Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

John Griffin

Male Abt 1609 - 1681  (~ 72 years)


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  • Name John Griffin 
    Born Abt 1609  , , Wales Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died Aug 1681  Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I278  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family Anna Bancroft,   b. , , England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. From 17 Dec 1684 to 4 Apr 1694, Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married 13 May 1647  Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F252  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Henry R. Stiles, "The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut," 1892, v. 2, p. 346: "John Griffin had no lands recorded at Windsor and could hardly have owned a house there; in 1648 was engaged in manufacturing tar, and his candlewood, etc., being burned by an Indian who was unable to pay the dmage, his friends transferred to Griffin the land at Massaco (Simsbury), which he transferred to the town, and afterwards became a settler there (freeman there in 1669). He first appears iat Windsor 13 May 1647 when he m. Anna (prob. sister of and resided near John) Bancroft. At the time of John Drake, Sen'r's death, 1659, Griffin either resided in the Henry Stiles house, north of that of Wm. Gaylord, Jr., dec'd, or that of Francis Stiles, south of Gaylord's. 6 Sep 1655, Wm. Hayden makes complaint of the rioutus conduct of John Griffin, John Bancroft, and Jacob Drake in his family, thereby frightening his wife - Griffin seming to have been the chief offender, as he only was fined ₤20, the others as well as he bound over in ₤20 each for good behaviour until the next Court ('Rec. Part. Ct., Sec. state's Ofice'). (Wm. Hayden's wife d. 17 Jul 1655; it may be in consequence of this fright.) In 1663 he was granted by the General Court 200 acres of land at Massacoe, in consideration 'that he was the first that perfected the art of making pitch and tar in these parts.' In 1673, with Simon Wolcott, was ordered to command the trainband. Children (Old Church Records):
      A. Hannah, b. 4 Jul 1649.
      B. Mary, b. 1 Mar 1651.
      C. Sarah, b. 25 Dec 1654.
      D. John b. 20 Oct 1656.
      E. Thomas, b. 3 Oct 1658.
      F. Abigail, b. 12 Nov 1660.
      G. Mindwell, b. 11 Feb 1662.
      H. Ruth, b. 21 Jan 1665.
      I. Ephraim, b. 1 Mar 1668/9.
      J. Nathaniel, b. 31 May 1673."

      2. The following is from Norb Bankert's web site; his e-mail is norb@dreamscape.com: "Sergt. John Griffin, born Abt. 1609 in Wales; died Aug 1681 in Simsbury, CT. He married Anna Bancroft 13 May 1647. Anna Bancroft, died Aft. 1680. She was the daughter of John Bancroft and Jane. John and his brother Edward (b. abt. 1601/2) were of Welsh descent, born in Wales, son of John and Ann (Langford) Griffin, she of Bigander, who were also the parents of Ann, Joan, Catharine and Margaret, all married in 1613. Employed as sailors for Capt. Claiborne, the Secretary of the Virginia colony. John and his brother, Edward, came to America in 1635 aboard the "Constance." While in the Chesapeake Bay, Lord Baltimore of Maryland seized the islands of Kent and Palmer and the brothers fled, Edward to New Amsterdam and John to New Haven where he appears in 1642. In January of 1643 he is fined a few pence, with others, for not having his arms in shape in the New Haven Militia. In 1646 John is still found in New Haven as a sailor and testifies to the General Court concerning the loss of a boat in New Haven. In 1647 He is married to Anna Bancroft in Windsor. John Griffin had joined with Michael Humphrey in the manufacture of tar and turpentine in the pine forest of Massaco and Salmon Brook. The tar, used by the British Navy and in the building of ships, promised fortunes for both. About 1646, the tar kilns of John Griffin were set afire by Indians. Somehow, John found that the name of the Indian responsible was Manahannoose, a local Algonquin, who had grown frustrated with the encroachment of the English. Manahannoose was captured, and, taking advantage of a new law, was ordered to be a servant of the plaintiff or shipped off in return for enslaved Africans or to pay Đ100. In order to prevent this from happening, Manahannoose's village deeded the area of Windsor knows as Massaco to John Griffin with the exception of two acres. Although it was technically illegal for John to accept this deed, he probably looked at it as a promising business venture and took advantage of it. Thirteen years later, John turned his deed over to the colony. At that time, in recognition of his being the first to manufacture tar and pitch in the region, John was given a grant for 200 acres of his choice "north of the falls." It would probably be safe to assume that before John presented the Massaco deed to the colony, he had probably taken all he wanted from the Massaco pine forests. The "Griffin's Lordship," as it came to be called, was given as recognition of John's work in wrestling all of Massaco from the natives and in beginning a profitable manufacturing operation in those parts. John is considered to be the first settler of Simsbury and Granby. John, along with Simon Wolcott, was made a leader of the train band in 1673 and represented Simsbury in the General Assembly from 1670-1674. A prominent and successful businessman and pioneer, John's involvement in the community was not confined to just politics and business. In 1655 we find that John is fined Đ20 on a complaint by William Hayden of the riotous conduct of John Griffin, John Bancroft, and Jacob Drake."

      3. Website 1 Jan 2008 http://kinnexions.com/ancestries/griffin.htm#JGriffin:
      "The Griffin family in America. John and Anna (Bancroft) Griffin:
      John GRIFFIN - b. 1608-9, Wales; d. Aug., 1681, Simsbury, CT. Son of John GRIFFIN and Ann LANGFORD. John sailed from England on August 24, 1635 aboard the Constance enroute to Virginia. In June 1638, when Lord BALTIMORE of Maryland ordered an attack of the Viriginia Islands of Kent and Palmer, which were under the protection of Capt. CALIBornE, Secretary of the Colony of Virginia, John escaped by ship and left Virginia. John's name first appears on New Haven, CT records in 1642, and was enrolled in the militia. On Jan. 4, 1643, he was fined a few pence for not having his arms in shape. John took the Oath of Fidelity at New Haven on Jul. 1, 1644. He removed to Windsor, marrying there and appearing in the Windsor records in Aug. 1659. John and Anna were among the first settlers from Windsor to remove to Simsbury, where he was a representative for some years. His estate inventory of Aug. 23, 1681 included about 3 square miles of land, or about 1920 acres. Married May 13, 1647, Windsor, CT.
      Anna Bancroft - b. 1627, England. Daughter of John Bancroft and Jane.
      Children of John and Anna Griffin:
      Hannah - b. Jul. 4, 1649, Windsor, CT. Her first husband, whom she married May 10, 1667, died in 1669 at age 23. Hannah married second John HUMPHREY, son of Michael.
      Mary - b. Mar. 1, 1651, Windsor, CT. There is no evidence that Mary married David WINCHELL as his second wife. Married first Samuel WILSON, and second Anthony HOSKINS. Samuel and Mary reportedly had a large family. Refer to note at the beginning of the WINCHELL line for more information.
      Sarah - b. Dec. 25, 1654, Windsor, CT; d. 1685-1699, Windsor, CT. Married on Oct. 29, 1676 at Windsor, CT, Elias Gillett (bap. Jul 1, 1649, Windsor, CT), son of Nathan. Elias married second by 1700 Rebecah Kelsey, daughter of Marke and Rebecca (HOSKINS) Kelsey, and widow of Nathaniel MESSEngER. Children of Sarah and Elias: Sarah; Nathan; Hannah; and Ephraim. Daughter of Elias and Rebecca: Mary.
      John - b. Oct. 20, 1656, Windsor, CT. Married Oct. 7, 1708, Mary, whose surname has been given as BACON. Children: Thomas died in infancy; Mary married Jehiel MESSEngER; Ruth died soon; Ruth married Consider HOLCOMB, son of Capt. Thomas and Elizabeth (TERRY) HOLCOMB; Abagail married John Thomas; Hannah married Hosea WILKENSON; and possibly John.
      Thomas - b. Oct. 3, 1658, Windsor, CT; d. 1719. Married in 1693 Elizabeth WELTON (b. about 1660; d. Sep. 28, 1722). Children: Hannah did not marry; Thomas did not marry; Mary married Joshua HOLCOMB III; John died in infancy; John married Eleanor HOLCOMB; Nathaniel married his cousin Elizabeth GRIFFIN; Stephen probably married Mary DeLACY; Eunice married John SCOTT; and Benoni married brother Stephen's widow.
      Abigail - b. Nov. 12, 1660, Windsor, CT. On Mar. 27, 1682, she married Richard SEGAR.
      Mindwell - b. Feb. 11, 1662, Windsor, CT. Married about 1691 Samuel WillCOXSON (b. Apr. 15, 1666, Windsor, CT; d. Sep. 13, 1713, Simsbury, CT), son of Sgt. Samuel and Hannah (RICE) WillCOXSON. Children: Hannah married Thomas MORTON; Samuel; John married Sarah NORTH; Joseph married first Elizabeth HOLCOMB, and second Mary Buttolph; Mindwell married Philip LOOMIS, Jr.; and Ephraim married Hannah Hill.
      Ruth - b. Jan. 21, 1665, Windsor, CT; d. May 27 or Aug. 25, 1719. Unmarried.
      Ephraim - b. Mar. or May 1, 1668, Windsor, CT; d. Sep. 20, 1725. Married Dec. 9, 1707 Elizabeth Adams. Children: Elizabeth married her cousin Nathaniel GRIFFIN; Anna married Ebenezer LOOMIS; Ephraim married Elizabeth TERRY; Silence; and Phoebe married Solomon TERRY.
      Nathaniel - b. May 31, 1673, Windsor, CT; d. Feb. 23, 1712/3. Married Mar. 14, 1711/2 Alice WELTON. Daughter: Alice married William James."

      4. From the 17 Feb 2007 Worldconnect site of Skip Patnode database ":2236774":
      A. "Sergeant John Griffin was born in Wales in 1608 or 1609, the son of John Griffin and Anna Langford Griffin. Sgt. John (he was a Naval Officer) emigrated from Wales to America 24 Oct. 1635. His older brother Edward came with him. John Griffin was in the employ of Capt. Claiborne, the Secretary of the Virginia Colony. John owned three square miles of land (1,920 acres) of land in Virginia. John worked with the Indians of Virginia. John spoke English and Welsh, and record has it he was able to converse with the Indians. John and Edward were on a ship that was captured by the French. John escaped and went north to Connecticut, Edward's fate is not known. John married in Windsor, CT to Hannah Bancroft and they lived in Simsbury, CT. (Connecticut State Historical Society and Library at Simsbury, CT)(gathered by Shirley Martin)" B. "Born in Wales. Sergeant John Griffin, a Navel officer, emigrated to America in 1635 along with his older brother, Edward. John sailed from England, August 24 aboard the CONSTANCE en route to Virgini & He was in the employ of Capt. Claiborne, the Secretary of the Virginia Colonies. He owned three square miles of land (1, 920 acres) in Virginia. He worked with the Indians of Virginia. He could speak English and Welsh, and record has it that he was able to converse with the Indians also. In June, 1638 when Lord Baltimore of Maryland ordered an attack on the Virginia Islands of Kent and Palmer, John and Edward were on a ship that was captured by the French. They escaped by ship and left Virginia. John went to Connecticut and his brother, Edward went to New York. John's name appears in New Haven CT records in 1642 when he was enrolled in the militia. In 1643 he was fined a few pence for not having his arms in shape. He took the oath of fidelity at New Haven on July 1, 1644. He removed to Windsor, marrying there in 1647 Anna Bancroft of Windsor, and appearing in the Windsor records in August, 1659. John and Anna (Bancroft) were among the first settlers from Windsor to move to Simsbury where he was a representative for some years. Simsbury; CT (Indian name, Massaco) was settled about 1647.The first Indian deed was given to John Griffin, 1648, Recorded in the town of Windsor. The shipping industry had a great need for tar and pitch for the ships. John having been on ships realized this, and having located a great source of pine trees began to manufacture tar and pitch. He had joined with Michaiel Humphry in the manufacture of tar and turpentine in the pine forest of Massaco and Salmon Brook. The tar, used by the British Navy promised fortunes for both of them. About 1646, the tar works of John Griffin were set afire by Indians Somehow John found out that the name of the Indian responsible was Manahannoose, a local Algonquin who was tired of English encroachment. Manahannoose was captured, and according to a new law was ordered to be a servant of Mr. Griffin, or shipped off in return for enslaved Africans, or to pay 100 Pounds. To prevent this from happening his village deeded the area of Windsor known as Massaco to John Griffin. Although technically illegal for John to accept this deed, he probably looked at it as a promising business venture and took advantage of it. Thirteen years later, (probably after removing the tar and pitch) John turned his deed over to the colony. In 1663 a grant of 200 acres was made to John Griffin in consideration for taking the land from the Indians and "that he was the first that perfected the art of making pitch and tar in those parts - The land was to be taken up where he can find it between Massaco and Waranoake, whereof there may be forty acres of meadow, if it be there to be had, and be not prejudicial to a plantation, and not granted." This was later known as "Griffin's Lordship or Griffins Hardship" John Griffin is considered to be the first settler of Simsbury and Granby. Re represented Simsbury in the General Assembly from 1670-74. He was a prominent and successful businessman and pioneer, but that was not all. He also had a lighter side. In 1655 he was fined 20 pounds on a complaint of "riotous conduct of John Griffin, John Bancroft and Jacob Drake." His estate inventory of August 23, 1681 included about three square miles of land, or about 1920 acres. (Ths information was copied for Ella Griffin Spooner who was seeking information to enable her to join DAR.) Facts also taken from Family TREE MAKER, ancestors of Lyda Carrington Payne and Ancestors of Mary Frances. More information came from Kathy Griffin Hughes."
      C. "Background: This article appeared in the Farmington Valley Herald on Thursday, July 18, 1935: At the town's observance of the State Tercentenary on last June 21st Mrs. Raymond Case read a very interesting paper on the early history of the town and concluded with a poem contributed by Mrs. Ned E. Kendall. The poem was written by a former resident, who in 1895 was living in Brockton, Mass. The poem was directed to William A. Allen. Mrs. Case is a direct descendant of two of the original families in Granby. Picture with me today if you can, our town as it originally lay, nearly three hundred years ago. The Indian name for the territoy was Massacoe, and a gentle tribe of Indians lived here. It extended from Farmington north to the town of Southwick, and from Windsor west to the wilderness. The first settler was John Griffin, who came from England to Virginia. We next hear of him in New Haven, and then in Windsor where he came to manufacture tar, pitch, turpentine and candlewood from the many pine trees. Candlewood consisted of dry pine knots strongly saturated with pitch and split into sizes convenient for use, and used almost universally for light. The turpentine business was carried on more or less in the town for over a hundred years. In 1648 one of the Massacoe Indians set fire to a large quantity of Griffin's tar and turpentine. He was arrested, tried at Windsor and fined 3,000 feet of wampum. Being unable to pay his fine he was turned over to Mr. Griffin. To obtain his freedom the Massacoe-Indians deeded all the lands at Massacoe to Mr. Griffin. This Indian deed was relinquished by Griffin and the general court made grants to several persons. Griffin was granted two hundred acres north of the Falls, because of his first to perfect the making of tar and turpentine. Later he was given a grant of land one and one-half miles square, in consideratiuon of his giving up his Indian deeds. This together with what he already had, was known as Griffin's Lordship. Griffin did not move from Windsor until nearly twenty years after this, when he is supposed to have built the first house at the Falls, now East Granby, about a mile north of Tariffville. In partnership with him was Michael Humphrey, whose descendants live in Simsbury and Canton. These men played an important part in the early history of our town. John Griffin left ten Childre at the time of his death, and from these no doubt have comer most of the families by that name in this vicinity. One of Mr. Griffin's daughters married John Humphrey, son of his partner in business. It is thought there were very few other families here for the next five years, and these must have been near Mr. Griffin at the Falls. The following names are given as settle inhabitants of the town at this time: Thomas Barber, John Case, Samuel Filley, John Griffin, Michael Humphrey, Joshua Holcomb, Thomas Maskill, Luke Hill, Samuel Pinney, Joseph Phelps, John Pettibone, Joseph Skinner and Peter Buell. John Case in this same year was appointed constable for Massacoe, the first office held by any of its inhabitants. In 1670 the name of the town was changed to Simsbury. One of the prominent men of the colony was Simon Wolcot. He was one of the committee to divide the land at Massacoe. He was fequently called "Sim" and it seems proabable that the town might have been named in his honor. For eleven years the town grew very slowly because of the Indian attacks from the north. In 1675 the Indians became most unfriendly, and the settlers were told to abandon the town. They fled to Windsor and Hartford on a Sunday. In the Spring of 1676, the Indians burned the settlement. Forty dwellings were destroyed, besides provisions, fences, farm tools and nearly all the people possessed. The next Spring with such courage as it is hard for us to comprehend, many of them returned and rebuilt their homes. The first house built at Salmon Brook was probably near the present site of the Community House. Below the hill and at the south end of the street was a block house where the people fled when word came the Indians were about. Near here was the home of Daniel Hayes, whose story of his capture by the Indians is so familiar. His father was George Hayes, a Scotchman who came from Windsor and settled in Granby. In the sixth generatin he was an ancestor of President Hayes. A brother, Samuel Hayes, married and settled at Bushy Hill. A granddaughter of George Hayes married Rene Cossettee. One of their descendants built the North Granby library as a memorial to his ancestors. In 1710 Dr. John Viets, a German physician, came from New York and settled at the Falls. He left two sons and a daughter at his death, and their descendants are found in Granby, East Granby and many in the West. The daughter married John Hoskins of Windsor, a name still connected with the present town of Simsbury. A son of Dr. John Viets, also called John, was the first keeper of Newgate Prison and is buried north of the prison. He brought up a family of ten children. Two were fitted for college and one graduated from Yale. Early settlers of Simsbury include such names as Humphrey, Holcomb, Hoskins, Pettibone, Griffin, Gillett, Case, Hayes, Higley and Smith. Families were large and marriages were frequent, so we find nearly all families by these names related. It was not uncommon for cousins to marry. In the western paart of the town there were twenty-seven families by the name of Higley, and one section of the town was named "Higleyville." Today we do not find even one person in this section of the town by the name of Higley. However, there are still descendants of the Higleys here. Joseph Mills, Richard Case, Samuel Barber and Isaac Messenger, all living near each other, and within the limits of the present town of Granby, had forty sons, of whom thirty-nine grew to manhood. It seems extraordinary that such a large portion of the children lived to become heads of families, but accounts for the rapid growth of the town in spite of difficulties. An incident in the family life of Abner and Sarah Viets, who lived in East Granby, near Newgate, shows the humor and pluck which existed at this time. Sarah was sick and not expected to live. A clever girl, Abiah Phelps, was helping and taking care of the children. Abner was sitting near the sick bed, when his wife said to him: "Abner, what are you going to do when I am gone, you will be getting married again, I suppose." Abner, after a moment of quite, replied: "I don't know, Abiah here is a good hand to take care of children." Thereupon, Sarah sprang up in bed and with great determination said: "Abiah Phelps shall never take care of my children" and immediately dressed herself and went about her housework. It has not been possible for me to trace all of the descendants of our first settlers, but the poem I will now read, will I am sure, recall your minds to familiar names and faces. It is contributed by Mrs. Ned Kendall, and was written by and old townsman, N. P. Pratt of Brockton, Mass.... I am not going to transcribe the poem at this time, as it probably is not of any interest to most of you. The poem is titled "North Granby - 1895"

      5. "New England Historical and Genealogical Register," v. 5, p. 227, article "Records of Windsor":
      "John Griffin, (Simsbury) m. Anna Bancroft, 13 May 1647; chil. Hanna, b. 4 Jul 1649; Mary, b. 1 Mar 1651; Sarah, b. 25 Dec 1654; John, b. 20 Oct 1656; Thomas, b. 3 Oct 1658; Abigaill, b. 12 Nov 1660; Mindwel, b. 11 Feb 1662; Ruth, b. 21 Jan 1665; Ephraim, b. 1 Mar 1668; Nathaniel, b. 31 May 1673."

      6. "New England Historical and Genealogical Register," v. 15, p. 145, article "Passengers to Virginia":
      "John Griffin" is listed in the passenger manifest as noted "24e Octobris 1635. Aboard the Constance Clement Campion Mr. bound to Virginea."

      7. "New England Historic Genealogical Society" website for the publication "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records," 1904, Manwaring:
      V. 1, p. 153: John Griffin listed as a witness in the John Styles 14 Sep 1662.
      V. 1, p. 313, refers to original record page 64: "Griffin, John, Simsbury. Invt. ₤125-05-09. Taken 23 August, 1681, by John Case and Samuel Willcoxson. The children: John 25 years, Thomas 23, Ephraim 12, nathoaniel 9, Hannah 31, Mary 27, Sarah 26, Abigail 21, Ruth 16, Mindwell 19. Court Record, Page 44 - 1st Sep, 1681: Invt. exhibited. This Court grant Adms. on the Estate to Hannah Griffin, the Widow, and her two sons, John and Thomas Griffin. Page 69 - (Vol V) 4 Apr 1694: An Account of the Wastage of John Griffin's Estate being brought into this court, amounting to ₤125-05-09, which this Court. Dist: To the Eldest son a double portion, viz, ₤22-15-06; and equal portions, viz ₤11-07-09, to each of the other nine children. And whereas the Town of Simsbury granted to the Widow of sd. John Griffin a piece of Upland of about 4 acres near John Terrie's Land, and 12 acres under the Mountain, which, by the sd. Widow's mind declared, and consent of the Rest of the children, the sd. Land should belong equally to Ephraim and Nathaniel Griffin, This Court doth approve thereof, and doe order Mr. John Higley, John Slater and Peter Bewill to make a Partition of the estate accordingly."

      8. The book "Dorset Pilgrims," 1989:
      pp. 154-5: "More important were the forest products. The indigenous oak, elm, hickory and walnut provided timber for houses, fencing and barrels, sumac dyes for tanning and yellow pine and candlewood provided resins for the pitch, tar and turpentine used in ship and house building. Distilling pitch and tar and extracting turpentine was a process pioneered by two Windsor men, Michael Humphrey and John Griffin. They had trouble with the Indians who 'burned up their tar and turpentine and [destroyed] their tools and instruments to the value of a hundred pounds or more; and with their Windsor neighbours who complained 'about the burning of tar in or near unto the Town to their offence and prejudice'. But Griffin was eventually granted 200 acres by a grateful court for establishing the process."
      pp. 232-5: "The Tunxis was Windsor's hinterland and as early as 1642 the General Court had invited the Governor and his deputy to allocate lands at Massaco to Windsor people; but no Indian title was acquired and no grants made. It was left to Michael Humphrey and John Griffen six years later to take the first initiative by acquiring rights to Massaco's pine forests for their tar and turpentine enterprise. In 1648 a Windsor Indian was convicted of setting fire to Griffen's stocks of tar. The Indian's friends at Massaco redeemed him from a heavy fine and imprisonment by granting Griffen extensive land rights there, known as 'Griffen's Lordship'. In the same year, perhaps prompted by this, the General Court decided to buy Massaco for the colony for subsequent sale to Windsor people. Five years later the first allotments were made … The first permanent settler was John Griffen who was living there as early as 1663 at work on his turpentine business. Meanwhile the General Court regularized the situation by getting Indian confirmation of title and, in 1663, persuading Griffen to exchange his rights for a grant of 200 acres, ostensibly in token of his pioneer work in tar and turpentine. This legitimized the activity of the court's committee which by 1660 had already made grants to some nine Windsor individuals. In 1663 when the committee was revamped to consist of Benjamin Newberry, Edward Griswold and John Moore, to be joined later by Simon Wolcott, it was responsible for laying out the remaining undivided lands … In a February thaw in 1666 [three committee members measured upland lots] … These they allocated to fellow committee members Wolcott, Moore and Griswold and to the Bissells, all in the category of preferential shareholders … Michael Humphrey and John Griffen may have gone upriver to exploit the Massaco pine forests but they had also been the first explosive protesters against a church which would not admit them to communion, and in that first group of Massaco settlers over a dozen family heads belonged tot eh Woodbridge party who seceded to form the second Windsor church … In May 1670 [Massaco] was recognized as an independent township, renamed Simsbury … and two years later Wolcott and Griffin were appointed to organize a trainband."

      9. “The American Genealogist,” 24 [1948]:50-51, “David2 Winchell (Robert1) of Suffield, Conn.,” by Mrs. Albert H. Chase of Norwich, Conn., has the following showing that this couple's daughter Mary Griffin did not marry David Winchell:
      “David Winchell had but one wife, Elizabeth Filley, whom he married 17 November 1669, the mother of his children. Several authorities have given him a second wife, Mary Griffin, the daughter of John1 Griffin, who was born 1 March 1651. Among these are the Register of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut (1941) and The Winchell Genealogy. Let us first examine the Register:
      Page 909, David Winchell, m. Windsor, 1 May 1672, Mary Griffin b. Windsor 1 Mar. 1651, d. 23 June 1728.
      Page 315, Samuel Wilson, m. Windsor, 1 May 1672, Mary Griffin b. Windsor 1 Mar. 1651, d. 23 June 1728.
      It is obvious that Mary Griffin could not have married both David Winchell and Samuel Wilson the same day. The Register gives a daughter, Martha Winchell, born at Suffield about 1678, daughter of David and Mary (Griffin) Winchell. Martha's birth is not recorded on the Suffield Vital Records, but she was the daughter of David and Elizabeth as will appear.
      The Winchell Genealogy, pages 63-64, makes Mary Griffin the second wife and mother of all the children except the first child, Joseph. The mistake seems to have originated in Stiles's History of Ancient Windsor, Vol. 2, page 825, where the marriage is given of David Winchell to Elizabeth Filley, November, 1669, and then the first three children: Joseph, b. 13 Sept. 1670; Christian, b. 9 Mar. 1673; and Elizabeth, b. 7 Dec. 1675. These are all the children given. Under this is noted: David Winchell m. 1 May 1672 Mary Griffin. If this last statement were correct and referred to the David Winchell who married Elizabeth Filley, then only one child, Joseph, could be Elizabeth's, and that is so stated in The Winchell Genealogy. However, the vital records of Suffield, Conn., make it all clear. Two of the children (Mary and Jedediah) are called children of David and Elizabeth; and the death record of Elizabeth, 23 June 1728, reads: Elizabeth, widow of David (Vol. 1, p. 13).
      Samuel Wilson and his wife Mary Griffin had a large family. Mary (Griffin) Wilson's death should be checked since the death date of Elizabeth (Filley) Winchell has been substituted for hers. For Wilson, see Savage's Genealogical Dictionary, Vol. 4, page 588.”