Agnes Harris, dau. and ninth child of Bartholomew Harris and Elizabeth Collamore, bapt. Apr. 6, 1604 at Barnstaple, Devonshire, England. When and under what circumstances she arrived in New England is unknown. There is not the thinnest of circumstantial evidence to support the claim she arrived in June 1630 at Hull, Mass. aboard the Mary and John. The earliest date her future first husband, William Spencer, appears in the records of New England is May 1632.
Possibly as early as 1631 but perhaps in 1632, Agnes m. 1) William Spencer, eldest child of Gerard Spencer and Alice Whitbred, bapt. at Stotsfold, Bedfordshire Oct. 11, 1601. William was the eldest of four Spencer brothers who emigrated to New England in the 1630s (William, Thomas, Michael and Gerard).
The William Spencer family first resided at Cambridge, Mass. during the majority of the 1630s where William was much involved in that town's civil affairs as well as the affairs of the Mass. Bay Colony. By April 1639 the family had moved to Hartford on the Connecticut River.
Three children were born to William Spencer and Agnes Harris:
• i. Elizabeth Spencer, b. circa 1632-3 at Cambridge, Mass. [she is not mentioned with her siblings in the June 1650 distribution of her father's estate indirectly suggesting she had already reached the age of 18 and paid her legacy]; m. 1) by 1650 William Wellman by whom she had upwards of eight children, and 2) Jacob Joy on May 23, 1672 at Killingworth, Conn. by whom she had four more children.
• ii. Sarah Spencer, b. circa 1636-37 at Cambridge, Mass.; d. Nov. 3, 1691 at Simsbury, Conn, Æ 55.[*] She m. John Case by early 1656 (her first child was bapt. Nov. 26, 1656). They are the progenitors of the large Case family of Simsbury, Conn. and the writer's ancestors.
[*Presentation of her father's estate in June 1650 includes the affidavit by Richard Lord, witnessed by Sarah's stepfather William Edwards, that her 18th birthday would occur in the year 1653. This indicates she was born circa 1636. On the other hand, her gravestone says she died "Aged 55" (i.e., Ætatis suæ 55), indicating in November 1691 she was then 54 years old, born AFTER Nov. 3, 1636.]
• iii. Samuel Spencer, b. circa 1639-40 at Hartford, Conn.[*]; d. at Hartford in 1716. He m. bef. 1668 Sarah Meakins, dau. of Thomas and Sarah Meakins, b. Apr. 24, 1641 at Braintree, Mass. She d. at Hartford Apr. 24, 1706. Eight children of the family.
[*the same presentation of his father's estate in June 1650 states Samuel would attain his 21st birthday in the year 1660, indicating he was likely born in 1639.]
William Spencer d. testate at Hartford, Conn. betw. May 4 and May 22, 1640 (date of will, date of invt.) but his estate was not fully distributed to the heirs until 1650. In the meantime, on Dec. 11, 1645 the widow Agnes Spencer m. William Edwards, bapt. Nov. 1, 1618 at the parish of St. Botolph without Aldergate on the east side of London, England. One child was born by this marriage, also the writer's ancestor:
• iv. Richard Edwards, Esq., b. May 1, 1647 at Hartford, Conn., d. testate at Hartford Apr. 20, 1718, Æ 71 (g.s.). He m. 1) Elizabeth Tuttle at New Haven, Conn. Nov. 19, 1667 and divorced in 1691; and m. 2) Mary Talcott at Hartford in circa 1692.
Agnes Harris and 2nd husband William Edwards were living at Hartford May 7, 1668 when William filed on behalf of wife Agnes a suit against Nathaniel Bearding for trespass of land on the east side of the Conn. River. They were still living at Hartford Mar. 6, 1672/3 when son Richard Edwards, "as Atty. to his Mother Agnis Edwards," sued Daniel Arnold for collection of a debt.
Agnes and husband William Edwards were still residing at Hartford Mar. 4, 1679/80 when husband William testified regarding his mother's verbal will (she d. at Hartford Feb. 20, 1679/80), which left a house to him and wife Agnes to reside in for the remainder of their lives, then at their death to fall to their son Richard Edwards.
There is no record of Agnes' death, but she was probably interred at Hartford's Ancient Burial Ground, the only cemetery that existed at Hartford at the time of her death. Unfortunately, by 1853 she did not have a discernible gravestone, if she had one to begin with.
Agnes is claimed to be the maternal descendant of "Clovis the Riparian, Frankish King of Cologne," who was living in A.D. 420. This descendant finds exceedingly dubious the claim that a person was a supposed descendant of someone who lived more than 1,200 years beforehand. What can be said with certainty is that Agnes, by first husband William Spencer, was the ancestress of Rev. Lyman Beecher, father of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
By second husband William Edwards, Agnes was the great grandmother of Rev. Jonathan Edwards, one of the most famous of 18th century New England divines, latter the grandfather of Aaron Burr, the one-term Vice President of the United States to Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, Burr was also the antagonist, and infamous winner, of the 1804 Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr pistol duel. After the duel, which resulted in Hamilton's death, Burr's life changed dramatically and not for the better. Continuing through the eldest dau. of Rev. Jonathan Edwards' son Timothy Edwards, Agnes is the ancestress of the 2nd wife and First Lady of the U.S. with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, the 26th President of the United States.
Edited 1/5/2019
Possibly as early as 1631 but perhaps in 1632, Agnes m. 1) William Spencer, eldest child of Gerard Spencer and Alice Whitbred, bapt. at Stotsfold, Bedfordshire Oct. 11, 1601. William was the eldest of four Spencer brothers who emigrated to New England in the 1630s (William, Thomas, Michael and Gerard).
The William Spencer family first resided at Cambridge, Mass. during the majority of the 1630s where William was much involved in that town's civil affairs as well as the affairs of the Mass. Bay Colony. By April 1639 the family had moved to Hartford on the Connecticut River.
Three children were born to William Spencer and Agnes Harris:
• i. Elizabeth Spencer, b. circa 1632-3 at Cambridge, Mass. [she is not mentioned with her siblings in the June 1650 distribution of her father's estate indirectly suggesting she had already reached the age of 18 and paid her legacy]; m. 1) by 1650 William Wellman by whom she had upwards of eight children, and 2) Jacob Joy on May 23, 1672 at Killingworth, Conn. by whom she had four more children.
• ii. Sarah Spencer, b. circa 1636-37 at Cambridge, Mass.; d. Nov. 3, 1691 at Simsbury, Conn, Æ 55.[*] She m. John Case by early 1656 (her first child was bapt. Nov. 26, 1656). They are the progenitors of the large Case family of Simsbury, Conn. and the writer's ancestors.
[*Presentation of her father's estate in June 1650 includes the affidavit by Richard Lord, witnessed by Sarah's stepfather William Edwards, that her 18th birthday would occur in the year 1653. This indicates she was born circa 1636. On the other hand, her gravestone says she died "Aged 55" (i.e., Ætatis suæ 55), indicating in November 1691 she was then 54 years old, born AFTER Nov. 3, 1636.]
• iii. Samuel Spencer, b. circa 1639-40 at Hartford, Conn.[*]; d. at Hartford in 1716. He m. bef. 1668 Sarah Meakins, dau. of Thomas and Sarah Meakins, b. Apr. 24, 1641 at Braintree, Mass. She d. at Hartford Apr. 24, 1706. Eight children of the family.
[*the same presentation of his father's estate in June 1650 states Samuel would attain his 21st birthday in the year 1660, indicating he was likely born in 1639.]
William Spencer d. testate at Hartford, Conn. betw. May 4 and May 22, 1640 (date of will, date of invt.) but his estate was not fully distributed to the heirs until 1650. In the meantime, on Dec. 11, 1645 the widow Agnes Spencer m. William Edwards, bapt. Nov. 1, 1618 at the parish of St. Botolph without Aldergate on the east side of London, England. One child was born by this marriage, also the writer's ancestor:
• iv. Richard Edwards, Esq., b. May 1, 1647 at Hartford, Conn., d. testate at Hartford Apr. 20, 1718, Æ 71 (g.s.). He m. 1) Elizabeth Tuttle at New Haven, Conn. Nov. 19, 1667 and divorced in 1691; and m. 2) Mary Talcott at Hartford in circa 1692.
Agnes Harris and 2nd husband William Edwards were living at Hartford May 7, 1668 when William filed on behalf of wife Agnes a suit against Nathaniel Bearding for trespass of land on the east side of the Conn. River. They were still living at Hartford Mar. 6, 1672/3 when son Richard Edwards, "as Atty. to his Mother Agnis Edwards," sued Daniel Arnold for collection of a debt.
Agnes and husband William Edwards were still residing at Hartford Mar. 4, 1679/80 when husband William testified regarding his mother's verbal will (she d. at Hartford Feb. 20, 1679/80), which left a house to him and wife Agnes to reside in for the remainder of their lives, then at their death to fall to their son Richard Edwards.
There is no record of Agnes' death, but she was probably interred at Hartford's Ancient Burial Ground, the only cemetery that existed at Hartford at the time of her death. Unfortunately, by 1853 she did not have a discernible gravestone, if she had one to begin with.
Agnes is claimed to be the maternal descendant of "Clovis the Riparian, Frankish King of Cologne," who was living in A.D. 420. This descendant finds exceedingly dubious the claim that a person was a supposed descendant of someone who lived more than 1,200 years beforehand. What can be said with certainty is that Agnes, by first husband William Spencer, was the ancestress of Rev. Lyman Beecher, father of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
By second husband William Edwards, Agnes was the great grandmother of Rev. Jonathan Edwards, one of the most famous of 18th century New England divines, latter the grandfather of Aaron Burr, the one-term Vice President of the United States to Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, Burr was also the antagonist, and infamous winner, of the 1804 Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr pistol duel. After the duel, which resulted in Hamilton's death, Burr's life changed dramatically and not for the better. Continuing through the eldest dau. of Rev. Jonathan Edwards' son Timothy Edwards, Agnes is the ancestress of the 2nd wife and First Lady of the U.S. with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, the 26th President of the United States.
Edited 1/5/2019
Agnes Harris, dau. and ninth child of Bartholomew Harris and Elizabeth Collamore, bapt. Apr. 6, 1604 at Barnstaple, Devonshire, England. When and under what circumstances she arrived in New England is unknown. There is not the thinnest of circumstantial evidence to support the claim she arrived in June 1630 at Hull, Mass. aboard the Mary and John. The earliest date her future first husband, William Spencer, appears in the records of New England is May 1632.
Possibly as early as 1631 but perhaps in 1632, Agnes m. 1) William Spencer, eldest child of Gerard Spencer and Alice Whitbred, bapt. at Stotsfold, Bedfordshire Oct. 11, 1601. William was the eldest of four Spencer brothers who emigrated to New England in the 1630s (William, Thomas, Michael and Gerard).
The William Spencer family first resided at Cambridge, Mass. during the majority of the 1630s where William was much involved in that town's civil affairs as well as the affairs of the Mass. Bay Colony. By April 1639 the family had moved to Hartford on the Connecticut River.
Three children were born to William Spencer and Agnes Harris:
• i. Elizabeth Spencer, b. circa 1632-3 at Cambridge, Mass. [she is not mentioned with her siblings in the June 1650 distribution of her father's estate indirectly suggesting she had already reached the age of 18 and paid her legacy]; m. 1) by 1650 William Wellman by whom she had upwards of eight children, and 2) Jacob Joy on May 23, 1672 at Killingworth, Conn. by whom she had four more children.
• ii. Sarah Spencer, b. circa 1636-37 at Cambridge, Mass.; d. Nov. 3, 1691 at Simsbury, Conn, Æ 55.[*] She m. John Case by early 1656 (her first child was bapt. Nov. 26, 1656). They are the progenitors of the large Case family of Simsbury, Conn. and the writer's ancestors.
[*Presentation of her father's estate in June 1650 includes the affidavit by Richard Lord, witnessed by Sarah's stepfather William Edwards, that her 18th birthday would occur in the year 1653. This indicates she was born circa 1636. On the other hand, her gravestone says she died "Aged 55" (i.e., Ætatis suæ 55), indicating in November 1691 she was then 54 years old, born AFTER Nov. 3, 1636.]
• iii. Samuel Spencer, b. circa 1639-40 at Hartford, Conn.[*]; d. at Hartford in 1716. He m. bef. 1668 Sarah Meakins, dau. of Thomas and Sarah Meakins, b. Apr. 24, 1641 at Braintree, Mass. She d. at Hartford Apr. 24, 1706. Eight children of the family.
[*the same presentation of his father's estate in June 1650 states Samuel would attain his 21st birthday in the year 1660, indicating he was likely born in 1639.]
William Spencer d. testate at Hartford, Conn. betw. May 4 and May 22, 1640 (date of will, date of invt.) but his estate was not fully distributed to the heirs until 1650. In the meantime, on Dec. 11, 1645 the widow Agnes Spencer m. William Edwards, bapt. Nov. 1, 1618 at the parish of St. Botolph without Aldergate on the east side of London, England. One child was born by this marriage, also the writer's ancestor:
• iv. Richard Edwards, Esq., b. May 1, 1647 at Hartford, Conn., d. testate at Hartford Apr. 20, 1718, Æ 71 (g.s.). He m. 1) Elizabeth Tuttle at New Haven, Conn. Nov. 19, 1667 and divorced in 1691; and m. 2) Mary Talcott at Hartford in circa 1692.
Agnes Harris and 2nd husband William Edwards were living at Hartford May 7, 1668 when William filed on behalf of wife Agnes a suit against Nathaniel Bearding for trespass of land on the east side of the Conn. River. They were still living at Hartford Mar. 6, 1672/3 when son Richard Edwards, "as Atty. to his Mother Agnis Edwards," sued Daniel Arnold for collection of a debt.
Agnes and husband William Edwards were still residing at Hartford Mar. 4, 1679/80 when husband William testified regarding his mother's verbal will (she d. at Hartford Feb. 20, 1679/80), which left a house to him and wife Agnes to reside in for the remainder of their lives, then at their death to fall to their son Richard Edwards.
There is no record of Agnes' death, but she was probably interred at Hartford's Ancient Burial Ground, the only cemetery that existed at Hartford at the time of her death. Unfortunately, by 1853 she did not have a discernible gravestone, if she had one to begin with.
Agnes is claimed to be the maternal descendant of "Clovis the Riparian, Frankish King of Cologne," who was living in A.D. 420. This descendant finds exceedingly dubious the claim that a person was a supposed descendant of someone who lived more than 1,200 years beforehand. What can be said with certainty is that Agnes, by first husband William Spencer, was the ancestress of Rev. Lyman Beecher, father of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
By second husband William Edwards, Agnes was the great grandmother of Rev. Jonathan Edwards, one of the most famous of 18th century New England divines, latter the grandfather of Aaron Burr, the one-term Vice President of the United States to Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, Burr was also the antagonist, and infamous winner, of the 1804 Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr pistol duel. After the duel, which resulted in Hamilton's death, Burr's life changed dramatically and not for the better. Continuing through the eldest dau. of Rev. Jonathan Edwards' son Timothy Edwards, Agnes is the ancestress of the 2nd wife and First Lady of the U.S. with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, the 26th President of the United States.
Edited 1/5/2019
Possibly as early as 1631 but perhaps in 1632, Agnes m. 1) William Spencer, eldest child of Gerard Spencer and Alice Whitbred, bapt. at Stotsfold, Bedfordshire Oct. 11, 1601. William was the eldest of four Spencer brothers who emigrated to New England in the 1630s (William, Thomas, Michael and Gerard).
The William Spencer family first resided at Cambridge, Mass. during the majority of the 1630s where William was much involved in that town's civil affairs as well as the affairs of the Mass. Bay Colony. By April 1639 the family had moved to Hartford on the Connecticut River.
Three children were born to William Spencer and Agnes Harris:
• i. Elizabeth Spencer, b. circa 1632-3 at Cambridge, Mass. [she is not mentioned with her siblings in the June 1650 distribution of her father's estate indirectly suggesting she had already reached the age of 18 and paid her legacy]; m. 1) by 1650 William Wellman by whom she had upwards of eight children, and 2) Jacob Joy on May 23, 1672 at Killingworth, Conn. by whom she had four more children.
• ii. Sarah Spencer, b. circa 1636-37 at Cambridge, Mass.; d. Nov. 3, 1691 at Simsbury, Conn, Æ 55.[*] She m. John Case by early 1656 (her first child was bapt. Nov. 26, 1656). They are the progenitors of the large Case family of Simsbury, Conn. and the writer's ancestors.
[*Presentation of her father's estate in June 1650 includes the affidavit by Richard Lord, witnessed by Sarah's stepfather William Edwards, that her 18th birthday would occur in the year 1653. This indicates she was born circa 1636. On the other hand, her gravestone says she died "Aged 55" (i.e., Ætatis suæ 55), indicating in November 1691 she was then 54 years old, born AFTER Nov. 3, 1636.]
• iii. Samuel Spencer, b. circa 1639-40 at Hartford, Conn.[*]; d. at Hartford in 1716. He m. bef. 1668 Sarah Meakins, dau. of Thomas and Sarah Meakins, b. Apr. 24, 1641 at Braintree, Mass. She d. at Hartford Apr. 24, 1706. Eight children of the family.
[*the same presentation of his father's estate in June 1650 states Samuel would attain his 21st birthday in the year 1660, indicating he was likely born in 1639.]
William Spencer d. testate at Hartford, Conn. betw. May 4 and May 22, 1640 (date of will, date of invt.) but his estate was not fully distributed to the heirs until 1650. In the meantime, on Dec. 11, 1645 the widow Agnes Spencer m. William Edwards, bapt. Nov. 1, 1618 at the parish of St. Botolph without Aldergate on the east side of London, England. One child was born by this marriage, also the writer's ancestor:
• iv. Richard Edwards, Esq., b. May 1, 1647 at Hartford, Conn., d. testate at Hartford Apr. 20, 1718, Æ 71 (g.s.). He m. 1) Elizabeth Tuttle at New Haven, Conn. Nov. 19, 1667 and divorced in 1691; and m. 2) Mary Talcott at Hartford in circa 1692.
Agnes Harris and 2nd husband William Edwards were living at Hartford May 7, 1668 when William filed on behalf of wife Agnes a suit against Nathaniel Bearding for trespass of land on the east side of the Conn. River. They were still living at Hartford Mar. 6, 1672/3 when son Richard Edwards, "as Atty. to his Mother Agnis Edwards," sued Daniel Arnold for collection of a debt.
Agnes and husband William Edwards were still residing at Hartford Mar. 4, 1679/80 when husband William testified regarding his mother's verbal will (she d. at Hartford Feb. 20, 1679/80), which left a house to him and wife Agnes to reside in for the remainder of their lives, then at their death to fall to their son Richard Edwards.
There is no record of Agnes' death, but she was probably interred at Hartford's Ancient Burial Ground, the only cemetery that existed at Hartford at the time of her death. Unfortunately, by 1853 she did not have a discernible gravestone, if she had one to begin with.
Agnes is claimed to be the maternal descendant of "Clovis the Riparian, Frankish King of Cologne," who was living in A.D. 420. This descendant finds exceedingly dubious the claim that a person was a supposed descendant of someone who lived more than 1,200 years beforehand. What can be said with certainty is that Agnes, by first husband William Spencer, was the ancestress of Rev. Lyman Beecher, father of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
By second husband William Edwards, Agnes was the great grandmother of Rev. Jonathan Edwards, one of the most famous of 18th century New England divines, latter the grandfather of Aaron Burr, the one-term Vice President of the United States to Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, Burr was also the antagonist, and infamous winner, of the 1804 Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr pistol duel. After the duel, which resulted in Hamilton's death, Burr's life changed dramatically and not for the better. Continuing through the eldest dau. of Rev. Jonathan Edwards' son Timothy Edwards, Agnes is the ancestress of the 2nd wife and First Lady of the U.S. with Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, the 26th President of the United States.
Edited 1/5/2019
Family Members
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- Connecticut Spencer-Edwards or Harris
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- Find a Grave Spencer-Edwards or Harris
