Person Page - 45

     Sarah Bevin was born in 1694 in Glastonbury, Hartford Co., Conn.. She was the daughter of Arthur Bevin and Mary (__?__). She married Return Messenger, age 21, son of Nathaniel Messenger and Rebecca Kelsey, on 16 April 1713 in Windham, Windham Co., Conn.. She died on 25 September 1718 in Windham, Windham Co., Conn..

     Sarah Smith married Nathan Messenger, of Farmington, age 35, son of Nathaniel Messenger and Rebecca Kelsey, on 8 November 1729.

     Hannah (__?__) married John Kelsey, son of William Kelsey and (__?__) (__?__).

     Jonathan Phelps was born on 24 May 1723 in Simsbury, Hartford Co., Conn.. He was the son of Ephraim Phelps Jr. and Sarah Owen. He married, at age 19, Catherine Messenger, age 22, daughter of Joseph Messenger and Catherine Holcomb, on 30 March 1743.

     Hannah Alvord was born on 29 March 1724. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Alvord and Experience Holcomb. She married Isaac Messenger, son of Joseph Messenger and Catherine Holcomb, circa 1740. She died on 28 January 1811 in Canton, Hartford Co., Conn., at age 86.

     (__?__) (__?__) married Luman Beman.

     (__?__) (__?__) married (1) Frank Messenger, son of Josephus Messenger and Betsey Day.

     Mary Messenger was born circa 1714. She was the daughter of Return Messenger and Sarah Bevin.

     John Messenger was the son of Henry Messenger and Sarah (__?__). He died before 1694.

     Samuel Messenger was born circa 1642. He was the son of Andrew Messenger and Rachael (__?__). He married Susannah (__?__). He died circa 1686.

     Daniel Messenger was the son of Andrew Messenger and Rachael (__?__).

     Mary Messenger was born circa 1646. She was the daughter of Andrew Messenger and Rachael (__?__). She married Thomas Benedict. She died circa 1699.

     Sarah Messenger was born circa 1648. She was the daughter of Andrew Messenger and Rachael (__?__). She married (1) Ephraim Palmer circa 1668. She married (2) John Gregory after 1684.

     Abigail Messenger was born circa 1644. She was the daughter of Andrew Messenger and Rachael (__?__). She married (1) Richard Darling in 1662. She married (2) Zachariah Mills between 1674 and 1686. She and Richard Darling were divorced on 7 July 1674.

     Andrew Messenger was born circa 1651. He was the son of Andrew Messenger and Rachael (__?__). He married Rebecca Pickett. He married Rachel Hayes. He died in 1730 in Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Conn..

     
     

     Recent research (1998) shows that the English origins of Edward, Andrew, and Henry Messenger are, as yet, unknown. That Henry of Boston had the right to use arms is shown when His widow Sarah mentions the "Mesenger Arms Hanging in the Parlor" in her will. The research also indicates that the much repeated existence of an Andrew and Sarah Messenger as parents of the three New England Messengers has no evidential basis and is most likely a fabrication based on assumptions. It was 1927 before anyone had grouped the three Messengers as brothers and given them a father named Andrew. Lack of direct evidence also questions whether there were any Messengers aboard the Hector which landed at Boston in 1637. While Andrew and Sarah are most likely a fabrication, we cannot discount the possibility that any of the Messengers might indeed have been aboard the Hector or a sister ship which arrived at the same time.
     That Edward, Andrew, and Henry were brothers also lacks evidence and documentation. While it can be shown that Andrew and Henry were related, and quite possibly brothers, there is no direct evidence of a relationship between Edward and Andrew or Henry. Edward, however, did have business connections to Boston and New York, and he and Andrew both dealt with John Winthrop Jr. While this could provide circumstantial evidence of a relationship with Henry of Boston and Andrew of Long Island, at this point, the assumption that the three were brothers is unsubstantiated speculation.¹

     Simeon Messenger was the son of Henry Messenger and Sarah (__?__).

     Thomas Messenger was the son of Henry Messenger and Sarah (__?__). He died before 1694.

     Mary Bacon was born on 12 October 1685 in Simsbury, Hartford Co., Conn.. She was the daughter of Thomas Bacon and Abigail Maskill. She married John Griffin, son of Sergt. John Griffin and Anna Bancroft, in October 1708 in Simsbury, Hartford Co., Conn..

     Mary Griffin was the daughter of John Griffin and Mary Bacon. She married Jehiel Messenger, son of Joseph Messenger and Catherine Holcomb.

     Hannah Higley was born on 27 April 1758 in Simsbury, Hartford Co., Conn..¹ She was the daughter of Dudley Higley and Eunice Stratton. She married David Messenger, son of Nathaniel Messenger and Eleanor Griffin, the daughter of his step-mother and her first husband. She died on 18 April 1815 in Granville, Licking Co., Ohio, at age 56.

     John Kelsey was born circa 1661 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn.. He was the son of Mark Kelsey and Rebecca Hoskins. He died on 18 June 1685 in Conn. unmarried.

     Mark Kelsey was born circa 1634 probably in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Mass..¹ He was the son of William Kelsey and (__?__) (__?__). He married (1) Rebecca Hoskins (is she a niece of John Hoskins) on 8 March 1658/59 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn..^2,3 He married (2) Abigail (__?__) (widow of Capt. Thomas Atwood), on 26 December 1683 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn..^4,3,5 He died between May 1715 and 27 February 1723 probably in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn..⁶
     

     We assume that Mark was the eldest child, probably born in Cambridge, Mass. Savage calls Mark Kelsey "of Windsor," which is verified by the history of the town of Windsor, and the births of Rebecca and Thomas are recorded there. However, in a mortgage of land in Wethersfield, Feb. 27, 1664/5, Mark calls himself "of Wethersfield," and his second wife, Mrs. Abigail Atwood, was of Wethersfield. In the Hartford Probate Records we find Mark Kelsey one of those appointed to take Inventory of the Estate of James Eggleston, of Windsor, Dec. 24, 1679. James Eggleston was a brother-in-law to Mark having married his sister Hester.
     Mark left few records, but we find in the Particular Court Records that on 7 December 1654 he was found guilty at Hartford of "several evill carriages & misdeameanors," for which he was "to be publiquely Corrected to Morrow morning & in the meane time to goe to prison". There is no further information as to what the actual charges were and we can only speculate that his punishment may have been a public flogging.
     Mark's first wife was Rebecca Hoskins. Who may not be a daughter of John and Ann Hoskins as is claimed in many early genealogies. Four months after the death of his wife Rebecca, Mark married as his second wife, Abigail, the widow of Capt. Thomas Atwood, of Wethersfield. By her first husband, Abigail had children: Abigail, born 1668, married George Killborn in 1689; Andrew, born 1671; Jonathan, born 1675; Josiah, born 1678. Capt. Atwood died intestate in 1682
     The place and date of death of Mark are not recorded. On May 2, 1715, his daughter-in-law, Abigail Watson, widow of his son William, allows Mark a sum of money for "bringing up 2 children," the daughters of the said William, and on Feb. 27, 1722/3, Obadiah Spencer, Jr., in his will, mentions "my wife's father, Mark Kelsey, deceased." So that Mark died between May 2, 1715 and Feb. 27, 1722/3, but we have found no more specific date than this.

     Rebecca Hoskins was born circa 1634 in Dorchester, Mass., (or possibly Windsor).² She (is she a niece of John Hoskins) married Mark Kelsey, son of William Kelsey and (__?__) (__?__), on 8 March 1658/59 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn..^3,4 She died on 28 August 1683 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn., at age 49.⁵

     John Hoskins was born circa 1585 in England.² He married (2) Ann (__?__), daughter of Roman Filer, on 6 June 1630 in Dorchester, Suffolk Co., Mass..² He died on 3 May 1648 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn.. He was buried on 5 May 1649.
     
Immigration: in 1630, A passenger aboard the "Mary and John."
Freeman: on 18 May 1631 in Dorchester, Suffolk Co., Mass., having requested freemanship 19 Oct 1630.
Residence: in 1636 Removed from Dorchester to Windsor, CT.
Public Office: in 1637 Deputy to the General Court.