Esther Agard's Journey - June 18, 2023 Update

Writing helps you make sense of things, so that's what I decided to do on this Sunday afternoon. With the help of a timeline, I've disproved previous assumptions of John and Esther Agard's journey to America. Previous researchers assumed that the child born on 16 July 1683 and listed by the Boston Vital Records as "Esther, daughter of John and Esther Agard" was a mistake and actually a son, John the Younger Agard, was born on that date. I don't think so. I found a baptism of "Esther, dau of John Agard" on 22 July 1683 in the Old South Church, Boston, MA digitized records. Today I found the baptism of John, son of Widow Agard baptized on 30 November 1684 in the Old South Church, Boston, MA. I'm assuming that baby Esther was born 16 July 1683 and died before 1685 when Esther married Samuel Storrs. Because the record stated her as "Widow," John the Elder Agard must have died between July 1683 and November 1684. That's all great information. But, I cannot find a birth record for John the Younger, or a death record for John the Elder Agard. There are no Findagrave entries for either. I learned John the Elder was a weaver and Seth Perry became surety for him. Maybe I should track down this Seth Perry. Any thoughts on where I should go next would be greatly appreciated.

Genealogy by the States – Connecticut

John Agard was only 2-1/2 when his mother Esther married Samuel Storrs.   We shall never know how John felt about joining a family of five girls and one boy all older than he. And we shall never know how he felt about his mother and stepfather adding three more children, Thomas b: 1686, Esther b: 1688, and Cordial b: 1692 to the already large family.

John was fifteen when he and his family moved to Mansfield, Connecticut where his stepfather, Samuel, became a landowner and prominent member of the community.

For instance, in 1702 Mansfield residents were not happy about the distance they had to travel for church and town business.  A town meeting was held and a vote conducted to apply to the General Court for authorization to divide the territory from the Town of Windham. This was approved, and Samuel was instrumental in getting this accomplished.  Samuel and Esther’s house is thought to have stood near the southern boundary of “Ponde Place” cemetery on Mansfield Street.

Storrs Monument located at Mansfield Center Olde Cemetery
First Cemetery in Tolland County 1693
Storrs family listed; John Agard not included

On 8 June 1709 John Agard married Mehitable Hall in Mansfield, and they had seven children: James b: 1710, John b: 1712, Joshua b: 1714, Benjamin b: 1716, Mahitabell b: 1718, Hezekiah b: 1722, and Judah b: 1724.

Little more is known of John.  He left no land records, no death or burial record; sadly no stone marks his grave. But he left his legacy as I am descended from his son John who moved to Litchfield, Connecticut and then on to New York State.

In tracing this family I utilized the following Connecticut resources:

Chronology of Mansfield 1702-1972, Mansfield Historical Society

Connecticut Nutmegger, Connecticut Society of Genealogists; C.H. Booth Library, Newtown, CT

Partial Genealogy of John and Esther Agard, by Roberts, Daniel; Godfrey Memorial Library in Middletown, CT

Agards in America, Agard, Frederick Browning; privately held and also at Godfrey Memorial Library

Mansfield, Connecticut, Town and Church Records, 1703-1850, copied from the records by Susan W. Dimock

The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Vol. II. Doherty, Frank; C.H. Booth Library

The Storrs Family Genealogical and Other Memoranda, Storrs, Charles; Godfrey Memorial Library.

Thanks to Jim Sanders at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets for suggesting this blog topic.