Moses Comstock, Sr.

Notes:

Moses Comstock resided at Norwalk, CT.

Will Janauary 24, 1754, proved February 11, 1766 mentions wife Abigail, daughters Sarah and Phebe, unmarried; sons Abijah and Moses; daughters Abigail, Hannah and Martha; grandchildren ruth and Isabel, children of my deceased daughter Dinah Hanford; grandsons Moses Hanford, son of Samuel Hanford and Moses Comstock Eells, son of Abijah, executor; David Comstock a witness. Thje will gives to his wife Abigail the life use and improvement of my negro man Caesar, my mulatto boy John, and negro woman Bett.

Daughters Sarah and Phebe remained unmarried and carried on a fine farm. One managed the farm, the other the house. They had a slave, Onesimus, bought for 39 pounds August 9, 1773. Phebe's will of February 24, 1810 gives her servant Onesimus to her niece Phebe Comstock, and the will of the latter of November 14, 1840, charges Darius Ferris with the care of Onesimus during life.

Town grants to Moses Comstock, March 14, 1705-06, 1 1/2 acres on Long Island.

Moses Comstock and his mother Hannah May 22, 1707 deed to his brother Samuel part of his father Christopher's home lot.

February 2, 1725-26 Moses appointed guardian of his nephews, Samuel and James Olmstead.

Moses Comstock of Norwalk December 11, 1749 deeded to son Moses land at Silver Mine Hill, bounded by son Abijah's.
1. The History and Genealogy of the Comstock Family in America, 1949, John Adams Comstock

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: Bef 1648, Devonshire, England
• Immigration: Bef 1648, Massachusetts

Notes:

Came from England and settled in Fairfield, CT in 1654. Later lived in Norwalk, CT.

Military: sargeant in Colonial Militia.

Will, dated Norwalk, December 22, 1701, proved January 4, 1702-03, makes grants to wife Hannah, son Moses (when 21), son Samuel, daughter Hannah, daughter Mercy, grandson Daniel; wife and son Samuel were executors.

May 29, 1654 Christopher Comstock made affidavit about visiting good wife Knapp charged with witchcraft; she was executed.

On January 27, 1661 Christopher of Fairfield purchased land of Thomas Betts.

Nominated for freedman of Norwalk, CT October 10, 1667; deputy to General Court January 16, 1694; one of committee 'to look out for and obtain a faithful minister' for Nowalk.

1. Ancestry World Tree Project: Melanie Armstrong
2. The History and Genealogy of the Comstock Family in America, 1949, John Adams Comstock

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:426254&id=I654100245

Christopher married Hannah Platt on 6 Oct 1663 in Connecticut. Hannah was born about 1635; died after 1664. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: Abt 1635, Cumstock, Devonshire, England
• Immigration: Abt 1635, Massachusetts
• Residence: 1635, Watertown, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts; (short time)
• Residence: Bef 1641, Wethersfield, Hartford Co, Connecticut

Notes:

A History and Genealogy of the Comstock Family in America
John Adams Comstock

William Comstock --

About 1635, or shortly thereafter, there came from England to the Massachusetts settlements one William Comstock. From whence he sailed and on what ship, has not been ascertained. It is quite probable that with him were his wife Elizabed four, or possibly all five of his children. It is believed that he first sojourned in the vicinity of Watertown, Massachusetts, but that very shortly he transferred to Wethersfield, Connecuticut.
It is a matter of record that he held lands on the Connecticut River in Wethersfield in the year 1641, and that these land had been purchased from Richard Milles. Prior to that, he is recorded as having been one of the twenty-six men from rsfield in the expedition commanded by Capt. John Mason, that captured the Pequot Fort at Mystic, Connecticut, May 26, 1637, killing about five hundred indians.
About 1650 he transferred to Pequot, now New London, where he had previously (1647) received a grant of land. At a town meeting held there in November, 1650 he voted to cooperate with John Winthrop to establish a corn mill, and in July 1e "Wrought on the mill dam" with Tabor and other inhabitants of New London. The old mill is still in existence. (1945)
In 1659 it is recorded that "with consent of my now wife Elizabeth" he sold property in New London. This probably indicates that Elizabeth was a second wife.
On February 25, 1661 or 62, "Ols Goodman Comstock" was elected Sexton, "to order youth in the meeting house, sweep the meeting house and beat out dogs," at 40 shillings a year, to dig all graves, and have 4s for a grave for a man or woman, s for children, to be paid by the supervisors.
The date of his death is unknown, but the History of New London states that he lived to old age, on Post Hill near the north corner of Williams and Bauxhall Streets.
Richard Mylls was plaintiff against "Willi Combstocke" and John Sadler, defendants, in an action for slander, Aug 1, 1644, before the Court of Elections, Hartford, to the damage of 200 pounds.
We have, therefore, as the beginning of our record of the Comstock family in America.
_________________
WF 10/0218
Alternate spelling of Comstock is "Komstohk", suggesting a German origin.
The Komstohk name is found in and/or around Frankfurt/Main.
A Fredrick Komstohk and a Mary McDonald were married in Edinburgh, Scotland on 18 Mar 1575 - possible ancestry?

William* married Elizabeth* Daniel, (immigrant) in 1623 in Culmstock, Devon, England. Elizabeth* (daughter of Henry* Daniel) was born on 8 Jan 1608 in Much Haddam, Hartfordshire, England; died after 1665 in New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: Abt 1635, Devonshire, England
• Immigration: Abt 1635, Massachusetts

Notes:

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 William Comstock as Elizabeth Daniel.

per "Ancestors of Stan & Vickey Courtney" her body was interred in 1665 in England

Notes:

COMSTOCK - Origin of the name - Parts quoted from The Comstock Family

Comstock is a place name. Its derivation undoubtedly traces to a village in Debonshire, England, called Culmstock which is located off the River Clum some ten miles east of Tiverton and an equal distance south of Taunton.
The village probably derived its name from the fact that in mediaeval times it was customary to erect "stocks" or stockades around rural communities as a protection against wolves and marauders. This particular stockade being located on ther Clum or Colm came to be designated Colmstocke or Culmstock.
In considering the origin of family names, it must be borne in mind that surnames in England did not become permanent or hereditary until the Eleventh or Twelfth Centuries. Prior to that, a man's given name came to have the additional desion of his vocation such as John (the) Smith or Robert (the) Cooper, or one might be known from the place of his origin, as Thomas de Mille or Peter de Culmstock. Frequently the de (of) was dropped as superfluous.
It is not surprising, therefore, to find records in the parish Registers of the small towns of Devonshire and Somersetshire, not far from Culmstok, of such names as Petro de Columstok, 1241; John de Culmstok, 1189; Robert de Culmstok, 1189.
Samuel Willett Comstock, in his extensive researches in England, found records of some 122 early Comstocks, including that of a family at Timberscomve in the first year of the reign of Richard I (1189), wherein is named John de Culmstok, hie Alice, and son Robert. This is the earliest known reference to the name as applied to persons.
"I do think from a survey of that country with only two records of William found, that our William went from London to Yeovil or Cussy Rival and raised his family there. Yeovil parish registers 1620-1640 have not so far as I know been pubd and I think it may possibly contain them, as there was a Danyell Comstock nearby, in town of Closworth, Somerset County, 1614 and 1615." (Samuel Willett Comstock)

Coat of Arms is pictured and described in The Comstock Family
Motto - Not wealth bet contentment.
Described as Follows-
Arms; or, (gold) a sword point downward, issuing from a cresent in base gules (red), between two bears rampant sable (black); an elephant is indicative of personal prowess and sagacity.
The bear symbolize courage.
The sword and crescent indicate participation in the Crusades.
Crest; an elephant rampant proper, issuing out of a baron's coronet.

_____
From: DEE8514
To: Lumoto

Thanks alot for the notes. I will try to get time to compare them to what I have tonight. I appreciate it. By the way in my Comstock book is a picture of Culmstock viewed from the river Culm. (the town of Culmstock) Also another picture of the town of Culmstock, in Devonshire, Eng., and a picture of the All Saints Church in Culmstock showing a yew tree at the top. The roots of this tree start in the ground inside the tower and therefore you see the tree peeking out of the top of the tower. Its history really began with the purchase by the Mother Church at Exeter of the parish and the erection of a church there in approximately the year 600AD. At about the year 900 the present All Saints Church was built, and enlargements were made to it some two hundred years later. The register begins in 1645. There are Wesleyan and Baptist parishes there. The old burying ground about this church is very impressive.

William* married Mrs. Margaret* (..) Comstock about 1589. Margaret* was born about 1569; died after 1595 in Culmstock, Devonshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]