Myers-Snell Family

NI0585

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HISTORY: NOTE that this is a cousin of OUR Thomas Bliss!
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@ Genealogy of the BLISS FAMILY, VOL I, p.27-32:
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Thomas Bliss, farmer, of Hartford, Connecticut, was born most probably in County Gloucester, England in the approximate year of 1590. The particular location of his birth within Gloucestershire is not known, however numerous Bliss records aretraced to the Painswick are which has been termed "Bliss Country" by other researchers. He resided in Rodborough, Gloucestershire, at one time, and a son, nathaniel, was born there and baptized December 28, 1622. It should be noted that therewere very few Blisses resident at Rodborough at that time and in fact no Bliss testators lived there during Thomas' stay. It was not the place of his birth nor th place of his ancestors. The reason for his presence was one Margaret Hulins *orHulings( of Rodborough. She was born in about 1595, and they were married in about 1617.
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The grandfather of Margaret was Henry Hulins, a yeoman farmer of Rodborough, who was boarn about 1540. He married Joane and eight children are known: Francis, John, Thomas, William, Henry Alice, Elizabeth and Agnes (Anne). His will was datedNovember 9, 1608 and proved May 12, 1609. His wife's will wa dated March 11, 1612/13 and proved october 2, 1613. The father of Margaret, John Julins, was boarn about 1565 and was also a yeoman in Rodborough. His wife was Margaret, and sevenchildren are known: Henry, Lawrence, John, Margaret (who married Thomas Blisse), Joane, Alice and Mary. Mr. Hulins made his will January 24, 1638 [1639 N.S.] which recited the following: "...Item. I giue to Margaret Blisse my daughter to bepayde toher by my sonne Henry the sume of five punds upon the fourth day of mrch next ensuing the date heereof..." The will was proved September 28, 1639.
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There is some improbability of John Hulins' naming his daughter in his will if she had at that time removed to New England, or it would have at least been typical to have mentioned her new residence. But there is evidence that Thomas Blisse wasin America at the time of his father-in-law's death. In February of 1640 he had his land entered into the hartford records and on one parcel "his dwelling house now standeth." This would indicate that he had been a resident at Hartford forsome time, and for lack of any earlier evidence of his presence in America, we shall set his arrival in New England at 1638, being early enough for the construction of a dwelling house and late enough to not tempt the reality of john Hulins'will, which makes no reference to his daughter residing anywhere but Rodborough, There is, of course, the possibility that Margaret Bliss joined her husband after her father's will had been written.
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As evidence of mr. Bliss' presence at Hartford prior to 1640, the following excerpt from the Hartford Book of Distributions is offered [the date being in Old Style]:
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Febr: Anno dom: 1639
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Several Parcells of land in hertford vpon the River of Conecticott belonging to Thomas Blisse sen & to his heires forever.
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One parcel on which his dwellinge house now standeth with years or gardens therein being Contayninge by Estimation two roods (more or lesse) Abuttinge on the highway leading from John Barnards land tward the North on the west & on thom Richardsland on the North & on Thom Blisse Jun; land on the South & on Paul Pecks land on the East.
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Thomas and his son, Thomas Jr., werementioned in a few other land recoreds. At the division of the lands on the east side of the Great River in 1641, "Thomas Blysse Senior" was given six acres and "Thomas Blysse Junior" was given four acres. In 1647 [N.S.] we find the elder man fined for being absent from military training: "March the 4th, 1646. Tho: Blisse for not trayneing, is fyfned 2s, 6d." From this account we note that he was probably then under 670 years old, but from theapparent ages of his older children, we must assume that he was over 50. Thomas died either late in 1650 or early in 1651 at Hartford. His estate was inventoried at a meagre 86 pounds, 12 shillings and 8 pence on February 14, 1650 [1651 N.S.],but since four older children were already married, it is likely taht their portions of the estate had already been distributed. Thoams had not written a will, but instead recited it orally to his wife, with his daughter, Mary Parsons, as awitness. As recorded and witnessed by John Pynchon and Henry Smith at the time of his estate's inventory, his will was as follows:
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feb: 14th 1650 [1651 N.S.] mary parsons of Springfeild the daughter of Thomas Bliss lte of Hartford deceased, doth testifie, that when her father lay on his death bed Shee heard his mother Aske him, how hee would dispose of his estate, heeAnswered hee would giue it to her, who should haue it elce, her mother asked him if hee would not dispose of it to his Children, her father Answered againe no, her mother Should haue it, this Shee Shall bee ready to testifie if Called therevnto.witness John Pincheon Hen; Smith [Vol. II, p.28 Probate REcords of hartford, Co., Conn.]
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SEE BLI-THO2 for full inventory of estate of Mr. Bliss...
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On February 20, 1650 [1651 N.S.] the Particular Court gave Margaret full power to administer the estate 'if Shee So long Continue a widdow."
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Some of the children had already settled at Springfield at the time of Thomas' death and Margaret wasted no time taking over the management of her husband's estate, and removing with her younger children to Springfield. At the Particular Courtof Conmnecticut "Goody Bliss of hartford" {this was Margaret, called "Goody" because she was the wife of a "Goodman," which was roughly one step below the class of "Gentleman"}, having received her administration powers, commenced suit againstWilliam Ayers for the unlawful detaining and wrongful selling of her cow on March 7, 1650 [1651 N.S.]. She no doubt relocated shortly after that time for under the date of "Jan ye 22th 1651" sje a[[eared as a gramtee pf tjree acres
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pm {acpwsocl begommomg at ue ;pwer emd
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om S[romgfoe;dTpwm Votes. She also acquired seven acres on the west side of the Great River opposite her house lot, nineteen and one half acre in Long Meadow, four acres in the same general area, five acres in the second division over AgawamRiver and three acres on Pacowsick Brook. this estate is bounded today by Main Street on the east, the Connecticut River on the west, Margaret Street on the north and Fremont Street on the south.
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Margaret died August 28, 1684. On September 30, 1684, her son Samuel, of Springfield, presented her last will and an inventory of her estate to the hampshire County Court. (her will is found BLI-THO2, page 4).
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Margaret proved to be an able manager ofher husband's estate. The estate was inventoried at 278 pounds, more than three times the amount left to her by her husband.
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For further information, see BLI-THO2.
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REFERENCE:
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BLISS BOOK by Charles A. Hoppin, Hartford, Conn 1913.
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DICTIONARY OF ANC. HEADS OF NE FAMILIES 1620-1700 by Frank R. Holmes, pub. Balt. Genea. Pub. 1964.
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ENTERTAINING SATAN, by John P. Demos, pub. 1994, Oxford Univ. Press, Chap 8, pp.246-274.
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FAMILIES OF EARLY HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, by Lucius Barnes, Barbour, Conn. Soc. of Genea. Glastonbury, Conn., 1977.
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GENEALOGY OF BLISS FAMILY, VOL I, p.27-32.
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HALE, HOUSE & RELATED FAMILIES by Donald Line Jacobus and Edward Francis Waterman, Hartford, Conn., Hist Soc. 1952.
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STEVENS-MILLER ANCESTRY (THE), by Mary Lovering Holman, Concord, NH, 1948.
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"THOMAS AND MARGARET HULINS BLILSS OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT" by Myrtle Stevens Hyde, in THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, VOL 52, No. 4 *Oct 1976), pp. 193-197.
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VARIOUS ANCESTRAL LINES OF JAMES GOODWIN AND LUCY (MORGAN) GOODWIN, by Frank Farnsworth Starr, Hartford, 1915. /
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[]
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!Source: Thomas Bliss of Hartford, #1, p.27, Bliss Geneal. of Amer. Vol 1,
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by Aaron T. Bliss. Probate records of Hartford, CT. Vol.II, p.28.
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LDS Ancestral File (AFN:GCPQ-LJ).
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[]
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Thomas born in England, married Margaret Hulins, some say Lawrence, because her son was named that. He was first at Braintree, MA, and then Hartford, Conn. He married in England. Because of religious persecutions, Thomas and brother George cameto Plymouth, MA in 1635. He was one of the original settlers of Hartford, Conn., and was a surveyor of highways and appointed to view the fence of the town. He died in Hartford and his widow moved to Springfield in 1643 with her children. Shepurchased a tract of land one mile square in Springfield, today Margaret and Bliss Streets are on her old land and are named after her.
Given names Surname Sosa Birth Place Death Age Place Last change
about 1590
 434 11 374 60 Never