By Jared L. Olar
August 2019
Among our ancestors was an English colonial family of the name of Wilcox. Early variant forms of the surname of Wilcox include Wilcocks, Wilcockes, Wilcoxen, and Wilcockeson. The surname originated as a patronymic, for the name literally means "Son of Young William," the suffix "-cock" being an older English byname for a young man, and "Will" being a common nickname for "William." Thus, we can be sure that our Wilcox family was descended in the male line from a man named William. Beyond that we cannot say, because the parentage and ancestry of our ancestor John Wilcox of Hartford, Connecticut, is unknown. What is known of John Wilcox and his family was compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus, who presented a genealogical account of this Wilcox family in his Hale, House, and related families: mainly of the Connecticut River Valley (1952), pages 803-805. Here, then, follows an account of our Wilcox ancestors derived from Jacobus' account:
1. JOHN WILCOX, parentage and ancestry unknown, born in England, died 1 Oct. 1651 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut. John was one of the early settlers of Hartford, Connecticut, first appearing in Hartford records in February of 1640. John's wife was named MARY (NN), born in England, died in 1668 (probably in December of that year) in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut. They are known to have had two daughters and a son. A genealogical sketch of what is known of John and his wife Mary is found in Donald Lines Jacobus' Hale, House, and related families: mainly of the Connecticut River Valley (1952), on pages 803-805. Here following is a transcription of that account, with details on the four wives of their son John Jr. added from the latter half of page 805:
1. JOHN 1 WILCOX, born in England, died at Hartford, Conn., 1 Oct. 1651; married MARY ______, who died at Hartford (probably in Dec.)
1668.
He was an original settler of Hartford, and his lands were entered in February 1639/40. Besides his houselot of two acres, he had various
parcels, one of four acres of upland, ten acres beyond Rocky Hill, two acres and twenty acres of upland, three acres bought of Francis
Andrews, forty-one acres bought of Richard Risley and others, bounded on land of John Hall, Sr., and George Hubbard (this last was sold
to John Bidwell, April 1666), an acre bought of Ralph Keeler, over five acres obtained by exchange with John Cullick, over two acres bought
of Thomas Bull, three acres bounded on the Great River, and five acres bought of James Coles. [a]
He was a “payle-maker” and seems to have been materially successful, leaving an estate of moderate size, and having two apprentices, a boy
and a girl. He served on a jury, 5 June i645. [b]
The inventory of his estate, taken by John Talcott, Andrew Bacon, and John Barnard, amounted to £391.03.00. His will, dated 24 July 1651,
calls him “payle maker,” and made elaborate provision for his wife Mary, who doubtless had been his helpmate for many years and was mother
of his children. He gave her £20, to be paid in corn (30 bushels in winter wheat, 10 bushels in summer wheat, 20 bushels in barley, 20
bushels in rye, 40 bushels in Indian corn); two cows; my best hogs at Mattabeseck [Middletown], two of my best shoats at home, my colt,
and “my owld house” to dwell in for life, my son to keep it in repair. She was also to have a third of the fruit, and was to be supplied
with wood. She was to have £4 by the year; if she moves her dwelling or marries, the fruit and wood are not to be supplied, but she is to
have £6 per year. He also gave her “the bed I lie on” and specified articles.
To his servant Samuel, he gave two suits of apparel, etc., according to the indenture. To his daughter, Ann Hall, £20; and £20 at the death
of my wife, to her or her children, but if she be dead without issue, then £10 to her husband, John Hall, if living, and the other £10 to
the children of John Biddell [Bidwell]. To his daughter, Sarah Biddell, his mare and two steers, also a cart and a plow with a share and
coulter. To John Biddell’s children, £40, to be equally divided among Sarah Biddell’s surviving children. His wife at death was to give £25
to Sarah Wilcock, daughter of son John. To son, John Willcock, the residue, he to be executor. His maid, Elizabeth Wakeman, was to have 20s.
at the end of apprenticeship. Andrew Bacon and John Barnard to be overseers, and they, with George Grave, witnessed the will. [c]
On 27 Oct. 1667, the Court ordered John Wilcox to pay his mother £6 a year, as on account of weakness she cannot occupy “the Old House.”
Probably she had moved some time before that to her daughter Bidwell’s home. She made her will, 4 Oct. 1666. She gave to her “Cosin”
[granddaughter] Sara Long, two pewter platters; to daughter, Ann “Haul,” 40s. and her best feather pillow; residue to son-in-law, John
Bidwell, he to be executor. Friends, Deacon Butler and James Ensign, to be overseers. [d]
Children of John and Mary (______) Wilcox, born in England:
i. ANN,2 b. abt. 1616; d. at Middletown, Conn., 20 July 1673 ae. about 57; m. JOHN 2 HALL, b. in England abt. 1619, d. at Middletown,
22 Jan. 1694/5 ae. 75, son of John 1 Hall, Sr., of Hartford and Middletown.[e] He m. (2) at Middletown, 1 Oct. 1674, Mary
(Curtice) Hubbard, who d. 29 June 1709, widow of Thomas Hubbard. His will, dated 23 May 1691, named relatives of his own and of
his second wife; no children. [f]
ii. SARAH, b. abt. 1618; d. at Hartford, 15 June (sic - Jan.) 1690; m. JOHN 1 BIDWELL [Bidwell Family, No. 1], who d. at Hartford in 1687.
2 iii. JOHN, b. [perhaps about 1620 or earlier, certainly not later than 1620]; d. 24 May 1676 at Middletown, Conn.; married first, at
Hartford, Conn., 17 Sept. 1646, SARAH WADSWORTH, born in England, about 1626, died at Hartford, probably at the birth of her
daughter in Oct. 1648, daughter of William and Sarah (Talcott) Wadsworth; married second, at Hartford, 18 Jan. 1649/50,
KATHERINE STOUGHTON, probably daughter of Thomas 1 Stoughton of Windsor; a married third, after 1660, MARY (LANE) (LONG)
FARNSWORTH, who died at Middletown in 1671, daughter of William Lane and widow of Joseph Long and of Joseph Farnsworth, both
of Dorchester, Mass.; married fourth, at Middletown, Conn., about 1671, ESTHER 2 CORNWELL, born at Middletown, May 1650, died
there 2 May 1733, aged about 83, daughter of Sergt. William 1 and Mary (_____) Cornwell. Esther (Cornwell) Wilcox married
second, in 1677, John Stow, born at Charlestown, Mass, (recorded at Middletown), 16 June 1650, died at Middletown, 30 June
1732, in his 83d year, son of Rev. Samuel and Hope (Fletcher) Stow.
a. Conn. Hist. Society Collections, 14:220-2.
b. Ibid., 22:34.
c. Manwaring’s Digest, 1:164.
d. Ibid., 1:255.
e. Ann Wilcox has often been assigned to John 1 Hall, Sr., as a second wife, in former accounts. L. Effingham de Forest in Moore and
Allied Families (1938), 289, gives reasons for rejecting this view, though he leaves the question open. The will of John 1 Hall names
no wife, though he survived Ann; she was called wife (not widow) of John (not described as senior) in the record of her death. She was
more suitable in age for John 2 and presumably John 2 was married before his marriage to a widow when he was about 55 years old.
f. Manwaring’s Digest, 1:458.
Thus, the three known children of John and Mary Wilcox were:
-- ANN WILCOX, born circa 1616 in England, died 20 July 1673 in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, married John Hall Sr.
2. SARAH WILCOX, born circa 1618 in England.
-- JOHN WILCOX, born circa 1620 in England, died 24 May 1676 in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, married four times.
2. SARAH WILCOX, daughter of John and Mary Wilcox, born circa 1618 probably in England, died Jan. 1690 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, buried 15 Jan. 1690 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut. Sarah's husband was JOHN BIDWELL, born circa 1615 probably in England, died 1687 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, parentage and ancestry unknown. Sarah and John are known to have had three daughters and four sons. A genealogical sketch of what is known of John and his wife Sarah is found in Donald Lines Jacobus' Hale, House, and related families: mainly of the Connecticut River Valley (1952), on pages 459-465, 465-474. Here following is a transcription of that account, but with the lists of the grandchildren of John and Sarah Bidwell omitted, and with details on the spouses of their sons added from pages 465-474:
1. JOHN 1 BIDWELL, born , died at Hartford, Conn., in 1687; married SARAH 2 WILCOX [Wilcox Family, No. 1, ii], born about
1618, buried in Hartford, 15 Jan. 1689/90, daughter of John 1 and Mary (______) Wilcox.
An early settler in Hartford, his lands were entered at the first recording in February 1639/40. His dwelling then stood on two acres which he had
bought of Thomas Bunce. He had two roods given him for a tan-yard; two roods bought from Seth Grant; four acres on the east side of the Great
River given to John Hall and sold by Hall to William Spencer and by Spencer to Bidwell; three acres of upland bought of Thomas Bunce; two acres on
the east side bought of William Hyde; two acres of swamp on the east side; fifty perches bought of John Skinner; five acres on the east side bought
of Richard Seymour; four acres of woodland bought of William Blomfield; two parcels acquired by purchase, originally John Sable’s; and, recorded
18 Oct. 1655, three acres bought of Thomas Woodford, and three more parcels on the east side; and, 20 Feb. 1666, upland and swamp estimated at 210
acres, bought from several; and 41 acres purchased 26 Apr. 1666 from John Wilcox. [a]
In 1668 Winthrop mentioned John Bidwell’s wife, “of Hartford other side of river,” as aged 50. In 1660, he named some of the Bidwell children: John,
aged 12; Sarah, 7; Dan., 4; Hannah, 1 1/2. In 1665 he mentioned “John Meakins his wife daughter of G[oodman] Bidwell of Hartford.” [b]
With his wife Sarah, he was an original member of the Hartford Second Church, 12 Feb. 1669/70; and their children, John, Joseph and Sarah, as
“children of the church,” owned the Covenant.
The will of John Bidwell of Hartford, dated 10 Feb. 1680 [1680/1], gave to his son John Bidwell, two acres on the east side of the Connecticut River,
and all lands and buildings in Hartford on the west side; to son, Joseph Bidwell, £30, of which £20 is to be paid him within two years of the
testator’s decease, and £10 after wife’s decease for the use of his children; to son, Samuel Bidwell, £20, of which £10 is to be paid within two years
of the testator’s decease, and £10 after wife’s decease for the use of his children; to two daughters, Sarah House and Hannah Waddams, £20 apiece; to
daughter, Mary Meekins, half a swamp lot, the other half to testator’s wife for life, and then to grandson John Meekins if he live with testator or
wife until he is twenty years of age; to wife, Sarah Bidwell, all household goods forever, and life use of half of entire estate not before disposed
of; to son, Daniel Bidwell, half of entire estate not before disposed of, and the other half after wife’s decease. Wife, Sarah Bidwell, and son Daniel,
to be executors, and Mr. John Crow overseer. Witnesses: William Pitkin, Joseph Olmsted. A codicil, dated 22 Aug. 1683, gave his wife in addition, two
cows; to son, John Bidwell, four acres, he to pay 20s. to Rev. John Whiting and £20 to testator’s son Joseph; and changed the legacy to Sarah House
and Hannah Waddams to £30 for the former and £10 for the latter. Witnesses: William Pitkin, John Makins. Inventory taken 4 June 1687: £419.10.6. [c]
His widow’s burial date, often misprinted, is from the record book of William Goodwin, the gravedigger.
Children of John and Sarah (Wilcox) Bidwell, born at Hartford:
i. MARY,2 b. abt. 1647; d. at East Hartford, 15 May 1725 in 78th yr. (g. s.); m. by 1665, JOHN MEAKIN (also spelled Meekin and Meakins), who d.
at East Hartford, 6 Jan. 1705/6. His will, dated 22 Nov. 1702, proved 22 Jan. 1705/6, named his wife Mary, sons John, Joseph, and Samuel,
and daughters Mary Belden, Sarah Spencer, and Rebeckah and Hannah Meakins; and mentions brother Daniel Bidwell as the owner of land
adjacent to Meakin’s homestead, and the half of a meadow lot (by will of father John Bidwell), which he gives to his son, John Meakins.
[d] . . . .
2 ii. JOHN, b. abt. 1648; d. 3 July 1692 at Hartford, Conn.; married at Hartford, 7 Nov. 16778, SARAH 3 WELLES [Welles Family, No. 1, iv, 3],
born at Hartford, Apr. 1659, died there about 1709, daughter of Thomas 2 and Hannah (Tuttle) (Pantry) Welles.
3 iii. JOSEPH, b. [say 1650]; d. June 1692 at Wethersfield, Conn.; married at Wethersfield, 18 May 1675, MARY COLEFAX, born at Wethersfield,
February 1656, daughter of William and Alice (______) Colefax.
4 iv. SAMUEL, b. abt. 1651 at Hartford, Conn.; d. 5 Apr. 1715 at Middletown, Conn., aged 65 (gravestone); married at Middletown, 14 Nov. 1672,
ELIZABETH STOW, who died probably between 1690 and 1694, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Griggs) Stow; married second, by 1695, SARAH
HARRIS, born at Middletown, 30 Sept. 1663, died between 1695 and 1699, daughter of Capt. Daniel and Mary (Weld) Harris; married third,
by 1699, ABIGAIL ______, who died at Middletown, 8 Mar. 1732/3.
v. SARAH, b. abt. 1653; m. WILLIAM HOUSE [House Family, No. 1].
5 vi. DANIEL, b. abt. 1656 at Hartford, Conn.; d. 29 Nov. 1719 at East Hartford, in 64th yr. (g. s.); married first ELIZABETH _______;
married second, DOROTHY BENTON, daughter of Andrew and Anne (Cole) Benton.
vii. HANNAH, b. abt. 1658; d. at Wethersfield, 17 June 1696; m. 20 Dec. 1677, JOHN WADHAMS, b. 8 July 1655, d. 30 June 1718 ae. 63 yrs. wanting
8 days, son of John and Susannah (______) Wadhams. He m. (2) 13 Oct. 1697, Abigail (Baldwin) Baldwin, b. at Milford, Conn., 15 Nov. 1658,
d. at North Guilford, 24 June 1739 in 81st yr. (g. s.), dau. of John and Mary (Bruen) Baldwin, and widow of Samuel Baldwin of Guilford.
The settlement of the estate names the widow Abigail and all the surviving children. [k] . . . .
a. Conn. Hist. Society Collections, 14: 116-8, 470.
b. Charles E. Banks, Items from the Medical Journal of John Winthrop, Jr.
c. Manwaring’s Digest, 1:274-5.
d. Ibid., 2:93-4.
k. Manwaring’s Digest, 2:443-4.
Thus, the seven known children of John and Sarah Bidwell were:
-- MARY BIDWELL, born circa 1647 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, died 15 May 1725 in East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, married John Meakin.
-- JOHN BIDWELL, born circa 1648 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, married Sarah Welles.
-- JOSEPH BIDWELL, born circa 1650 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, died June 1692 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, married Mary Colefax.
-- SAMUEL BIDWELL, born circa 1651 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, died 5 April 1715 in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, married three times.
-- SARAH BIDWELL, born circa 1653 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.
-- DANIEL BIDWELL, born circa 1656 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, died died 29 Nov. 1719 in East Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, married twice.
-- HANNAH BIDWELL, born circa 1658 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, died 1742 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, married John Wadhams.
Wilcox Genealogy Resources:
Hale, House, and related families: mainly of the Connecticut River Valley, 1952. Internet Surname Database: Wilcox