Nathaniel Foote

Katherine Adelia Foote, Ebenezer Foote, the Founder, p. 213

NATHANIEL, THE SETTLER Our first American ancestor, Nathaniel, was fifteen years old when Robert, his father, died in 1608, and it has been learned that Robert, Jr., thus become head of the house, apprenticed Nathaniel for a term of years to a wholesale mer. chant in Colchester, or as often called in those days, “a grosser,” or one who sold by the gross instead Of by the pound or small quantity.* Mr. Goodwin found long ago that Nathaniel was married to Elizabeth Deming, sister of John, in 1615, and that at least two of their children were born in England, but I believe I am right in saying that His Honor of Rochester, before mentioned, first found and procured a certified record of their baptism. According to this, Elizabeth, oldest child of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Deming Foote, was baptized in St. James' Parish Church, Jan. 14, 1617 (or according to our reckoning, 1618), and of Nathaniel, their oldest son, baptized March 5th, 1619 (1620), both in the same church of St. James', Colchester. Nathaniel could not have turned Non or the children would have been ba chapels, as some of the others m nothing more until 1630. When w of the contingent of Governor Wi time. Nathaniel with Sir Richard Saltonstall being in the bris “Annie,” and settling at Watertown, Mass. (See Benjamin Trumbull's History, Conn. 1798). Later on, a large part of the Watertown settlers, consisting mostly of the Colchester party, went on and formed a new settlement on the banks of the Connecticut River, which they called Wethersfield, after the old Essex town they knew so well. Besides Nathaniel, we find included the names of Robert Francis, Thomas Welles, and John Deming. John Deming was the brother-in-law of Nathaniel. He came over with them and followed all of their Peregrinations. He was a Patentee in both the first and second Charters and a Magistrate in the Colony for the greater part of his future hife. Concerning the important office of Magistr early days, Trumbull says, (Vol. I, P. 111): in each town, there was the ticular or Supreme Court.” -Conformist until later, ptized in one Of their ay have been, as We know e find our relatives as part nthrop's 1500 coming at that ate in these “Beside the court ‘Court of Magistrates,' the ‘ParThis held a session once in * I am indebted to Miss Caroline Fo covered this last intere Ote Lester, who dissting fact, Over i n England. 214 three months. To this lay all the appeals from the other courts. For a considerable time they were vested with such discretionary powers as none of the courts of this day would venture to exercise.” Nathaniel died in 1644, aged 51, so that he had not many years over here. In order to realize how early in the history of New England 1630 was, I will again quote from Trumbull: “The Patent of Mass. Bay was not signed by Charles the First, until March 4, 1629. Salem, the first settlement, was begun in June, 1630, and Charlestown soon after, and Boston and Watertown in July. Gov. Winthrop himself settled at Charlestown, Sir Isaac Johnston, the unfortunate, at Boston, and Sir Richard Saltonstall and his people at Watertown, and chose Mr. Phillips as their pastor.” Later on Sir Richard and his party, including Mr. Phillips, went on to Wethersfield. Of the latter, Mr. Trumbull says: “He had been Minister at Boxford in the county of Essex, and most of these emigrants had been under his charge there, or were from other parts of Essex.” In 1632 came over from Chelmsford, Essex, the well known clergymen, John Cotton and Thomas Hooker. Also with them came John Haynes, afterward Governor, leaving his fine estate, Copford Hall, to three of his children, one of whom, John, entered the ministry and settled at or near Colchester, in Essex. In 1646, Elizabeth married Thomas Welles, who had come with them, and outlived him as well, he dying in 1660 and she not until 1683, aged 88 years. Of our somewhat distant stepfather, Thomas Welles, I have gleaned these facts from Trumbull and other sources: In the eleventh century (1000 and something) William the Conqueror gave to one of his knights the name of Welles, and created him Baron Richardus de Welles. From him descended the Thomas who married Elizabeth. He became a Non-Conformist, his property was confiscated, and he had been summoned to appear before the Star Chamber. Over here his name is in the Hartford records of 1637 as a Magistrate of the Colony. He held the office every other year for 22 years. In 1689 he was made Treasurer of the Colony, holding the office many years until he asked to be relieved. In 1649, he was made one of the Commissioners of the United Colonies; in 1654, Moderator, to the General Court, and Deputy Governor; in 1655, the fourth Governor of Connecticut.

215 He died Jan. 14, 1660, having been Governor or Deputy Governor for the last twenty years of his life. From Trumbull again we learn that, in 1662 “King Charles, the Second, granted a new Charter to Conn., confirming what Charles the First had granted. It begins, “A goodly number of men shall be, forever after, A body Corporate of the English Colony of Connecticut, in New England and in America.’” Among the names given are John Deming and Thomas Welles. Unfortunately poor Thomas had died too soon to reap the honor, but I dare say Elizabeth went about pluming herself over the fact of having had both a brother and husband on the list of the new Charter. Nathaniel's youngest daughter, Rebecca, married Lt. Philip Smith. Of him Cotton Mather says in his “Magnalia”: “Philip Smith was murdered with an hideous witchcraft.” (Book 6: Chap. 7.) Thus connecting us with those days of superstition.