Benjamin Judd

Benjamin Judd (c. 1642–by 1689), son of Thomas Judd

Mary Lewis (1645–1691/2), daughter of Captain William Lewis and Mary Hopkins

Benjamin, the son of Thomas Judd, was born about 1642 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut. [1] He was baptized about March 1657, age 15, in the church in Farmington, Hartford County. [2] He died by 6 November 1689. He married Mary Lewis. [1]

Mary, the daughter of Captain William Lewis of Farmington, was born on 6 May 1645. [1][3] She died after 6 November 1689, and probably after 1 October 1691 (when she received a distribution from her father's estate) and before 13 April 1692.

Benjamin and Mary are said to be buried in the Momento Mori Cemetery in Farmington. [4]

Mary is called Mary Judd in her father's probate papers.

Benjamin's father moved to Farmington about 1644 and Benjamin spent his life there. [1]

Inventory of Benjamin Judd of Farmington's estate was taken by [his brother] John Judd and John Norton in 1689. It amounted to £267-03-00. On 6 November 1689 administration was granted to his widow Mary. His children were listed with their ages as Benjamin (18), Mary (14), Sarah (12), Hannah (eight), Nathaniel (six), Esther (three), and Jonathan (one). Inventory was taken on the estate of Benjamin Judd and his wife and it amounted to £292-13-07. Administraion was granted to John Judd and Benjamin's son Benjamin on 3 March 1691/2. They, with [Benjamin's brother-in-law] William Lewis were to take care "for the dispose of the children." The children were listed as Benjamin (21), Mary (16), Sarah (14), Hannah (11), Nathaniel (eight), Esther (six) and Jonathan (three). A division agreed on 13 April 1692 gave Benjamin 70 pounds, Nathaniel and Jonathan 35 pounds each, and Mary, Sarah, Hannah, and Esther £32-18-00 each. The administrators were granted ten pounds to bring up Jonathan. [5]

Anne Stains of Farmington left Elizabeth, the daughter of Benjamin Judd, her bible in her will of 24 December 1670. She left a bequest to Lieutenant William Lewis and named him her executor, but he declined. [5]

Children of Benjamin Judd and Mary Lewis: The last four baptized in the church in Farmington as the children of Benjamin. [2]

i. Elizabeth Judd was born on 21 August 1668. [1] She probably died after 24 December 1670 and before 6 November 1689.

ii. Benjamin Judd was born about 1671. Benjamin of Farmington married Susanna North of Wethersfield on 18 January 1693/4 in Farmington. [4] She died on 23 April 1764. [4]

Benjamin and Susanna are buried in the Fairview Cemetery in New Britain, Hartford County.

Benjamin's father died when he was about 18 and his mother was dead by the time he was 21. The probate court left him and [his uncle] John Judd in charge of Benjamin's six younger brothers and sisters.

iii. Mary Judd was born about 1675/6. She married Joseph Webster of Hartford on 25 January 1696 in Hartford. [1][6]

iv. Sarah Judd was born about 1677/8. She married Thomas Buck of Middletown on 12 May 1709. [1]

v. Hannah Judd was born in 1680/1. She was baptized on 13 March 1681.

vi. Nathaniel Judd was probably born in 1683. He was baptized on 22 July 1683.

vii. Esther Judd was born in 1685/6. She was baptized on 14 February 1686. She died on 22 December 1782, age 96. [4] She married Jonathan Webster of Hartford on 14 December 1704. [1]

Esther's name is spelled variously as Esther, Easter and Hester.

When Esther was about 16 she chose [her brother-in-law] Joseph Webster to be her guardian. [5]

Deacon Jonathan and Esther Webster are buried in the Old Cemetery in Berardston, Franklin County, Massachusetts. [4]

viii. Jonathan Judd was baptized on 22 September 1688. He died on 28 August 1725. He married Hannah Diggens.

Endnotes:

1. Caroline Judd McDowell, Philip Judd and His Descendants (Grinnell, Iowa: Grinnell Harold Press, 1923), 14–16.

2. "Connecticut, U.S., Church Record Abstracts, 1630–1920," Ancestry (2013: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3032) > Farmington, images 147–52 (Judd), citing Connecticut, "Connecticut Church Records Index," Connecticut State Library, Hartford.

3. Sylvester Judd, History of Hadley, with family genealogies by Lucius Boltwood, (Springfield, MA: H.R. Hunting, 1905).

4. Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial)

Name	Memorial Number	Inscription / Comments
Benjamin Judd	105659958
Benjamin Judd, Jr.	51121755
Mary Lewis Judd	105633044
Susanna North Judd	44650123	"Susanna Judd wife of Mr. Ben [crack] Judd ... April 23, 1764 ..."
Esther Judd Webster	58270246	"Mrs Esther widow of Mr. Jonathan Webster who died Dec. 22d 1782 in the 97th year of her age."
Deacon Jonathan Wester	127774021

5. Charles William Manwaring, A Digest of Early Connecticut Probate Records, vol. 1 (Hartford: R.S. Peck & Co., 1904), 236 (Anne Stains); 473–4 (Benjamin and Mary).

6. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," database with images, AmericanAncestors (2011) > Farmington, image 89; Hartford, image 179.

Last revised: 20-Jul-2023