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1. WILLIAM COMSTOCK1,2,3,4 was born on 4 July 1595 in Culmstock, Devonshire, England.5,6 He immigrated in 1635 to Massachusetts Bay Colony.2 He served in the military on 26 May 1637 in Pequot Fort, Mystic County, Connecticut.1 WILLIAM died about 1683 in New London, New London County, Connecticut.7 Although there is often seen the date of birth as given in this file, I doubt that it is correct. This is actually a Baptism at St. Martin in the Fields, London, for a William Comstock on this date. There is no proof this is the same man. In fact, at St. Martin in the Fields there is also a William Comstock buried there, 20 May 1598, which is much more likely this child. From "Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens & Frances Helen Miller" by Mary Lovering Holman, 1948. Also stating that he was born at Culmstock is questionable. There is a strong likelihood the name derived from that place, as many of the English surnames were derived from a location and early Comstocks may have been present there. The History of Ancient Wethersfield by Adams & Stiles.
Possibly William Comstock and family first lived in Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Puritan settlers from Watertown asked permission to establish a new town in Connecticut 1634/1635. Although William Comstock was not among the first ten men to do so he is on a list of 108 additional settlers who came between 1636 and 1640.
In 1637 there was an attack on the Pequot Indians near Mystic. There were 61 men from Hartford, 43 men from Windsor, and 26 men from Wethersfield, under the leadership of a Capt John Mason. Adams and Stiles list 22 men from Wethersfield and Comstock is among them. Unfortunately they do not list their data source. 500 Indians were killed, many of them women and children.
In 1641, Jeffrey Ferris sold one acre of land to William Comstock - bounded by Fort Street on the northe, east by Jacob Waterhouse, south by the home of the late Samuel Ireland, and west by the land of George Chappell [father of Abigail that married William's son John]
Quoted in E. B. Comstock's, The Comstock Family in America, 1938:
Wethersfield record: 2nd month and 28th day 1641 ...lands of William Comstock which he purchased of Richard Milles ...on Connecticut River ... one piece whereupon a barn with two cellars and other buildings standeth as is now fenced ....two acres or more
12th month 10th day, 1743 [sic - should be 1643]. upon ...land bought by Andrew Langdon of William Comstock. One piece whereon a house standeth on three acres more or less. The Connecticut Colonial Records, Vol. 1, p.109 [found online], states that Richard "Mylls" sued William Comstock and John Sadler for slander in the Court of Elections in Hartford in Aug of 1644. Damages were 200 pounds - a huge sum for that time. Disposition is unknown. A Douglas book says he moved to New London [first known as Pequot] about 1649 along with sons William and Daniel. [This statement is very confusing and may be the source of the possibility about a "son William". Also Daniel went to Rhode Island near this time. In fact William appears in Court records at Hartfort in 1644 and 1649, after which he no longer is found at that location - "Connecticut Puritan Settlers" by Royal R. Hinman] Quoted in E. B. Comstock's, The Comstock Family in America, 1938
12 Jun 1647. William Comstock was granted a lot at Pequot by the town, also 10 acres of upland, 10 acres on East side of River Thames
2 Dec 1651 William Comstock granted by the town 20 acres at Niantic, 8 acres of upland, 100 acres upland laid out to Mr. Tinker, 100 acres upon a high hill up Mohegan bounded by land laid out to Mr. Picket. On 10 Nov 1650 at a town meeting in New London [Pequot], he voted to cooperate with John Winthrop in erecting a corn mill. He also applied for a house lot 1650/51 and was a settler there by 1651 [see above]. His location was on Post Hill near the corner of Vauxhall & Williams Streets [1895]. John Elderkin whose daughter married Daniel Comstock adjoined on the south. This was an elevated neighborhood called Waller's Hill. [From "History of New London CT" by Caulkins.]
Quoted in E. B. Comstock's, The Comstock Family in America, 1938
25 Jan 1659. William Comstock of New Londer deeded 8 acres in New London to Will Houge, carpenter, with consent of wife Elizabeth. Quoted in E. B. Comstock's, The Comstock Family in America, 1938
Old goodman Comstock was chosen Sexton to order youth in the meeting of 25 Feb 1662. The title "old goodman" could indicate a birth as early as 1590. From History of New London, pp.305-306:
[There are errors in the following, particularly regarding the children of William Comstock]
"William Comstock, father of Daniel, came from Hartford in 1649 and lived to old age in his house upon Post Hill; (near north corner of Williams and Vauxhall Streets.) His wife Elizabeth was aged fifty-five in 1663. No record has been found of the death of either. His land was inherited by his son Daniel, of New London, and grandson William, of Lyme. The latter was a son of John Comstock deceased -- and his mother Abigail, in 1680, was then the wife of Moses Huntley, of Lyme. It is probable that Daniel and John were the only children of William Comstock, sen., and his wife Elizabeth. John is the ancestor of the Lyme family of Comstocks, and Daniel of those of the North Parish or Montville. The latter, as appears from statements of his age, was born about 1630. His wife, whose name was Paltiah, was a daughter or step-daughter of John Elderkin. They had a son Daniel and eight daughters, whose births are not recorded; but they were all baptized by Mr. Bradstreet in April and November, 1671. After this two others sons were baptized; Kingland in 1673, and Samuel in 1677." Quoted in E. B. Comstock's, The Comstock Family in America, 1938
William had sons John & Daniel as shown by deed of 4 Dec 1694 in which grandsons William Comstock of Lyme [son of John] and Daniel Comstock of New London [son of Daniel] conveyed land at Nyantik which said land was given to our grandfather William Comstock, deceased, by the town of New London, 20 acres. This is the 20 acres granted 21 Jun 1647. William also had a son Samuel.
Daniel Comstock moved from Providence to New London. He had been in Providence on 19 Feb 1645 when he accepted a grant of 25 acres of land.
24 Jun 1648, Daniel Comstock, with other young men, was arrested in Providence for giving a false Indian alarm.
In 1660, Daniel Comstock was paid 20 shillings in New London for killing a wolf.
Daniel and Samuel Comstock had adjoining lots in Providence and Samuel remained in Providence. Daniel named a son Samuel & Samuel named a son Daniel. Both William and a Samuel were in Hartford Court Records in 1648 and in 1653 Samuel was both at New London and Rhode Island; giving rise to the presumption that Samuel Comstock of Providence was also the son of William of New London. William had a son Christopher:
Christopher Comstock of Fairfield and later of Norwalk, CT, made an affidavit about visiting good wife Knapp who was charged with being a witch at New Haven 29 May 1654. He named three of his children Elizabeth, Daniel & Samuel. These facts suggest that Christopher was a son of William. William is also said to have had a daughter Elizabeth Comstock who married Edward Shipman in Saybrook, CT. [There is also possibly another son named William that came to America, but I have not seen enough evidence nor descendants to support this theory and believe it to be an error and confusion with the grandson named William that inherited.] I believe the ages of the children are all estimates. Elizabeth is often reported to have been a second wife based on a statement in a record that she was William's "now wife". This is an incorrect interpretation of the New England records as most wives were referred to as the "now wife" whether they were the first, second, third, etc. This was customary legal language in that time and place. There is nothing I've found that indicates whether or not William Comstock was married to more than one lady. Four descendants of William Comstock, who still carried the surname, have served in Congress and their brief biographies may be found in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress online and their lineages traced in John A. Comstock's book, The Comstock Family in America.
Descended through son John:
Charles Carter Comstock (1818-1900), Democrat from Michigan in the House of Representatives, 1885-1886.
Daniel Webster Comstock, (1840-1917) Republican from Indiana in the House of Representatives, 1917-1918 [died in office]
Descended through son Samuel:
Oliver Cromwell Comstock, (1780-1860) Republican from New York in the House of Representatives, three terms, 1813-1818.
Solomon Gilman Comstock, (1842-1933) Republican from Minnesota in the House of Representatives, 1889-1890.
Sat, 30 Dec 2006
From: "David Hoffman" <dvh592341@fastmail.fm>
Source: CTNEWLON@rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: [CTNEWLON] Gerald's Ford's New London County Ancestry
Gerald Ford 's additional New London County ancestry--William Comstock,
George Chappell, Richard Ely and short-time resident of Lyme Joseph
Selden.
My Note: This relationship of Gerald Ford is likely through William's son John who married Abigail Chappel Ely & Seldon also seem to be connected to this line.
WILLIAM COMSTOCK and ELIZABETH ?DANIEL were married about 1622 in England.7 ELIZABETH ?DANIEL8 was born on 8 January 1608 in England.8,9 She died after 1665.9 There is apparently testimony in some court record that Elizabeth was aged 55 in 1663. That would give her a birth year of 1608.
History of New London, Quintin Publication, WorldVitalRecords online. I have seen parents for Elizabeth posted online - father, Henry Daniel, but I can't confirm that this has ever been proven. Her surname was stated in an application to the Founders & Patriots society circa 1913. Although standards of proof are quite high for the direct line to the founder/patriot, there would be no such requirement for a spouse not in the direct line. From John A. Comstock, The Comstock Family in America
(*)In "History of The National Society of
Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America"
for the fifteenth year, ending May 13,
1913, Mary Ella Comstock (Mrs. Carl J.
Vietz) gives the wife of William1 Comstock
as "Elizabeth Daniel." Notes from John A. Comstock Manuscript on Elizabeth:
Robert Daniel and his wife, Elizabeth, came to Watertown, MA in 1636 and were early inhabitants of Cambridge, MA. About 1638, he purchased of Thomas Blodgett, a house and land on the westerly side of Garden Street, which he sold about 1645 to Nicholas Wyeth. Elizabeth died 2 Oct 1653 and Robert remarried the next year. He died 6 Jul 1655, aged about 63 years [born 1592]
Elizabeth Daniel, daughter of Robert & Elizabeth, married Thomas Fanning 17 May 1655 and died in 1689.
Bib: Genealogical Register of Sherborn & Holliston, Morse, 1856
History of Cambridge, Paige, 1877, p.532
Ancestral Heads of New England Families, Holmes, 1923
Pioneers of Massachusetts, Pope, 1900
Note: Elizabeth, wife of Robert Daniel, was the daughter of Samuel & Elizabeth Morse. Compendium of American Genealogy, Vol VI, Virkus, 1937
Note: According to Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors, Rixford, 1934, and History of the National Society of Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America, for the Fifteenth Year, ending May 13, 1913, the wife of William Comstock was Elizabeth Daniel. If so, she may have been a sister of Robert. The names Daniel and Daniels seem to have been confused in early records. A John Daniels was in New London in 1672. In John A. Comstock's manuscript file, but written by Samuel Willett Comstock. Samuel W. had copied this, possibly from the old letters of Noah D. Comstock.
From History of the National Society of Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America For the Fifteenth Year Ending May 13, 1913I
Mary Ella Comstock, [Mrs. Carl J. Viets]
Born in East Lime, Connecticut
Descendant of William Comstock, through the Revolutionary ancestor, Peter Comstock, born of Connecticut as follows:
2. William H. Comstock [Mch 20, 1819 - Feb 24, 1895] and
Eliza Ann Comstock [Feb 22, 1821 - Dec 4, 1876]
3. Peter Comstock [Dec 5, 1779 - Oct 29, 1862] and
Sally Warren [1785 - Aug 20,1830]
4. Peter Comstock [1731 - apr 3, 1803] and
Sarah Myrick [1754 - Aug 9, 1826], his second wife
5. Peter Comstock [Mar 4 1702 - 1742] and
Martha Avery [1707 - ]
6. Daniel Comstock [1669 - Apr 25, 1746] and
Elizabeth Prentis [m. May 3, 1700]
7. Daniel Comstock [abt 1630 - 1683] and
Paltiah Elderkin
8. William Comstock [abt 1590 - after 1662].
Elizabeth Daniel*
[note the period following next to last line and omission of the word "and"- AWB
*spelled without the "s" William Comstock [abt 1590 - aft 1662] a native of England settled in Wethersfield, Conn. before 1641. He was granted a lot in Pequot [New London] in 1647 and built a corn mill there in 1650. In 1662 he is mentioned as an "old man" and chosen sexton to "order the youth in the meeting"
Peter Comstock [1731-1803] served as Captain in the Continental Army and was at Fort Turnbull when New London was burnt. He was born and died Montville, Conn. [This reads like a typical lineage society application - the lineage given and the service of the "Founder - William Comstock" and the "Patriot - Peter Comstock".]
In the left margin is written:
The is authority quoted in "Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors," Rixford, 1934
and
3912 Rittenhouse St. NW
Washington, DC
11/1/38
A.W.Barnes In the right margin: (There was a John Daniels in New London in 1662) AWB I researched John A. Comstock's The Comstock Family in America and discovered a reference to Lt. Comm. Archy Wright Barnes whose residence was given as the about address in Washington DC. He was listed as the grandson of Ellen Comstock who married Thomas Jefferson Wright, 10 Oct 1839. Ellen was an 8th generation descendant of William Comstock through his son Daniel. I also looked for Mary Ella Comstock, whose application is above. She was also in the Comstock book as a daughter of William H. H. Comstock & Eliza Ann Smith. She married Carl J. Vietz and resided at Niatic River, Waterford, CT. Mary Ella was an 8th generation descendant of William, also through his son Daniel.
Correspondence with Lee Daniels in 2002. Her ancestors were John Daniels, b. abt 1640 in Weymouth, England who moved to New London in 1666 and married Mary Chappell of New London. Mary's sister was Abigail Chappell who married John Comstock, son of William & Elizabeth. She had found a Henry Daniel in Much Hadem who had a daughter Elizabeth Daniels, born 8 Jan 1607/08 at Culmstock, Devon, England. She believed William Comstock was also from Devonshire and they had married circa 1622. Henry Daniel was born 1582 at Much Hadem, the son of John Daniel & Elizabeth Pebite of Kelshall, Hertford, England.
WILLIAM COMSTOCK and ELIZABETH ?DANIEL had the following children: |