Edward Garfield (bef. 1583 - 1672)

Born before 28 Jul 1583 in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Joanna (Unknown) Garfield — married 1 Sep 1661 in Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 14 Jun 1672 after age 88 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Edward Garfield migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 3, p. 16) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Fifth great grandfather of President James A Garfield

Great Migration by Robert C. Anderson

Unfortunately, both Bond and Savage incorrectly separated Edward Garfield into two men, instead of the one man with three marriages and two sets of children decades apart, as actually shown by the records. Bond also created two Samuel Garfields, where there was only one.^[1] As Anderson points out, if there had been two Edward Garfields living at Watertown, we would expect to see them designated as Sr and Jr in town records; yet the suffixes were never used.^[1]

Origin

Edward's origin is given by Anderson as Coventry, Warwickshire, England.^[1] He was baptized on 28 July 1583 at Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England, as son of Thomas Garfield and Agnes (Unknown) Garfield.^[1] (Hillmorton and Coventry are about 30 miles apart)

Probable Parents

Anderson, in his article "English Origin of Edward Garfield of Watertown, Massachusetts," makes a circumstantial argument which connects the immigrant Edward Garfield with Hillmorton, Warwickshire, records showing a mother, Agnes, and a brother, Henry. The family apparently removed to Coventry, where records at Holy Trinity in Coventry show the burial of Agnes, the marriage of Henry, and the baptisms of the children of Edward.^[2]

As Anderson writes, "if our basic argument as to the identity of Edward Garfield is correct, then Agnes is presumably the woman of that name buried at Holy Trinity, Coventry, on 22 February 1615/6." Following these connections, Anderson identifies Edward Garfield's parents records found at Hillmorton, Warwickshire, as Thomas Garfield (born "say" 1557) and Agnes (Unknown) Garfield (bur 22 Feb 1615/6 Coventry).

His paternal grandparents' records may also be ones found at Hilmorton, which are of the correct generation to have been parents of Thomas Garfield: Edward Garfield (born "say" 1528, bur 12 Mar 1585/6) and Alice (Unknown) Garfield (bur 15 Feb 1603/4).^[2]

Anderson concludes his assessment of the records with, "on this basis we assume here that all these records pertain to one man, the immigrant to New England."^[2]

Immigration

Before 6 May 1635, Edward was made freeman at Watertown.^[1] Based on this, Anderson believes Edward immigrated in 1634, but we have no record of the date or of his ship.^[1]

Marriages

Edward married three times.

• He married by 1611 at England, as his 1st, to Unknown Unknown.^[1] Their children were baptized at Holy Trinity, Coventry.^[2] Edward's first wife probably died at England.^[1]

• He married by 1635, as his 2nd, to Rebecca (Unknown).^[1] She died at Watertown on 16 April 1661.^[1][3]

• He married on 1 September 1661, as his 3rd, to Joanna (Unknown) Buckmaster, widow of Thomas Buckmaster.^[1] On 8 October 1670, Edward, who married widow Buckmaster, gave his age as "ninety-four years," showing this was the same man, and not his son.^[1]

Children

Children with 1st wife, Unknown name (all born at Coventry):^[1]

1. Jonathan Garfield bpt 13 Oct 1611 Coventry, buried 31 Oct 1611
2. Samuel Garfield bpt 1 Oct 1613; mar 1) Susanna Unknown, 2) Mary Benfield
3. Sarah Garfield bpt 1 Nov 1616; mar, poss. as his 2nd, to George Parkhurst

Children with his 2nd wife, Rebecca (Unknown) (all born at Watertown):^[1]

1. Joseph Garfield b 11 Sept 1637 Watertown; mar Sarah Gale (incorrectly given as Balle)
2. Rebecca Garfield b 10 March 1640/(?1); mar Isaac Mixer
3. Benjamin Garfield b "say" 1643; mar 1) Mehitable Hawkins, 2) Elizabeth Bridge
4. Abigail Garfield b 29 June 1646; probably mar John Parkhurst

Note: Edward Garfield had no son named Edward.^[1] This was Bond's mistake - making them die on the same day, and unfortunately Savage continued it (albeit with reservations).

Positions and Property

Edward was chosen as a Watertown selectman on 30 December 1637, on 4 December 1654, on 6 [December] 1661, and Constable on 12 November 1660 (as "old Garfield").^[1] On 23 May 1665 "Goody Gearffeild senior" and others were cited to appear at the next meeting of selectmen "to answer for not attendinge ther seates in the meetinghouse apoynted them by the Town".

On 25 July 1636, Edward was granted 30 acres in the Great Dividend at Watertown, on 28 February 1636/7, was granted seven acres in the Beaverbrook Plowlands, and on 26 June 1637, was granted five acres in the Remote Meadows.^[1] Besides these grants, Edward purchased several other parcels at Watertown.

Death and Legacy

Edward's will was written on 30 December 1668 and proved on 11 July 1672 at Watertown, Massachusetts.^[1] He died on June 14, 1672, "aged about 97" (WaVR 1:36).^[1] His estate was valued at inventory as £457-3-6, £318 of which was real estate.^[1]

Bequests were made to: "son Samuell Garfield," "son Joseph Garfield," "daughter Rebecka Mixter," "daughter Abigall Garfield," "grandchild Sarah Parkhurst," "Ephraim Garfield my grandchild," "my beloved wife," "my loving son Benjamine Garfield."^[2]

Edward was an ancestor, through his son Benjamin, of Pres. James A. Garfield.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19} Anderson, Robert Charles, (1995) "Edward Garfield," Featured Name. Great Migration 1634-1635, G-H. AmericanAncestors.org NEHGS (Volume III, G-H, Pages 16-23).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Anderson, Robert C., (2002) "English Origin of Edward Garfield of Watertown, Massachusetts." The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 156. Boston, MA: NEHGS, AmericanAncestors.org (Vol 156: Pages 327-32).
3. ↑ (1894) Watertown Records ... Watertown: Fred G. Baker Pr. Archive.org (Vol 2: Supplement: Births, Deaths & Marriages, Page 23).

See also:

• Bond, Henry, (1860) Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts ... Boston: NEHGS Archive.org (Pages 231-32. 771-72) Caution, incorrect splits the immigrant into two men, same treatment of his son Samuel.
• Hoar, George F., (1882) "President Garfield's New England Ancestry." Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society. Archive.org (Vol 1, Page 386) Caution: incorrect follows Bond.
• Phillimore, William P. W., (1883) "The Garfield Family in England." The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 37. NEHGS AmericanAncestors.org (37: 253-63) "Important articles with extensive data," per Anderson.
• Phillimore, William P. W., (1895) "More Notes On The English Garfields." The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 49. NEHGS AmericanAncestors.org (49: 194-203) "Important articles with extensive data," per Anderson.
• Roberts, Gary Boyd, (2009) Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society.
• Savage, (1860) Genealogical Dictionary ... Vol 2 Archive.org (Vol 2, Pages 231-32) Caution: incorrect follows Bond "with reservations."

User-contributed:

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:S5HN-RC9 : accessed 2017-04-24), entry for Edward /Garfield/.