Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy --- Go to Genealogy Page for Eleazar Bishop --- Go to Genealogy Page for Sarah Dart

Notes for Eleazar Bishop and Sarah Dart

1681 June 10 Sarah Dart, daughter of Richard and Bethia, was born on June 10 in New London, Connecticut. [1] [2]

1722 "July 8th Eleazer Bishop and his wife had their children baptized, Peter, John, Samuel, Clement, Mary, Sarah" at the First Church of Christ, New London, Connecticut. [3]

1723 "Aug. 4th Eleazer Bishop's child Nicholas" was baptized at the First Church of Christ, New London, Connecticut. [4]

1726 "June 26th Eleazer Bishop's child Eleazer" was baptized at the First Church of Christ, New London, Connecticut. [5]

1754 Eleazar Bishop wrote his will on 29 August. [6]

In the Name of God Amen this 29th Day of August A.D. 1754, I Eleazar Bishop of New London in the County of New London in the Colony of Connecticut being Advanced in years but Thry Gods Goodness of Sound minde and memory and calling to mind my Mortality and Knowing that it is appointed for all men Once to die therefore do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner following. First and princepally I Give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that have it beseeching him for the Merritts Sake of my Redeemer Jesus Christ to forgive me all my Sins and to Receive me into his Heavenly Kingdom my body I Commit to the Earth to be buried in Decent Christian Burial beleaving in the General Resurrection at the Last Day. And as touching the worldly Goods and Estates wherewith God hath Blest me in this life I Give devise and Dispose of the Same in the following Manner and Form. First I will that all my Just Debts and funeral Expenses be well and Truly paid for by my Executors hereafter named. Item I give and bequeath unto my younest son Eleazar Bishop all my Homestead Lands Buildings &c to him his heirs & assigns forever on condition that my said son pay unto my son John Bishop the sum of One Hundred Pounds old Ten'r Bills of Credit and also that he pay unto my Daughter Sarah Shaw the Sum of Sixty pounds old Tenor Bills of Credit in one year after my Decease. Item I Give and Bequeath unto my son Nicholas Bishop all that my Houseing and Lands at and adjoining to Lakes Pond which I purchased of my son John Bishop by way of Exchange however the Same as abutted and bounded or Reputed to be bounded to him my Said Son Nicholas his heirs and assigns forever on condition that my side son pay unto his Brother my son Samuel Bishop the Sum of One Hundred pounds old Tenor Bills of Credit and also that he pay unto my two Grand Children (the Children of my son Clement deceased) the Sum of Sixty Pounds old Tenor Bills of Credit in one year after my Decease. It. I Give and Bequeath unto my Son John Bishop the sum of One Hundred Pounds old Tenor bills of Credit which in this my Will I have ordered my son Eleazar to pay him which with which what I have already done and paid for my said son is in full of his Portion of my Estates. It. I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Shaw the Sum of Sixty Pounds old Tenor Bills of Credit which in this my Will I have ordered my son Eleazar to pay her which with what I have already Done and Given unto my said Daughter is her full Portion of my Estate. It. I Give and Bequeath unto my Son Samuel Bishop the Sum of One Hundred Pounds old Tenor Bills of Credit which in this my last Will I have ordered my son Nicholas Bishop to pay to my Said Son Samuel which with what I have already Given and Done for my Said Son Samuel is his full Portion of mu Estate. It. I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Mary Forsyth the Sum of Twenty Shilling old Tenor Bills of Credit which with what I have already paid and Given my said Daughter is her full Portion of my Estate. It. I Give and Bequeath unto my two Grand Children (the children of my son Clement Deceased) the Sum of Sixty Pounds old Tenor Bills of Credit to be Equally divided between them If they both live to Grow up and are of age and If Either of them Should die before they arrive to the Age of twenty one without Lawfull Isue then I give the whole sum to the Survivor being the sum which I have in this my Will ordered my son Nicholas to pay them. It. I Give and Bequeath unto my Loving Wife Sarah one Third part of the profits of my Homestead farm and of my Farme which I have given to my son Nocholas dureing the Term of her Natural Life as also one Good Cow which she shall Choose and a half a score of Sheep, and as much of my Indore Houshold Stuff as she shall want to keep house with. It. All the Rest of my Estate whatsoever If any should Remain I Give and Bequeath to be Equally divided into five Equal parts one of which I Give unto my son John one of which I Give unto my son Samuel on of which I Give unto my Daughter Sarah one of which I Give unto my Daughter Mary and the other unto my two Grand Children (the Children of my son Clement dec'd). And lastly I do Nominate and appoint my Good Friend Pygan Adams Esq'r Sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament golding this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and seal the Day and Year first above written. Eleazar Bishop (his mark) Signed Sealed Published and declared by the Said Eleazr Bishop to be his Last Will & Testament In presence of John Richards, Abigail Richards, John Richards Jun'r

1755 Eleazer Bishop died on September 3. Joshua Hempstead reported his death and burial in his diary, "Thursd 4th fair … old Eleazer Bishop was buryed. Died yesterday aged 70 odd." [7]

Research Notes:

Boggs and Bishop state, [8]

Tradition has it that in the year 1692 there came from the Channel Islands to New London, Connecticut, a lad named Eleazar Bischoppe. Two stories have come to us regarding his coming.

First. The lad Eleazar, at about the age of seven years, was playing by the shoreof the Island of Guernsey, (or Jersey, for both places are spoken of) with a large handsome dog. It was presumably a sea-port, and he was playing near the wharf, when the captain of a British ship which had called there, saw the dog, and was so determined to secure it that he sent men ashore with instructions to bring the dog aboard under any ciecumstances. The lad refused to part with his companion and so both dog and boy were brought on board the ship which was bound for America. Before the long voyage across the Atlantic had ended the ship's crew had so far won the affections of the dog that it was willing to remain on board, and as the captain had no further use for the boy whom he had kidnapped he determined to dispose of him at the first opportunity. Arriving in port at New London, Connecticut, he was able to attain his purpose, and didposed of the boy to one Richard Dart, a tailor of New London, who paid for the boy's passage by giving the captian a yoke of oxen. Richard Dart lived four miles from New London harbor. He married at the age of twenty-one.

Second. Eleazar ran away from home in the Island of Jersey, was a stow-away on an America bound British ship, and at the age of fourteen found himself in New London, in the home of Richard Dart, who took the boy as his own and brought him up in his own family.

It is recorded that two companions of Eleazar Bishop, one Deshon, and the other John Sharpe were brought by a British ship to New London, Connecticut. A wealthy farmer, Richard Dart, paid for the young Bishop's passage as related above.

In her notes, Evelyn Miles Krase, wrote, "Eleazer Bishop or Bischoppe came from Jersey or Guernsey in 1690. Story I: Eleazer aged 7 playing on shore with handsome dog. A passing British ship's captain sent men ashore to secure dog. Boy refused to be separated from his companion so both boy and dog were taken aboard. In America captain disposed of boy to Richard Dart, a tailor of New London who paid for the boy's passage by giving a yoke of oxen. Story II: stowaway on American bound ship and at 14 arrived in New London." [9] Evelyn also stated Eleazer's birth date as 6-22-1683.

Tangled Roots provides the same account of the two stories found in Boggs and Bishop and also reports the following information about the Bishop family of Jersey: [10]

In correspondence with Mr. Murray LeMasurier of Toronto, a descendant of Antoine Bishop of the Isle of Jersey in the Channel Islands, he relates that he has researched the Bishop Family in Jersey and was assisted by Dr. Frank LeMaistre, Jersey's foremost genealogist. Dr. LeMaistre indicates that Antoine and Eleazar were brothers, the sons of Anthone Bishop, and that they had come with their father, (and perhaps others) from England to Jersey in the Channel Islands. Antoine was evidently born circa 1677.

1654 "Aoust Le mecredy 30e. Epou. Gilles Bishop Soldat Angl: et Jeanne fille de Pre. Syuret" were married in St Ouen, Jersey. [11]

1654/55 "Février ... Le Dim: 11e. fuerent Bapt. ... Jeanne fille de Gilles Bishop Soldat Anglois, presentée par Pre. Syuret & sa femme" in St Ouen, Jersey. [12]

1664 "Aoust ... Le 28e. fut Bapt. Jean fs. de Gille Bishop, anglois de Nat. presenté par Jean Vautier fs. ls: & Laurence Bichard sa mere" in St Ouen, Jersey. [13]

1672 "Le Dimanche Cinquieme io. d'Octob: Espousen ont ... Gilles Bishopp et Noelle le Febure" in St Ouen, Jersey. [14]

1692 "Lundy le 16e. May fut Enterré Gilles Bishop Anglois demeurant au Coin" in St Ouen, Jersey. [15]

1711 "Juin 4. ont été mariez Mr. Antony Bishop Officier et Demoiselle Marguerite De La Cloche" in Saint Laurens, Jersey. [16]

1726 "Juillet ... 31 Anthony fils de Mr. Bishop fut Baptizé et presenté par Monr. Jean Villeneuve Senr et sa femme" in St Brelade, Jersey. [17]

1728 "Magdeleine fille de Antoine Bisshop Gents Et de M: Marie Slouse sa feme fut Baptisée le quinzieme jour de Juillet Mille Sept Cents vingt huit, Mr: Eduard Gavey senr Estants son Parraine Et Me Magdeleine Mauger sa feme Estants sa Marraine" in St Helier, Jersey. [18]

1730 "Antoine Bisshop Gent Officier a demi paye fut Enterré le vingt troissieme jour de May Mille Sept Cent trente" in St Helier, Jersey. [19]


Footnotes:

[1] Connecticut Vital Records to 1870, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, New London 1646-1854 (New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011), 91 "Sarah, d. Rich[ar]d & Bethiah, b. June 16, [1681]" and "Sarah, d. Richard & Bethia, b. June 10, 1681" are listed, [AmericanAncestors].

[2] James Savage, John Farmer, Orrando Perry, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Showing three generations, Vol. 2 (Boston: Little Brown & Co, 1860), 10, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive], [HathiTrust].

[3] S. Leroy Blake, The Later History of the First Church of Christ, New London, Conn. (New London: The Day Publishing Company, 1900), 484, [InternetArchive].

[4] S. Leroy Blake, The Later History of the First Church of Christ, New London, Conn. (New London: The Day Publishing Company, 1900), 485, [InternetArchive].

[5] S. Leroy Blake, The Later History of the First Church of Christ, New London, Conn. (New London: The Day Publishing Company, 1900), 488, [InternetArchive].

[6] Genealogical Committee of the Bishop Family Association, Tangled Roots: Descendants of John Bishop (1709-1785) of Horton, Nova Scotia, a New England Planter, Vol. 1, Colonel John Bishop (1736-1815) (Wolfville, Nova Scotia: Genealogical Committee of the Bishop Family Association, 1990), xiii-xiv, [GoogleBooks].

[7] Diary of Joshua Hempstead of New London, Connecticut, 1711-1758 (Collections of the New London County Historical Society, Vol. 1, 1901), 655, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[8] W. E. Boggs and Burpee R. Bishop, The Genealogy of the Bishop Family of Horton, N. S. (1918), 1-2, [HathiTrust].

[9] Family Document, Evelyn Miles Krase Notes, bef. 17 May 1973.

[10] Genealogical Committee of the Bishop Family Association, Tangled Roots: Descendants of John Bishop (1709-1785) of Horton, Nova Scotia, a New England Planter, Vol. 1, Colonel John Bishop (1736-1815) (Wolfville, Nova Scotia: Genealogical Committee of the Bishop Family Association, 1990), xi, [GoogleBooks].

[11] Registre des Baptémes, Mariages & Enterremens de la Paroisse de St Ouen, 1634-1672, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[12] Registre des Baptémes, Mariages & Enterremens de la Paroisse de St Ouen, 1634-1672, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[13] Registre des Baptémes, Mariages & Enterremens de la Paroisse de St Ouen, 1634-1672, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[14] Registre des Baptémes, Mariages & Enterremens de la Paroisse de St Ouen, 1672-1722, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[15] Registre des Baptémes, Mariages & Enterremens de la Paroisse de St Ouen, 1672-1722, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[16] Le Livre de la Paroisse, Saint Laurens, 1692-1739, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[17] Registre des Baptémes, Mariages & Enterremens en la Paroisse de St: Brelade, 1706-1744, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[18] Registres des Baptesmes de la Paroisse de St Helier en L'Isle de Jersey, 1724-1753, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].

[19] Registres de la Paroisse de St Helier en L'Isle de Jersey, Mariages et Enterrements, 1719-1751, Anglican Parish Registers, Jersey Archive, Jersey Heritage, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, Jersey, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1540-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].