Daniel Grinnell

Daniel Grinnell (1660/8–1741), son of Daniel Grinnell and Mary Wodell

Lydia Paybodie (1667–1748), daughter of William Pabodie and Elizabeth Alden

Daniel Grinnell, the son of Daniel Grinnell and Mary Wodell, was born about 1668 [1] or say 1660/5 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. [2] He died on 7 January 1740/1 in Saybrook, Connecticut. [2][3] He married Lydia Paybody [2][4] about 1683. [1]

Daniel was the grandson of Matthew Grinnell and William Wodell. [2]

Lydia Paybodie, the daughter of William Pabodie and Elizabeth Alden, was born on 3 April 1667 in Duxbury. [2] She died on 13 or 14 August 1748, age 83, in Saybrook. [3][5]

Lydia was the granddaughter of the Mayflower passenger John Alden. [2]

Lydia's father refers to her as Lydia Grinnell in his will of 13 May 1707. [6]

Daniel Grinnell of Little Compton, Bristol County, Massachusetts (in Rhode Island since 1747) received a warranty deed from Thomas Avery of Saybrook for 200 acres in the Oyster Bay part of Saybrook on 11 September 1703. At the end of the deed he had recorded his earmark for cattle (on 16 May 1704) and the births of his two youngest children. The property was in the present-day town of Westbrook (formed in 1804) [2]

The First Congregational Church of Westbrook was organized in 1726. [2][6] Lydia and her daughter Sarah Brooker were among the founders. Daniel was baptized as an adult the same year and admitted as a member immediately after. He was nomilnated as the first deacon but declined, probably because of ill health. [6]

Daniel Grinnell of Saybrook made his will in November 1726. He mentioned his wife Lydia, his daughters Mary Lay, Priscilla Redfield, and Elizabeth Stevens, the children of Lydia Clark, deceased, his daughters Rebecca Doude, Sarah Brooker, and Jemima Chalker, and his sons Paybody and George. His witnesses testified on 15 January 1740/1 and the will was proved on 20 January 1740/1. Inventory on his estate amounted to £206–7–6. [2][5]

Children of Daniel Grinnell and Lydia Paybodie: All born in Little Compton. [6]

i. Mary Grinnell was probably born about 1685. [2] She died on 9 June 1755, age 70, in Westbrook. [2][6][7] She married Robert Lay on 12 December 1703 in Saybrook. [3][7] Robert was the son of Robert and Mary (Stanton) Lay and the grandson of Mr. Thomas Stanton. He was born on 27 January 1680. [7] He was baptized on 27 May 1683 in Stonington. [6] He died on 1 July 1738, age 57. [7] Robert and Mary are buried in the Westbrook Cemetery and their gravestones provide their death dates. [7]

Robert was the son of Robert Lay and Mary Stanton and the grandson of Robert Lay and Sarah Fenner and Thomas Stanton and Sarah Denison. He was the great-grandson of Captain George Denison. [7]

Robert and Mary lived in (what is now) Westford. [2][7] Robert was a tavern keeper. [7] Mary was one of the original members of the Westbrook church. [7]

Robert made his will on 27 June 1738; it was proved on 26 July 1738. He mentioned his wife Mary and their children. [His brother-in-law] Peabody Grinnell appraised the estate. [7]

ii. Elizabeth Grinnell was born about 1687. [2] She died on 20 January 17478 in Killingworth. [6] She married Captain John Stevens on 15 March 1709/10 in Killingworth. [6] John, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Stevens, was born about 1685 in Killingworth. [6]

John and Elizabeth lived in Killingworth, a town that borders Westford to the west. [2]

George Grinnell and Rebecca Wellman witnessed the will of [their sister] Elizabeth Stevens of Killingworth on 19 January 1717/8. [8]

iii. Priscilla Grinnell was born about 1689. [2] She died on 12 January 1770 in Killingworth. [6] She married Theophilus Redfield on 24 December 1706. [1] Theophilus, the son of James and Elizabeth (Howe) Redfield, was born about 1682 and died on 14 February 1758/9. [6]

Theophilus and Priscilla lived in Killingworth. [2]

iv. Paybody Grinnell was born say 1691. [2] He drowned on 5 August 1767. [6] He married first Ruth Nettleton on 8 April 1718 in Saybrook. [1][3] Ruth was the daughter of Sarah and Hannah (Barber) Nettleton of Killingworth. [2] She died on 9 October 17132 in Saybrook. [3] He married second Sarah Barnes on 20 March 1733 in Saybrook. [1][3] Sarah was the daughter of Daniel and Mary (Tappan) Barnes. [2][6] She was born on 20 January 1705 in New Haven and died on 11 January 1780 in Westbrook. [6]

Paybody lived in Westford. [2]

v. Lydia Grinnell was born say 1693. She married Joseph Clark.

vi. Rebecca Grinnell was born say 1695. [2] Rebecca died after 6 October 1762 and is said to have died on 7 December 1762. [9] She married first John Doud by 1726. [2] John, the son of John, was born on 3 February 1690/[1?] in Guilford. [9] He died before 4 July 1760. [9] She married second Gideon Wellman on 13 February 1741/2. [9] Gideon, the son of William and Elizabeth (Joy) Wellman, was born on 2 May 1694 in Killingworth. [9] He died before 4 July 1760. [9] He married first Constance Hull. Constance, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Seather) Hull, was born on 6 January 1693 in Killingworth and and died on 14 February 1740 in Killingworth. [9]

Rumsey says that the marriage of this Rebecca to this John is not proved, but she argues that it is overwelmingly likely. [8][9]

Rebecca lived in Westford and Killingworth. [2]

Rebecca was apparently alive on 6 October 1762, when her stepdaughter referred to her in a deed. [9]

vii. Sarah Grinnell was born say 1698. [2] She married first John Brooker on 29 April 1717 in Saybrook. [3] John, the son of John and Mary Brooker, was born on 9 July 1695 and died on 14 December 1731 in Saybrook. [6] She married second John Pike on 27 November 1740. [6] She married third Joseph Nettleton 19 June 1754 in Killingworth. [6] Joseph, the son of John and Martha (Hull) Nettleton, died on 20 October 1767 in Killingworth. [6]

John and Sarah Brooker lived in Westford. [2]

viii. George Grinnell was born say 1702. [2] He died on 11 November 1759 in Saybrook. [6] He married Mary Bull on 31 January 1725/6 in Saybrook. [2][6] Mary, the daughter of Edward and Mary (Post) Bull, was born on 22 April 1709 in Saybrook and died on 20 September 1775 in Westbrook. [6]

George and Mary lived in Westford. [2]

x. Jemima Grinnell was born on 26 January 1704/5 in Saybrook. [3][2] She died on 3 February 1762 in Saybrook. [2] She married Abraham Chalker on 4 March 1724 in Saybrook. [2] Abraham was the son of Abraham and Deborah (Barber) Chalker. [2] He died on 20 September 1783, age 84, in Old Saybrook. [2] He married second Lydia Unknown. [2]

Abraham and Jemima lived in Old Saybrook. [2]

xi. Daniel Grinnell was born on 11 January 1707/8 in Saybrook. [2][3] He probably died before November 1726, when he was not mentioned in his father's will.

Endnotes:

1. Mrs. Charles Alden, "Alden Genealogy," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 52 (1898): 54–57.

2. Jean Rumsey, "Spouse Problems Among Descendants of Daniel Grinnell," The American Genealogist 53 (1977): 105–14.

3. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," database with images, AmericanAncestors (2011) > Saybrook, image 54.

4. Alicia Crane Williams, "The Alden Family, A Look at at the First Four Generations," Mayflower Descendant 48 (1998): 107–10.

5. Alicia Crane Williams, "Documentation Files—General Society of Mayflower Descendants," Mayflower Descendant 35 (1985): 131–40, specifically 139–40.

6. Jean Rumsey, "Descendants of Daniel Grinnell for Three Generations," The Genealogist 7-8 (1986–1987): 144–277.

7. Edwin A. Hill, "The Descendants of Robert Lay of Saybrook, Conn.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 62 (1908): 172–8.

8. Jean Rumsey, "John, Samuel and Peleg Doud," The American Genealogist 50 (1974): 129–40.

9. Jean Rumsey, "Two John-and-Rebecca Doudes in Connecticut," The American Genealogist 46 (1970): 193–201.

Last revised: 19-Jul-2023