See also
| Husband: | Isaac + SHELDON (1629-1708) | |
| Wife: | Mehitble GUNN (1644-1720) | |
| Children: | Jonathan SHELDON ( - ) | |
| Marriage | 1686 | Northampton,Hampshire, MA, US |
Isaac + SHELDON
| Name: | Isaac + SHELDON | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Ralph + SHELDON (1605-1651) | |
| Mother: | Barbara + STONE (1607-1651) | |
| Birth | 1629 | Ashford, Kent, England1,2 |
| Christening | 1629 (age 0) | Bakewell, Derbyshire, England |
| Immigration | 1652 (age 22-23) | from England |
| Massachusetts | ||
| Death | 29 Jul 1708 (age 78-79) | Northampton,Hampshire, MA, US3,4 |
| Burial | "7/1708" | Bridge St. Cemetary, Northhampton, Hampshire, MA5 |
| Name: | Mehitble GUNN | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | - | |
| Mother: | - | |
| Birth | 28 Jul 1644 | New Haven, New Haven, CT, US |
| Death | 30 Jan 1720 (age 75) | Northampton,Hampshire, MA, US |
| Name: | Jonathan SHELDON | |
| Sex: | Male | |
ISAAC SHELDON is the original immigrant to America of our line of Sheldons coming from England. We have no proof from whence in England he originated, though the lineage developed by T. Gardner Bartlett, presented in 1926, seems possible. See The Sheldons of Derbyshire, England.
The history of our branch of the family — from which the Sheldons in Suffield, Connecticut are descended — begins with Isaac Sheldon, who was born about 1629. For a long time it was supposed that this same Isaac Sheldon was the man who seems to have been in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1634, and that he removed to Windsor, Connecticut in 1634/1635 with part of the congregation of the Rev. John Warham as one of the original settlers of Windsor. On the original town records is a date that makes it appear Isaac was there on 10 January 1640, and owned at that time some few acres of land. This has caused no small amount of controversy, and it is likely we will never know the real answer but you can
CLICK HERE for some of the theories and details.
In 1651 or 1652, at Winds or, Connecticut, Isaac Sheldon (at about 22 years of age) bought of John Stiles a home lot of three acres with Dwelling House, barn and orchard, at the very least, possibly other land, including a meadow lot.
At a meeting of Windsor’s Selectmen on 13 September 1652, an order was passed giving permission for Isaac Sheldon to share his home with Samuel Rockwell: "It is asented yt Isack Shelden and Samuell Rockwell shall keepe house together in ye house yt is Isackes, so [long] thay cary themselves soberly and doe not intertayne Idel persones to ye evell Expenc of time by night or daye" (Windsor, Connecticut, Town Acts, 1650-1714, fo. 11).
MARRIAGE
His bachelor life didn't last long, for in 1653, Isaac married MARY WOODFORD at Hartford, Connecticut. She was born in 1636 at Windsor or Hartford, the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Blott) Woodford of Hartford, Connecticut and Northampton, Mass.
In 1654, Isaac sold his place in Windsor to Samuel Rockwell, and removed to Northampton, Mass. where he was one of the first Settlers. He owned farm land in "Manhan Meadow," and a home lot of four acres. He was a Selectman in 1656 and a leading man in town affairs. In 1660 he was assigned a home lot on Bridge Street, which was handed down from father to son at least to 1896.
When the Rev. Eleazar Mather settled in Northampton as pastor of the church, 163-1/2 acres of land were placed at his disposal, to be given by him to such persons as came to Northampton to settle through his influence. Isaac Sheldon got six acres and his father-in-law, Thomas Woodford, six acres. Isaac and his wife, together with Thomas Woodford, signed the church covenant on 18 June 1661.
It is on record that Isaac contributed to Harvard College 9 pounds of flax, valued 9s. There were many contributors in Northampton, each one giving what he could.
In March 1678, Isaac was appointed one of the first Tithingmen in Northampton, whose duty it was to have charge of the morals of the community. On 27 Feb 1681, he was appointed to a committee to stake out highways.
Mary Woodford Sheldon died 17 April 1684 at Northampton, Mass.
After Mary's death, Isaac remarried in 1686, Mehitabel (Gunn) Ensign at Northampton. She was the daughter of Thomas Gunn, born in Windsor, Conn. on 28 July 1644. She had first married David Ensign on 22 October 1663, but divorced him in October of 1682 "because of his misconduct". She had five children by Ensign.
CLICK HERE to read details of Mehitabel's case against David Ensign.
The last civil appointment we have for Isaac Sheldon was as overseer of the poor, on 7 Mar 1698.
Isaac Sheldon died 27 July 1708 (at age 78 years) and is buried at the Bridge Street Cemetery, Northampton, Massachusetts.
Isaac Sheldon's Tomb Marker
Northampton, Mass.
Click on photo for larger version
Since his will is signed with his mark, we also know that he was unschooled.
Mehitable (Gunn Ensign) Sheldon died 30 Jan 1720/21 also at Northampton.
The records show that Isaac had 14 children and 115 grandchildren. In view of this good beginning, the numerical strength of this branch of the family through all generations is not surprising.
| 1 | Edmund West, "Family Data Collection - Births" (Provo, UT 2001). |
| 2 | "Connecticut Headstone Inscriptions". |
| 3 | Edmund West, "Family Data Collection - Death" (Generations Network, Inc 2001). |
| 4 | "Connecticut Deaths and Burial Index, 1650-1934". |
| 5 | "Find a Grave". |