Sarah Elson ¹

  General Notes:

The daughter of ABRAHAM ELSON who died in Whethersfield in the Colony of Conn., she married James Ensign in England.

A Digest of the Early Conn. Probate Records, Vol. 1, Manwaring, p. 197 (p. 184 old records):
Ensign, Sarah, Hartford, Widow. Invt. 44-10-00 was taken May 29, 1676 by George Grave and John Richards. Her will dated May, 1676 as follows:
I Sarah Ensign of Hartford, widow, being sick and weake yet of perfect memorie through the mercy of God, to prevent future trouble doe desire to dispose that small portion of this worlds good God hath betrusted me with, in this my Last will and Testament: I give to my beloved daughter Mary Smith an Iron pott & gun, & Blankett I lent her, & a pyre of curtains lent her, to be to her and her heirs forever. I give to my dear daughter Hanna Easton my Great Table & Forme, & my chest at mr Richards. I give to my Grand child Ruth Rockwell one Feather bed & the bedding belonging to it, & my Cow, & cobirons, tongs, & halfe a dozen Napkins, & my Brass kettle. I give to my Grand child Sarah Rockwell halfe a dossen of Napkins, one payre of Sheets & the best rug. I give to my Grand child Lydia Rockwell the Trundle bed & beding belonging to it, & halfe a dozen of Napkins. I give to Sarah Smith a Small Bible as a token of my respect to her. I will that my wollen wareing Cloaths be equally divided between my daughters Mary, Hanna & Mehetibell, & my Grand children Sarah, Ruth & Lydia. I give to my son davids children halfe a dozen of Napkins & two pewter platters. The remaynder of my estate I give to my beloved son David & his heirs forever, he paying my just debts; and I doe appoyint him to be executor of this my Last will & testament. In witness hereof I have sett to my hand this May, 1676.
To James Ensign she gave 5 pounds; to Joseph Easton, her grand child, 20s & one of her books; to Ruth, her best hatt & Mr. Hooker's book; to Sarah, one of Mr. Burrough's books; & to Mr. Whiting, 20 or 30 shillings if her estate holds out.
No signature or witness. Exhitited 6 December, 1676. Proved and accepted. attest: John Allyn"

They were the parents of at least five children:
Sarah (Ensign) Rockwell
HANNAH (ENSIGN) EASTON, my ancestor
David Ensign
Mary (Ensign) Smith
Lydia Ensign

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Many genealogies claim that Sarah Elson Ensign was the daughter of Abraham Elson and Rebecca Steele / Elson / Mudge / Greensmith. However, this Sarah is also listed as being born somewhere around 1612 - just a few years before Rebecca was born. Abraham's and Rebecca's daughter Sarah, according to some records, was born in 1643, 30 years too late to be our Sarah Nelson.
Contributor: Sheri Minnick (48046773) • s4024m@yahoo.com

Sarah married James Ensign, son of Thomas Ensign and Constance Pilcher. (James Ensign was born in 1590 in Fordwich, City of Canterbury, Kent, England, died on 23 Nov 1680 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA and was buried in Ancient Burying Ground, Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA.)