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Citations are from the First
Century of the History of Springfield: The Official Records from 1636 to
1736 with an Historical Review and Biographical Mention of the Founders
by Henry M. Burt. Original spelling has not been changed.
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Biography of
Margaret Bliss, p. 531-2
"The husband of Widow Margaret
Bliss, Thomas Bliss, was a son of Thomas Bliss of Belstone Parish, in
Devonshire, England. (Note: Belstone Parish, Devonshire is an
error. Thomas Bliss was probably from County Gloucester.) He
was married in England and several of his children were born before he
and his wife emigrated to this country. The date of marriage is not
known (Note: the Bliss Family History Society identifies the date as
18th October 1621), nor the family name of his wife, although the
compiler of the Bliss Genealogy states that there is some reason to
believe that her maiden name was Margaret Lawrence. (Note: Her maiden
name is Hulins.) It is also stated that they embarked at Plymouth,
England, and sailed for New England in the autumn of 1635. After
arriving in Boston they went to Braintree, and subsequently to Hartford,
Conn., where Thomas died in 1640.
Their children were:
Ann, b. in England, m. April 29, 1642,
Robert Chapman and never came here.
Mary, b. in England, m. November 26,
1646, Joseph Parsons of Springfield.
Thomas, b. in England, went to
Norwich, d. April 15, 1688.
Nathaniel, b. in England, m. Catherine
Chapin, November 20, 1646.
Lawrence, b. in England, m. Lydia
Wright, October 25, 1654, d. in 1676.
Samuel, b. in England, 1624, m. Mary
Leonard, November 10, 1665, d. March 23, 1720.
Sarah, b. at Boston Mount, 1635-6, m.
at Springfield, July 20, 1659, John Scott.
Elizabeth, b. at Boston Mount, about
1637, m. February 15, 1670, Miles Morgan (second wife) and had one
child.
Hannah, b. at Hartford, 1639, d.
single, January 25, 1660
John, b. at Hartford, 1640, d.
September 10, 1702.
Hester, b. —, m. Edward Foster. See
Longmeadow Centennial, page 187."
(According to the Bliss Family
History Society, THOMAS BLISS of Hartford Connecticut was probably a
native of Co. Gloucester, England. He married Margaret Hulins of
Rodborough in that county at Gloucester St Nicholas 18th Oct 1621. Their
son Nathaniel was baptised at Rodborough 28th Dec 1622. It is probable
that Margaret was his second wife and that Thomas had children by his
first marriage.
The children of Thomas Bliss of Hartford were:
By first wife? THOMAS born c 1618 ANN born c 1620.
By Margaret NATHANIEL born 1622 MARY born c 1625 LAWRENCE born c 1628
HANNAH born c 1633 JOHN born c 1635 SARAH born c 1638 (America?) HESTER
& ELIZABETH twins born c 1640 (Hartford?) SAMUEL born c 1642
(Hartford?)
"Thomas, son of Thomas and
Margaret, went to Saybrook, Conn., after his father’s death.
Nathaniel, Lawrence, Samuel, and John came to Springfield and were among
the early settlers. Their mother, Margaret, died here, August 28, 1684.
The compiler of the Bliss Genealogy states that Widow Margaret removed
from Hartford to Springfield in 1643, and that two of her sons,
Nathaniel and Samuel, preceded her and had prepared a dwelling for her.
The first mention of any member of the family in the Town Records is
under date of 1646, and it is somewhat doubtful about their having come
here long before that year. It is evident that she was a woman of
more than ordinary force of character. Her homelot was on what is
now generally termed South Main Street, between the present Fremont and
Margaret Streets. She died in 1684, outliving two of her sons,
Nathaniel and Lawrence. Samuel and John survived her." |
Topic |
Citations from Volume 1 |
Page Number |
When Settled |
"1646: Margaret Bliss, widow of Thomas of
Hartford; died here in 1684" |
43 |
Granted Land |
January ye 22th 1651: "Widow Bliss, 3 acres" |
220 |
Granted Land |
January 30th 1655: "Wd. Bliss, 1 1/2 acres" |
241 |
To Fence Land over River |
Jan. 3rd, 1661: "It was agreed by the Proprietors of
the land from the upper side of Abell Wrights lott to the Lower end of
ye neck to runn a fence from Aggawam River to the great River ofr the
securing of that feild: the fence to be a good sufficient fence of posts
& rails, & this fence to be up & finisht by the middle of
Aprill next: hereto agreed the Major part of the Proprietors of those
lotts: vizt Samll Marshfeild, Nath Ely, Rich Sikes, Jonath Burt,
Lawrence Bliss, Abell Wright, Charles fferry, Nath Pritchard, Anthony
Dorchester, John Lumbard, Widdow Bliss, John Matthews." |
290 |
Complaint concerning fence |
May 8, 1678: "At a meeting of ye proprietors
of ye Genll feild on the west side of ye great River, the proprietors
being warned to appeare by the veiwers of ye same feild to answer their
Complaints wth reference to defects in ye fences, & of stakes: ye
underwritten proprietors did meet according to warning after Lecture:
viz: Samll Marshfeild: Tho Mirricke Jn Barb Senr: John Holyoke: James
Sikes: Jonathan Burt: Widow Blisse." |
420 |
Defective Fence - fined |
Sept 4th 1680: "The veiwers of fenses making
presentments to the Selectmen of several defects of fenses in the feild
on west side of the great ryver and the Select men have hard the cause
and doe fine persons as followeth:
Samuell & nathanell Bliss 3 pence
Widow Bliss 2 pence" |
431 |
Topic |
Citations from Volume 2 |
Page Number |
Granted Pond |
"Here ffolloweth Severall Grants of
Land, Made by this Towne Beginning wth ye Yeare, 1665": "Widdy
Bliss hath granted unto her soe much of the pond as is at ye end of her
lott in Long meddow: provided ye Indians be not molested in comeing to
or gathering of their pease" |
221 |
Highways |
ffebr. 12th 1668:"And in reference to
ye highway up the great hill over Mill River these persons vizt Lawrence
Bliss John Harmon Nathaneel Pritchard Benjamin Parsons Widdow Bliss John
Bliss John Matthews Anthony Dorchester Richard Sikes Jonathan Burt John
Lumbard & Thomas Bancroft" |
69 |
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