Joseph Woodford

     Important Notes:

A. Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870
     1. Sara Woodford – baptized 2 September 1649
     2. Hartford page 355
B. Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850
     1. 4 March 1635 – Thomas Woodford and Mary Blott married
          a. Roxbury/Hartford/Northampton
          b. Volume 3-page 1715
     2. Mary Woodford [1636-4/17/1684] d/o Thomas Woodford & Mary Blott
          a. Mary Blottt d/o Robert & Susannah Blott
          b. married Isaac Shelden – son of Ralph Sheldon
               born 1629 – died 17/1708
          c. Northampton Volume 1-page 1311
     3. Hannah Woodford d/o Thomas Woodford
          a. 29 November 1659 – Hannah Woodford & Samuel Allyn
          b. Samuel Allyn [ -10/18/1679] s/o Samuel Allyn of Windsor
               married first Ann
          c. Northampton Volume 1-page 160
     4. Thomas Woodford – died 6 March 1666/67
          a. husband of Mary Blott d/o Robert
          b. was sick & died
          c. Northampton Volume 1-page 104

C. Vital Records from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register

Thomas Woodford – died 6 March 1666 – Northampton
Register of Deaths in Northampton, Mass. Volume 3-page176.
Thomas Woodford – 4 March 1634 made a freeman of Massachusetts
List of Freemen – Volume 3-page 93

D. New England Marriages to 1700

1. 21 September 1664 – Sarah Woodford and Nehemia Allen [1634-1684]
     @Northampton
          a. married second, Richard Burke – 1687
          b. married third, Judah Wright 1706
          c. Volume 1-page 25
     2. 1653 – Mary Woodford [1636-1684] and Isaac Shelden [1629-1708]
          a. at Hartford/Northampton
          b. Volume 2-page 1361


Born by 1614, based on date of freemanship. Migrated to Massachusetts Bay in 1632 on the "William & Francis." First settled in Roxbury, then moved to Hartford in 1636, & Northampton in 1656. Died in Northampton, 6 March 1666/7.
Married by about 1636 MARY BLOTT, baptized at Harrold, Bedfordshire, 24 December 1609, daughter of Robert Blott. She died before 27 May 1662 (date of father's will).
Source: Anderson's Great Migration Study Project
The Reverend John Eliot, the "Apostle to the Indians," wrote in church records (language updated): "Thomas Woodford, a manservant, came to New England in 1632 and joined the church about half a year later; he afterwards married Mary Blott, and moved to CT, joining the church in Hartford." Thomas became a freeman of the MA Bay Colony March 4, 1634/45. He is mentioned in the Compact of Settlers of 1636 at Springfield, CT. He received six acres of land at Hartford, CT, in 1639, and was hired by the city to maintain fences and to impound loose animals. In 1640 he was also a gravedigger. He owned several parcels of land around Hartford. In 1654 the Woodfords moved to Northampton, MA, along with their daughter Mary and son-in-law Isaac Sheldon, where he was elected one of the Townsmen in 1657. The Northampton church was organized June 18, 1661, and Thomas was the third signer of the formal document. He wrote his will April 26, 1665, naming Isaac Sheldon executor. In early 1666 he asked to be excused from court duty because of age and weakness. He died in Northampton, aged 65, on March 6, 1667. His estate was valued at 197 pounds.

Mary Blott, mother of Mary Woodford, was born in 1609 at Harold, Bedfordshire, England. She came to America with her parents. The Roxbury MA church records show "Mary Blott, a maid servant, came in 1632, and married Steward Woodford of this church…she lived in Christian sort." She married Thomas Woodford on March 4, 1635. The couple had four daughters, Mary, Hannah, Thankful, and Sarah, and two sons, Nehemiah and Joseph. She died at age 51, predeceasing her father, in Northampton or Boston MA on January 10, 1660; her will was proved May 27, 1662. Joseph was born circa 1642. He was probably the son of Thomas Woodford and Mary Blott who were married 4 March 1635 in Roxbury/Hartford/Northampton, Massachusetts. Joseph married Rebecca Newell, daughter of Thomas Newell and Rebecca Olmsted, in 1666 in Farmington at First Church of Christ. Joseph and Rebecca had children: Mary [1667-11/09/1725] [m. 7/03/1693 Thomas Bird], Esther [2/28/1669-4/05/1742] [1/02/1696 Samuel Bird], Sarah [1673-9/21/1750] [m. Nathaniel Bird], Rebeckah [1675-7/__/1705] [m. 1/02/1696 John Porter], Joseph II [1677-2/27/1760] [m. 1/23/1699 Lydia Smith & 2nd 2/14/1744 Sarah Mills], Hannah [1679-11/04/1757] [m. 12/14/1699 Thomas North], Elizabeth [1681-6/19/1749] [m. 6/11/1707 Nathaniel Cole], Susannah [bp. 12/03/1682- ] [m. 6/26/1707 Anthony Judd], Abigail [bp. 12/27/1685-1736] [m. 8/07/1710 Caleb Cowles]. Joseph's wife, Rebecca, died before 29 March 1701 in Farmington leaving him a widower.¹ Joseph made his will on 10 December 1701.

Farmington, 10 December 1701 – The Last Will & Testament of Joseph Woodford Sen. of Farmington in ye County of Hartford & Colony of Connecticut in New England. In the name of God Amen I ye aforesaid Joseph Woodford sen. being grown aged and Infirm in body & not knowing how soon ye time of my departure out this World may come and being att this time in the possession of my right reason for which I do desire to bless God Allmighty & I do farther desire to commit my Sole to God that gave it & into the hands of Jesus Christ my mercifull Redeemer and my body after death to a Christian Buriall decently to be interred in the earth and as to that Little Estate of this world’s goods that God hath granted me for his glory & my Comfort I do dispose of as followerh: First I give to my daughter Mary Bird Sixteen pounds in currant pay; secondly I give to my daughter Rebeckah Portter 15 pounds 10 shilling; thirdly I give to my daughter Hester Bird twenty pounds; fourthly I give to my daughter Sarah Bird twenty pounds; fifthly I give to my daughter Hannah North twenty pounds; sixthly I give to my daughter Elizabeth Woodford thirty pounds; seventhly I give to my daughter Susannah Woodford thirty pounds; eighthly I give to my daughter Abigail Woodford thirty pounds; moreover I do declare it hereby to be my will that my three youngest daughters Namely Elizabeth Susannah & Abigail Woodford have my household Stuffe amongst them Except any of them should marry before my decease and if so then what they shall receive or any of my daughters shall receive of me in my Life the amount shall be accounted as part of their above mentioned Legacy and if in Case any of my daughters shall dy before marriage or nonage or intestate then their portion shall be divided amongst the rest of my Children that shall survive them: and also if any of my daughters shall dy and leave a child or children then my will is ye that part of their Legacy which is not paid decend to their posterity and whatsoever shall remain of the abovementioned portions to my Severall daughters as is above expressed shall be paid by my executors in “currant pay or he and they shall agree and what I shall pay to them or any of them hereafter shall be accounted as part of their above mentioned portions – Lastly I give to my son Joseph Woodford all ye rest of my estate also I appoint whole and Sole Executor of this my Last will & testament and I desire my Loving Brother Samuel Newell & my Loving [Friend] John Hart to be overseers to this my will unto which on ye day above I sett to my hand and Seall those three words being first _____. Signed & Sealled in ye presence of John Hart sen. & Sameul Newell.

Joseph departed this life in Farmington. The inventory of Joseph's estate was taken on Saturday, 25 October 1710 at Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut, by John Stanley and Samuel Newell. They appraised the value of the estate to be £218 10s. 5d. His will was probated on 6 November 1710. The inventory was presented to the court by Joseph Woodford Executor and son of the deceased. It was accepted by the court.