CHILDREN

Matthew Sherwood

It is unknown whether or not Thomas and his family were "Puritans." He was a carpenter and miller  and a community leader as Fairfield's representative to the General Court  in Hartford, Connecticut.

Source: Ship's register (Pubic Record Office, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU,
England:CO1/8/pp.99-101) lists Thomas Sherwood and his family as passengers:
Thomas SHERWOOD 48 and Alice his wife 47, Anna SHERWOOD 14, Rose SHERWOOD 11, Thomas SHERWOOD 10, Rebecca SHERWOOD 9;

After Thomas sailed from Ipswich, England on 4/10/1634 on the ship "Francis" and landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on June 1634, he was in Massachusetts for a few years; then removed to Wethersfield, Connecticut where he was Deputy to the General Court from September 1645 to October 1654. This puts him in Fairfield, Connecticut and Deputy to General Court in Wethersfield, Connecticut when "Goody" Knapp was hung in 1653 for witchcraft. It seems from the records as though Thomas Sherwood spent as much time in the Court either suing or defending himself as he did serving the Court in his official capacity. Thomas Sherwood is recorded in Colonial Records of CT, 1636-65, Vol. I, by Trumbull that at Hartford 5 June 1645, The Particular Court 'In the action of slander of Thomas Sherwood, the Elder, plaintiff against Henry Graye, defendant, the Jury finds for the plaintiff costs of Court and damages 20 lb. In the second action of slander of Thomas Sherwood the elder, plaintiff, against Henry Graye, defendant, the Jury finds for the plaintiff costs of court and damages 15 lb. In the action of Jehu Burr, the elder plaintiff against Thomas Sherwood the elder, defendant, the Jury finds for the defendant costs of court.

 

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