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From my book "Line of Descent of George Roger Gilbert"
THE HANFORD FAMILY
From my notes
Wednesday, April 25, 1973
Today I went to the Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh, New York hoping to find information about the Mandevilles. The library is an old colonial type house of brick. Upstairs they have a pretty good collection of History and Genealogical books.
I found "Records of Norwalk" and in the Genealogical section at the rear of the book page 219 I found:
John Darrow, late of New London, took to wife Sarah Hanford, daughter to Mr. Eleasar Hanford late of Norwalk, deceased, and was marryed to her October 30, 1735.
Samuel & Twins, son and daughter to ye said John Darrow
Hannah and were born September 29, 1736
John Born February 22, 1738/9
Isaac Born May 17, 1741
Paul Born October 9, 1743
on page 183 -
Mstr. Thomas Hanford, pastor to the church of Norwalk, tooke to wiffe the widow Mary ________ Married unto his sayed wife at Newe Haven, October 22, 1661.
Theophilus Hanford, sonne of mstr. Tho. Handforde born in July, the 19th, 1662.
and on page 187
Mary Handford, the daughter of mstr. Thos. Handford, borne the thirtieth of November, Anno 1663.
Hannah Handford, the daughter of mstr.Thos. Handford, born the twentieth eighth of June, Anna 1665.
Elisabeth Hanford, the daughter of Mstr. Thos. Hanford, born the ninth of January, Anno 1666.
Thomas Handford, the sonne of Mstr. Thos. Handford, borne the eighteenth of July, Anno 1668.
Eleazar Hanford, the sonne of Mstr. Thos. Hanford, borne the fifteenth of September, Anno 1670.
Elnathan Hanford, the sonne of Mstr. Thos. Hanford, born the eleventh of October, Anno 1672
Samuel Hanford, the sonne of Mstr. Thos. Hanford, born the ( this was blank).
on page 14 - The First Minister
In the great Bible of Capt. Hezekiah Betts who died in 1837, aged 77, I find, among other historical memoranda, entered by his own hand, that Thomas Hanford began to preach to the people of Norwalk about the year 1648. As Captain Betts was so curious about such matters, and so accurate, I had entertained no doubt that his record was correct, and so published it, but as the people who agreed for the settlement with Mr. Ludlowe, in 1650, engaged to "invite an orthodox and approved minister with all convenient speed" it is clear that Mr. Hanford was not here in 1648. Trumbull is doubtless correct, when he says page 299 " The same year [1652] Mr. Thomas Hanford began to preach at Norwalk, and some time after a church was formed in that town, and Mr. Hanford ordained pastor.
Saturday, May 5, 1973
I went to the Syracuse Public Library in quest of more information about Isaac Darrow's ancestors. On the strength of date of birth of Isaac Darrow, born in Norwalk, Fairfield County, Connecticut, I searched for his ancestors.
In the "History and Genealogy of the families of Old Fairfield" Dewey decimal number LC76 F16 Bj v-1 compiled and edited by Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., noted Genealogist, on page 256 I found:
Hanford, (Rev.) Thomas. Colonial grant of 200 acres, October, 1674. (See page 713 was written here in pencil).
His mother, Eglin, was sister to Timothy Hatherly, the founder of Scituate, and came over in 1634, aged 46, with her daughters Lettice (who married 8 April, 1635, Edward Foster) and Margaret (who married 1636, Isaac Robinson). Thomas appears to have come later, perhaps after completing his education, and was in Scituate by 1643; taught school in Roxbury, Massachusetts; freeman of Massachusetts, 1650, and soon settled in Norwalk. (page 713 - additions and corrections contained -)
Hanford, (Rev.) Thomas. He was son of Theophilus and Eglin (Mortimer) Hanford, according to some accounts which have appeared in print. These statements have not been verified by the compiler, who sees no good reason to doubt that Eglin was a Hatherly. Colonel Banks suggests the possibility that the name Eglin may be a misreading for Eylin, i.e., Ellen, and we pass the suggestion along to those who may have the opportunity of consulting original records in which her name appears.
Rev. Thomas Hanford married (1) Hannah Newberry, daughter of Mr. Thomas of Dorchester, Massachusetts. (2) (recorded in Norwalk) 22 October 1661, widow Mary Ince. She was daughter of Richard Miles of New Haven and widow of John Ince.
Inventory 4 January 1693 [1693/4]. Heirs named; Theophilus, "whether living or dead uncertain"; Elizar; Elnathan; Samuel; Mary; Hannah; Elizabeth; Eunice, 18 next March; Sarah, 16 next May. Widow Mary and her son Elizar, and son-in-law, Mr. John Edwards, appointed administrators. They made a return, 13 March, 1693/4. Another inventory of Reverend Thomas' presented, 2 April, 1711; distribution ordered to heirs; one son and three daughters are deceased leaving children and three sons and two daughters living.
Inventory of Theophilus Hanford of Norwalk, 29 June, 1705; administration granted to John Edwards, John Burr, and Joseph Platt. A later record shows that John Burr was dead by 12 December, 1705. Distribution made to surviving brothers and sisters, Thomas, Eliazar, and Samuel Hanford, Mary Edwards, Hannah Platt, Elizabeth Burr, widow and Sarah Hanford and to heirs of deceased Elnathan Hanford and Unice, wife of Gershom Bulkley.
On 22 January 1722/3, Gershom Bulkley of Fairfield and Eunice Bulkley, his daughter by his former wife Eunice who was one of the daughters of Reverend Thomas Hanford, conveyed to Joseph Platt of Norwalk, right that belongs to us in reveration after the death of the widow. On 26 January, 1722/3, Thomas, Eleazar, and Samuel Hanford, Joseph Platt in right of his wife, Hannah, and by purchase from Gersom Bulkley and his daughter Eunice, Samuel Comstock and Sarah, his wife, all of Norwalk, and John Edwards in behalf of his children ( the heirs of his wife, Mrs. Mary Edwards, deceased), Thomas Hanford, and Thomas Hall in behalf of the heirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Burr, deceased, all of Fairfield, conveyed to Thomas Hanford their right in the dower set to Mrs. Mary Hanford, the widow, in the estate of Reverend Thomas Hanford. [Norwalk deeds]
The children of Rev. Thomas Hanford and Mary Miles :
Theophilus, b. 29 July, 1662 d. by 1705 unmarried [see above]
Mary, b. 30 Nov. 1663; m. John Edwards of Stratfield
Hannah, b. 28 June 1665; m. Joseph Platt
Elizabeth, b. 9 Jan. 1666/7 d. before 1708; m. John Burr, of Fairfield
Thomas, b. 18 July 1668
Eleazar, b. 15 Sept. 1670
Elnathan, b. 11 Oct. 1672
Samuel, b. 5 April, 1674
Eunice, b. March 1675/6 (by probate record) d. by 1706; m. about 1700 Gershom Bulkley.
Sarah, b. May, 1678 (by probate record); m. at Norwalk 27 December, 1705, Samuel Comstock.
On page 258 - Hanford, Eleazar, son of Thomas
Born at Norwalk, 15 September 1670; died there before 1728. Married Hannah Frisbie, daughter of Jonathan, born at Branford, 14 August 1693, died in 1759. She married (2) John Reed of Norwalk.
Eunice and Phineas chose Captain Samuel Hanford for guardian, 2 April 1728; and John Reed was appointed guardian to Mary and Eleazar. Distribution not made until 4 May, 1759: widow, eldest son Phineas, Eleazar, Mary, wife of Elisha Alvord, heirs of Eunice Whitney, heirs of Sarah Darrow.
John Reed (for his wife Hannah, and as guardian to his son-in-law Eleazar and daughter-in-law Mary Hanford), Phineas Hanford, and John Darrow and wife, Sarah, of Norwalk, conveyed 19 May, 1737 to Josiah Whitney and Eunice, his wife, of Norwalk, right in estate of Mr. Eleazar Hanford, deceased. [Norwalk deeds]
children:
Eunice, b. about 1712, m. Oct. 1729, Josiah Whitney
Phineas, b. about 1714, d. at Norwalk in 1788; Captain; estate distributed 5 July, 1788, m. (1) Ruth Scribner, daughter of Thomas, (2) Hannah Comstock, daughter of Moses.
Sarah, b. about 1716, d. at Norwalk, 11 December, 1749, in 34th year (grave stone), married October 30, 1735, John Darrow, late of New London
Mary, b. about 1718, d. about 1811, m. (1) in 1758, Elisha Alvord, of Fairfield, m. (2) at Greenfield, 23 Nov. 1778, Thomas Sherwood.
Eleazar, b. about 1720, m. 1745, Ann Taylor, daughter of Noah, who died 1802.