strict code of morals . . . of the Pilgrims . . . young Stephen was before the Plymouth Court, March 2, 1647, and fined because of the fact that a child was born to his wife at an unseasonable time after their marriage. The Court records the 'the said Wing coming into the face of the Court, freely acknowledging, he was according to order of the Court fined and discharged.' Governor Bradford signed the record."

"Stephen Wing, son of the Rev. John and Deborah Wing, settled in Sandwich in 1637 . . . He was a member of the first Friends Meeting in America, established at Spring Hill in 1658, and suffered a great persecution at the hands of the Plymouth Government in the cause of Religious Liberty. He died in 1710 and is buried at Spring Hill."

"He was probably one of the last, if not the very last, of the original settlers of Sandwich [Plymouth Colony] to survive. He lived 63 years in Sandwich after the date of the first settlement in 1637."

Stephen died at age 88.

"Stephen committed 'my body to Decent Buruall at our friends Burieng place att Spring Hill until when God shall please to call me Hence.' Unquestionably he lies there among the unmarked graves."

"Will dated Dec. 2, 1700, proved July 13, 1710. Sons Ebenezer and Matthew executors; mentions sons Nathaniel, Elisha, John, Ebenzer,
Matthew, daughters Sarah Gifford, Abigail and grandson Jeremiah Gifford. Inventory shows personal estate,

Stephen married Sarah BRIGGS 7 Jan 1654/55, Sandwich, MA. Sarah was born Abt 1630; died 26 Mar 1689, Sandwich, Barnstable, Plymouth Colony, MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Richard "died about 2 hours after being about 83 years old." (see Mayflower Descendants Vol 12, on Francis Cooke, p. 55)

Richard married Hester Cooke Abt 1644, Plymouth Colony, MA. Hester (daughter of Francis COOKE and Hester MAHIEU) was born Between 1624 and 1625, Plymouth, MA; died Between 9 May 1669 and 8 Jun 1691, Plymouth, MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

It is possible that Hester was born in Leyden, Holland, before April 1621. However, it is more likely that she was born at least nine months after her mother had been reunited with her father in Plymouth, MA. A lengthy discussion of this is found in the book "Mayflower Families Through Five Generations" Vol. 12, Francis Cooke.

Notes:

Esther Soul, widow, was appointed to administer the estate of John Soul, 14 Nov 1707. The settlement was signed by John & Rachel Cobb, Edmond & Rebecca Watson, & Adam Wright (husband of Sarah, dec'd).

John married Rebecca Simmons Abt 1655, Duxbury, MA. Rebecca (daughter of Moses Simmons) was born Abt 1634; died Abt 1675, Duxbury, MA. [Group Sheet]