Immigrants Richard CHURCH and Anne MARSH 11th great grandparents

Richard Church (1610-1667) the immigrant, born February 8, 1610, married, May 18, 1627, Anne Marsh (1610-1684) daughter of Edward Marsh, of Braintree.
They arrived in Boston and settled, originally in Newton, Massachusetts. In 1636 he and his family went with Rev. Thomas Hooker to settle the area now know as Hartford, Connecticut. Church an original proprietor of Hartford 1637, received, in 1639-40, a home-lot on the east side of the road to the Cow Pasture (North Main St.) ; freed from watching and warding, etc. March, 1655; chosen chimney-viewer, 1648; surveyor of highways, 1655. Removed to Hadley with "the withdrawers," in 1659; d. there, Dec. 16, 166 1.

[Church resided on the east side of Burr street (originally known as the road from “Centinel Hill to the cow Pasture,” according to W. L. Porter.) “Centinel Hill” is that part of Main street at the head of the present Morgan street, and was originally much higher than it now is. The “Cow Pasture” was in the vicinity of the present Keney Memorial tower, and it was directly east of the “Cow Pasture” that Richard Church lived, his land probably extending down to the present Windsor street.]

He was a participant in the great controversy which divided the first Church in Hartford, and he sided with the party which opposed the Rev. Samuel Stone, as his signature to a letter to Mr. Stone’s remonstrance shows. This letter bears date of March 12, 1655, at which time Richard Church was in Hartford. Probably, in 1659, he removed to Hadley, with the “withdrawers,” and died there, December 16, 1667. Anne Church his widow, died March 10, 1684, aged 83.

Children of Richard Church and Anne Marsh are:

i.Edward Church, b. 26 Feb 1627/28, Braintree, Essex, England; d. 10 Sep 1704, Hatfield, Hampshire, Ma.; m. Mary Hopkins, Abt. 1654, Hartford, Conn.; b. Abt. 1637, Hatfield, Hampshire, Ma.; d. 30 Sep 1690, Hatfield, Hampshire, Ma.

ii.Mary Church, b. 02 Nov 1632, Hadley, Hampshire, Ma.; d. 09 Jun 1695, Hadley, Hampshire, Ma.; m. Isaac Graves, 1645; b. Abt. 1620, Hatfield, Hampshire, Ma.; d. 19 Sep 1677, Hadley, Hampshire, Ma.

iii.Samuel Church, b. 1636, Hadley, Hampshire, Ma.; d. 13 Apr 1684, Hadley, Hampshire, Ma.; m. Mary Churchill, Bet. 1665 - 1666, Hadley, Ma.; b. 24 Mar 1638/39, Wethersfield, Hartford, Ct.; d. 1690, Hadley, Hampshire, Ma.

iv.John Church, b. 09 May 1636, Hartford, Ct.; d. 16 Oct 1691, Hartford, Ct.; m. Sarah Beckley dau. of richard Beckley, of New Haven, 27 Oct 1657, Hartford, Ct.; b. 1636, New Haven, CT; d. 1689.

Possibly several more children.

Ancestry Chain: Richard CHURCH Immigant b.1610, Mary CHURCH Immigrant b.1611, John GRAVES-11861 b.1664, Isaac GRAVES-6235 b.1688, Jerusha GRAVES-4004 b.1717, Jerusha COOLEY-3693 b.1738, Sylvanus BRONSON-3690 b.1769, Mary BRONSON-3182 b.1806, Martin Luther ENSIGN-144 b.1831, Harriett Camilla ENSIGN-31 b.1859, George Ensign SMITH-28 b.1898, Camilla SMITH b.1926, Lark, JR.

NOTE: There were two immigrants named Richard Church. They have been confused because they were born and died near the same time. Richard Church (1608-1668) husband of Elizabeth Warren (daughter of the Mayflower passenger) arrived in New England with the Winthrop fleet. He lived his life in Plymouth, Salem, and Hingham Massachusetts.