Person Page - 76

     Cornelius Gillett was born say 1636 at Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA.^2,3 He was the son of Jonathan Gillett. Cornelius Gillett married Priscilla Kelsey, daughter of William Kelsey, by 1659.² Cornelius Gillett died on 26 June 1711 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.⁴

     Priscilla Kelsey was the daughter of William Kelsey.¹ Priscilla Kelsey married Cornelius Gillett, son of Jonathan Gillett, by 1659.² Priscilla Kelsey died on 7 January 1722/23 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹

     Jonathan Gillett was born by about 1609 at England.¹ He was the son of Rev. William Gillett.² Jonathan Gillett married Mary Dolbiar on 29 March 1634 at Colyton, Devonshire, England.¹ Jonathan Gillett died on 23 August 1677 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT; from inventory.¹

Jonathan is a verified Founder of Ancient Windsor.

From the Descendants of the founders of Ancient Windsor Newsletter, Summer 2021, Volume 38, Number 4, in an article "Some Treasures on Display at the Windsor Historical Society", by Richard C. Roberts:

Brothers Johathan and Nathan Gillett, sons of Rev. William Gillett, Rector of Chaffecombe, Somersetshire, England, both migrated to Dorchester in 1633 (Anderson, pp. 766, 770) although often included in synthetic passenger lists of the Mary and John an dplaced on that ship by John Insley Coddington (Coddington, p. 209), robert Charles Anderson indicates that "There was a ship from the West Country in 1633 that could have brought the Gilett brothers to New England and as a result we would not be justified in placing them on the Mary & John (Anderson, v.2, p 769).

The Windsor Historical society holds a 1599 edition of a Geneva Bible, which by family tradition was brought to New England by Jonathan Gillett, Senior and which later passed into the Holcomb family.

Because of an unfortunate encounter with a bear, this bible is now known as the "Bear Bible". It eventually came into the possession of the Rev. Lyman Gillette Potter, who donated it to the Windsor Historical Society in 1990.

     Priscilla Gillett was born on 23 January 1659 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ She was the daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey. Priscilla Gillett died by 1661.¹

     Priscilla Gillett was born on 30 March 1661 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ She was the daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey. Priscilla Gillett married John Grimes by jun 1711.¹ Priscilla Gillett died after 6 October 1719.¹

     John Grimes married Priscilla Gillett, daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey, by jun 1711.¹

     Cornelius Gillett was born on 15 December 1665 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ He was the son of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey. Cornelius Gillett married Elizabeth (?) by 1693.² Cornelius Gillett married Deborah Rowell by 1701/2.² Cornelius Gillett died on 5 September 1746 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT, at age 80.²

     Jonathan Gillett was born on 11 August 1669 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ He was the son of Joseph Gillett and Elizabeth Hawkes.¹ Jonathan Gillett died on 3 June 1686 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT, at age 16.¹

     Hester Gillett was born on 24 May 1671 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ She was the daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey.

She may be the Esther Gillett who married in Windsor, 3 Aug 1705, John Loomis.

     Sarah Gillett was born on 3 January 1673 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ She was the daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey. Sarah Gillett married Joseph Phelps on 22 February 1709/10.¹

     Joseph Phelps married Sarah Gillett, daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey, on 22 February 1709/10.¹

     Joanna Gillett was born on 22 April 1676 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ She was the daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey. Joanna Gillett married Thomas Allyn by 1703.¹

     Thomas Allyn married Joanna Gillett, daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey, by 1703.¹

     Esther Gull was born on 21 November 1665 at Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA.¹ She was the daughter of William Gull and Elizabeth Smith. Esther Gull married Joseph Gillett, son of Joseph Gillett and Elizabeth Hawkes, on 3 November 1687 at Hatfield, Hampshire Co., MA.¹

     Mary White was born on 24 August 1590 at Messing, Co. Essex, England.¹ She was the daughter of Robert White and Bridget Allgar. Mary White married Joseph Loomis, son of John Lummys and Agnes Lingwood, on 30 June 1614 at ParishChurch, Shalford, County Essex, England.¹ Mary White died on 23 August 1652 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT, at age 61.


Beverly Schonewolf also provided the following narrative.

Three women, viz., the wives of Lieut. Filer, and of John Drake (Hannah Moore), and of Nathaniel Lomas (Elizabeth Moore), having crossed Connecticut River upon a necessary and neighborly account (undoubtedly to attend a woman in labor - H.R.S.), and having done the work they went for, were desiring to return home to their own families, the river being at that time partly shut up with ice, old and new, and partly opwen. There being some pains taken aforehand to cut a way through the ice, the three women abovesaid got into a canoe, with whom also there was Nathaniel Bissell and an Indian. There was likewise another canoe with two men in it, that went before them to help them, in case they should meet with any distress, which indeed quickly came upon them, for just as they were getting out of the narrow passage between the ice, being near the middle of the river, a greater part of the upper ice came down upon them, and struck the end of the canoe and broke it to pieces so that it quickly sunk under them. The Indian speedily got upon the ice, but Nathaniel Bissell and the abovesaid women were left floating in the middle of the river, being cut off from all manner of human help besides what did arise from themselves, and the two men in the little canoe, which was so small that three persons durst seldom, if ever, venture into it. They were indeed discerned from one shore, but the dangerous ice would not admit from either shore one to come to them. All things thus circumstanced, the suddenness of the stroke and distress (which is apt to amaze men especially when no less than life is concerned), the extreme coldness of the weather, it being a sharp season, that persons out of the water were in danger of freezing, the inaptness of persons to help themselves, being mostly women, one big with child, and near the time of her travail (who also was carried away under the ice), the other as unskilled and inactive to do anything for self-preservation as almost any could be, the waters deep, that there was no hope of footing, no passage to either shore in any eye of reason, neither with their little canoe, by reason of the ice, nor without it, the ice without the loss of life, or wrong to health, was counted in the day of it a remarkable Providence. To say how it was done is difficult, yet, something of the manner of the deliverance may be mentioned. The abovesaid Nathaniel Bissell, perceiving their danger and being active in swimming, endeavored what might be the preservation of himself and some others; he strove to have swam to the upper ice, but the stream being too hard, he was forced downward to the lower ice, where, by reason of the slipperyness of the ice, and disadvantage of the stream, he found it difficult getting up; at length, by the good hand of Providence, being gotten upon the ice, he saw one of the women swimming down under the ice, and perceiving a hole or open place some few rods below there, he watched and took her up as she swam along. The other two women were in the river till the two men in the little canoe came for their relief. At length all of them got their heads above water, and had a little time to pause, though a long and difficult way to any shore, but by getting their little canoe upon the ice, and carrying one at a time over hazardous places they did (though in a long while) get all safe to the shore from whence they came.""
     Reference: Increase Mather, Remarkable Providences Pub. 1684, p. 24. of George Offer's edition, London. Above account was given 1670, Jan. 13.

     Joseph Loomis Jr. was born circa 1615 at Messing, Co. Essex, England. He was the son of Joseph Loomis and Mary White. Joseph Loomis Jr. married Sarah Hill on 17 September 1646. Joseph Loomis Jr. married Mary Sherwood, daughter of Thomas Sherwood of Fairfield and Mary Onge, on 28 June 1659 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.² Joseph Loomis Jr. died on 26 June 1687 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.³

He was made freeman 1654. He owned land granted by town of Windsor, 1643, 12 rods, 6 ft wide, bord. South and East by Matthew Allyn, North by Joseph Loomis Sr., West by John Porter's lot. In 1660 he purchased land on the East side of the Conn. river, which he divided 1686 to sons Joseph and John.

     Sarah Hill married Joseph Loomis Jr., son of Joseph Loomis and Mary White, on 17 September 1646. Sarah Hill died on 23 August 1653.

     Mary Sherwood was born circa 1640 at CT. She was the daughter of Thomas Sherwood of Fairfield and Mary Onge. Mary Sherwood married Joseph Loomis Jr., son of Joseph Loomis and Mary White, on 28 June 1659 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.² Mary Sherwood was CHURCH MEMBERSHIP in December 1660 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT. She died on 22 April 1681.

     Joseph Loomis III was born on 15 July 1649 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT. He was the son of Joseph Loomis Jr. and Sarah Hill. Joseph Loomis III married Lydia Drake, daughter of John Drake and Hannah Moore, on 10 April 1681.³ Joseph Loomis III married Abigail Gillett, daughter of Cornelius Gillett and Priscilla Kelsey, on 11 February 1702/3.^3,4 Joseph Loomis III died after 17 January 1733. Stiles and the 1875 Loomis Genealogy say he died Feb 26, 1715.

IT:Loomis:IT "but this cannot be, for his will was made Jan. 17, 1733, and proven Jan. 11, 1739-40." Loomis cites Manwaring Vol III.

The Drake Genealogy also mentions the will dated 17 Jan 1733.

     Lydia Drake was born on 26 January 1662 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.¹ She was the daughter of John Drake and Hannah Moore. Lydia Drake married Joseph Loomis III, son of Joseph Loomis Jr. and Sarah Hill, on 10 April 1681.¹ Lydia Drake died on 7 May 1702 at age 40.¹

     John Drake was born at probably England.² He was the son of John Drake and Elizabeth Rogers. John Drake married Hannah Moore on 30 November 1648 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.² John Drake died in 1689 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.² He left a will on 12 September 1689 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.²

Per Stiles, John's tombstone records the date of death as 7 July ,1688, but the Simsbury Town Records indicates 9 July 1689.

     There is some confusion on Capt. Joseph Loomis, son of Deacon Joseph, Loomis, page 145, item 117; and Joseph Loomis IV, Loomis, page 141, item 68.

Stiles pages 434 and 438 shows Mary Cooley marrying both of them.

Bowman in Vol. I, page 16, item 241, repeats Stiles.

Loomis shows Capt. Joseph marrying May Cooley and Joseph IV marrying Sarah Bissell.

The Bissell genealogy doesn't give a lot of details, page 25, item 4-43, but seems to match Loomis, borrowing Capt. Joseph's date of death.

This document will follow Loomis. Joseph Loomis was born on 8 October 1684. He was the son of Joseph Loomis III and Lydia Drake. Joseph Loomis married Sarah Bissell, daughter of John Bissell and Sarah White, circa 1708.

     Elizabeth Birge was born on 25 April 1670 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT. She was the daughter of Daniel Birge and Deborah Holcombe.¹ Elizabeth Birge died in 1678.

     Deborah Birge was born on 26 November 1671 at Middlesex, Haddum Co., CT. She was the daughter of Daniel Birge and Deborah Holcombe. Deborah Birge married Jared Spencer, son of John Spencer and Rebecca Howard, on 12 November 1692 at Middlesex, Haddum Co., CT.

     Elizabeth Birge was born in 1674. She was the daughter of Daniel Birge and Deborah Holcombe. Elizabeth Birge married Joseph Lewis at Swansea, Bristol Co., MA.¹ Elizabeth Birge died in 1742 at Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT.¹

Bowman finds that Elizabeth or one of her sisters may have married Moses Ventrous. He claims a share in estate distribution of Daniel Birge, Elizabeth's father, in 1699. Bowman does not list any children, but mentions page 66 of Genealogical Gleanings, Register xiv 101 and xxi 949.

     Mary Birge was born in 1677. She was the daughter of Daniel Birge and Deborah Holcombe. Mary Birge married Israel Stoughton, son of Thomas Stoughton and Mary Wadsworth, on 7 May 1713. Mary Birge died on 23 August 1755.

     Daniel Birge was born on 6 September 1680 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT.² He was the son of Daniel Birge and Deborah Holcombe. Daniel Birge married Rebeckah Tarbox circa 1721 at Hebron, Tolland Co., CT.² Daniel Birge died on 26 October 1737 at age 57.²

Daniel was one of the foiunders of the town of Hebron, CT, about 1708.

Bowman reports that he may havae married possibly Susannah Ventrous, born in 1668, daughter of Moses Ventrous. She married either a Danioel Birge or a Daniel Brainard, and had children, Experience & Esther. However, there is no Ventrous at all in the Hebron records.²

     Abigail Birge was born in 1685. She was the daughter of Daniel Birge and Deborah Holcombe.

     Sir Robert Bevill married Catherine Goode, daughter of John Goode. Sir Robert Bevill was born in 1575 at Wiscomb, County Devon, England. He was the son of Robert Bevill Sir.

     Catherine Goode married Sir Robert Bevill, son of Robert Bevill Sir. Catherine Goode was born in 1592 at Wiscomb, County Devon, England. She was the daughter of John Goode. Catherine Goode died on 3 December 1639.

     Robert Bevill Sir was born circa 1550. He was the son of Wiliam Bevill Sir.

     Thomas Coggan was born circa 1610. He was the son of Philobert Coggan and Ann Marshall. Thomas Coggan was also known as Thomas Coggins. He died on 4 March 1653 or 1654 at Taunton, New Plymouth Col., MA.

     William Holcombe was born at Hull, Yorkshire, England. William died in 1499 before his mother. He probably had descendants. He was listed in Vivian as of age 20 or more at this father's 1480 death. Thus, he would have been at least 39 when he died. He may be the William in McPearson, whose widow, wife of Robert Waddon was in a chancery suit involving William Holcomb's estate in 1538, at Lyme, Regis, County Dorset. Also, Seaver has a reference, "Thomas Holcomb a witness to the will of William Holcombe chanter of St Mary's and Vicar of Ashburton, dated April 1, 1499. Since he has no brother Thomas this could easily be his son. He was the son of Roger Holcombe and Margaret Avenell. William Holcombe died in 1499.

     Reference Westcote. Elizabeth Holcombe was the daughter of Roger Holcombe and Margaret Avenell.

     Jane (or Joan) Holcombe married William Pyre. Jane (or Joan) Holcombe was the daughter of Roger Holcombe and Margaret Avenell.

     William Pyre married Jane (or Joan) Holcombe, daughter of Roger Holcombe and Margaret Avenell. Spelling may be Frye, McPearson spells it Perry.

     Found in Walter and Harry chart and Burke, not Vivian and so may not even belong here. Roger Holcombe was the son of Charles Holcombe.

     Elizabeth Holcombe was the daughter of Charles Holcombe. Elizabeth Holcombe married Thomas Graver on 14 January 1552.

     Thomas Graver married Elizabeth Holcombe, daughter of Charles Holcombe, on 14 January 1552.

     Katherine Holcombe was the daughter of Charles Holcombe.

     William Perry was the son of William Pyre and Jane (or Joan) Holcombe.

Williams children by Thomasina are listed in Westcote/546. William Perry married Barbara Dawtry, daughter of Sir John Dawtry.

     Barbara Dawtry was the daughter of Sir John Dawtry. Barbara Dawtry married William Perry, son of William Pyre and Jane (or Joan) Holcombe. Barbara died without issue.