Joseph Parsons

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 04 Jul 1635, Gravesend, England; Barque Transport

Notes:

Emigrated to the USA with his younger brother, Benjamin, at the age of 15 or 17 aboard the Barque Transport out of Gravesend, Co. Kent, England.
According to one source - CT Family Histories - Benjamin and his brother Joseph Parsons sailed from Gravesend, England for Boston in the "Transport" on 4 Jul 1635.
Other Parsons were in Springfield at this time.

Other Parsons who resided in MA during this time were:
Hugh PARSONS, Springfield in 1649, son Samuel born 1649.
**Joseph PARSONS, Springfield in 1646; d. 9 Oct 1683, son Benjamin b. 1649.
William PARSONS, Boston, admitted to church 1643; d. 29 Jan 1702, age 87.
Samuel PARSONS at East Hampton, Long Island, NY in 1650.
Thomas PARSONS at Dedham and Medfield, MA.
(These men may have been brothers of Deacon Benjamin and **Cornet Joseph Parsons.)


Mr. Parsons, associated with Mr. Pynchon, was`one of the most prominent men in the public business of the place, and qiute wealthy. He was witness to the deed given by the Indians to Pynchon, July 15, 1636. Joseph and Mary Parsons had five children before their removal to Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1654.( Their son Ebenezer, born in this place, May 1, 1655, was the first white child born oin the town, and he was killed by the Indians as Northfield, Sept. 2,1675) Here in Northampton they had seven more children, making twelve in all, but three, named Benjamin, John and David died young. Mary Bliss, the mother of this family, two years after the birth of her youngest child, was charged with witchcraft by some of her neighbors who were envious of their prosperity and endeavored in this way to disgrace them. She was sent to Boston, Massachusetts for trail, where the jury gave her full acquittal of the crime, and she return to Northampton, from whence they removed back to Springfield in 1679. Just after the acquittal in Boston, Massachusetts, her son Ebenezer was killed by Indians, and those who had been instrumental in bringing her to trail said: "Behold, though human judges may be bought off, God's vengeance neither turns aside nor slumbers." It is said that she possessed great beauty and talents, but was not very amiable.


http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=princessinot&id=I00630


The new settlement of Springfield, Mass., was laid out and conducted by William Pynchon, a man of great energy and enterprise and uncommon independence in religious opinions, which had brought him into great trouble in Boston, and eventually left SPringfield and returned home to England (1652) on account of the greater liberty of conscience enjoyed there than in the colonies. He was rich and liberal, and the settlers owed him better treatment than he received from them.
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=knrivers&id=I4094

Birth:
date, place of birth, and parents conflict among various researchers.

Joseph married Mary Bliss, (witch trials) on 26 Nov 1646 in Hartford Co, Connecticut. Mary (daughter of Thomas Bliss and Margaret Lawrence Hulines) was born about 1623 in Rodborough, England; died on 29 Jan 1712 in Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Joseph Parsons was born on 01 Nov 1647 in Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts; died on 21 Nov 1749 in Northampton, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; was buried in Bridge Street Cem, Northampton, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts.
2. John Parsons was born on 14 Aug 1650 in Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts; died on 19 Apr 1728 in Northampton, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts.
3. Sarah Parsons, (daughter?) was born on 13 Aug 1656 in Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts; was christened on 18 Aug 1656 in Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts; died on 27 Jun 1740 in Springfield, Hampden Co, Massachusetts.
4. Abigail Parsons was born on 3 Sep 1666 in Northampton, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died on 27 Jun 1689 in Longmeadow, Hampden Co, Massachusetts.

Notes:

According to the book "Early NY Families, 1600-1900s, Hudson-Mohawk Family Memoirs", Vol I, pg 271, the parents of Deacon Benjamin PARSONS were Hugh PARSONS, son of Thomas and Catherine (HESTER) PARSONS. Hugh was born 27 Nov 1563 in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England, and married Elizabeth (BAGSHAW) THOMPKINS, who died 24 Jan 1642. They were the parents of ten children. Thomas PARSONS, of Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England, was buried 23 May 1597; married Catherine HESTER, and had five children.

It is unknown at this time who the parents of Joseph and Benjamin were - Hugh and Elizabeth or William and Margaret. Further research is being conducted.

William PARSONS b: ABT 1570 in Great Torrington, Devonshire, England
Margaret HOSKINS b: ABT 1584 in Beaminster, Dorset, England