John Bancroft and Jane     Griffin Ancestry in England

         Anna Bancroft and John Griffin

Both the Register of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut (1941) and The Winchell Genealogy (1869) claim that Mary Griffin, daughter of John and Anna (Bancroft) Griffin, married David WINCHELL as his second wife. Mrs. Albert H. Chase, in her article "David-2 Winchell (Robert-1) of Suffield, Conn.," TAG 24:1, pp 49-50, provides the evidence needed to remove this claim and state that "David Winchell had but one wife, Elizabeth Filley, whom he married 17 November 1669, the mother of his children."

Since the claim of the Winchell-Griffin connection has been in print for over 125 years, the recent forest of family trees based on outdated information with little documentation will spread this error rapidly. The Griffin-Bancroft branch is here to provide descendants of David WINCHELL with information on the family tree branch that needs to be pruned, and descendants of Mary (GRIFFIN) WILSON with information on the branch to be engrafted.

Special thanks to Ron Grabyan for providing the information needed to correct this error - an error for which this compiler now apologizes for having helped spread for several decades. The disclaimer on the Fine Print page warrants repeating: "...the compiler does not attest to the accuracy of any of the information in these files."

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John BANCROFT - b. about 1596, England; d. about 1647, Lynn, MA. Said to descend from "Thomas (3), Ralph (2), and John (1) of Chellaston, England." To America in the 'James' Apr. 12, 1632. Married about 1622 in England.

Jane - Arrived with husband and children in the 'James.' Jane married second about 1640 Thomas BARBER.

1. Thomas - b. 1622, England; d. 1691, MA. Married first Mar. 31, 1647 at Dedham, MA Alice BACON (d. 1648) and second Sep. 15, 1648 Elizabeth METCALF (1626-1711). Note: One source names his father as Thomas BANCROFT of Swarkston, Derbyshire, England. Children of Lt. Thomas and Elizabeth: Elizabeth; Ens. John married Elizabeth EATON; and Thomas married Sarah POOLE.
2. John - b. England; d. Aug. 6, 1662, Windsor, CT. Married Dec. 3, 1650, Windsor, CT Hannah DUPER, who married second John LONDON. Children: John married Elizabeth EATON; Nathaniel married Hannah WILLIAMS; Ephraim married Sarah STILES; Hannah; and Sarah.
3. Anna - b. 1627, England. Married John GRIFFIN.
4. Ebenezer -

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The information on the GRIFFIN family in England and early years in America has been abstracted from the Annotated Bibliography of the Griffin/Griffen Family, compiled by Paul J. Griffin (1995, rev. 2004). THE GRIFFIN FAMILY by the author includes the Bibliography, his Griffin Register Report and contact information. The Bibliography provides a description of the contents of 26 sources of information about the brothers Edward and John GRIFFIN, and Jasper GRIFFIN, together with the location of the material. The four generations in Wales and England are from the Heraldic Visitation of Wales, Vol. 2, p. 244, by Lewys Dwnn (1616).

• Richiart Pengruffwnd married Elsbeth, sister to William Mor, Esq. Richiart was a soldier for Henry VII at Bosworth Field in 1485. Richiart was the father of:
• Gruffydd Pengruffwnd married Jowan, daughter of Seimont David of Koksol, Gent. Children:
  1. Syr Richart Pengruffwnd - Of Walton, Pembrokeshire, Wales, he married Annes Oreli, daughter of Martin Oreli of Werdden, Esq. Syr Richart owned Narberth Castle, near Tenby, Wales in 1609. Children: Peter; Thomas; Hari; and Elsbeth.
  2. Johan Pengruffwnd - b. about 1560, Wales.
  3. Jan - Married William Klerk.
  4. Jowan - Married John Langfort, son of Edward Langfort.
  5. Katrin - Married William Peitw.
  6. Margri - Married Ieuan ap Stefn of Gasgob.

John PENGRUFFWND - b. about 1560, Wales. Married about 1580, Wales. His sons Edward and John assumed the English version of the surname, GRIFFIN.

Ann LANGFORT - Of Bigander. Daughter of Edward LANGFORT.

1. Ann - Married by 1613.
2. Joan/Jowan - Married by 1613 to Richard MARSTON.
3. Catharine/Katrin - Married by 1613 to Mr. MAKLON.
4. Margaret - Married by 1613.
5. Edward - b. 1601-2, Walton, Pembrokeshire, Wales. As a constable at London, Edward killed a man in a tavern, an act pardoned on July 1, 1625 as justifiable manslaughter by King Charles I. Edward was in Yorkshire in 1632, and sailed from England on August 24, 1635 aboard the Abraham enroute to Virginia. He and brother John were in the employ of Capt. CLAIBORNE, Secretary of the Virginia Colony, when the Captain's Virginia traders were seized by Lord BALTIMORE of Maryland in June 1638. Edward was captured and taken to Maryland, later escaping to the Dutch Colony of New Amsterdam, and settling at Flushing Long Island, NY about 1657. Edward joined the Society of Friends. Married at Flushing, NY to Mary (b. about 1630, probably in Wales; d. after 1700, probably at Flushing, Long Island, NY). Children include: John; and Richard married Susanna HAIGHT.
6. John - b. 1608-9, Wales; d. Aug., 1681, Simsbury, CT.

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John GRIFFIN - b. 1608-9, Wales; d. Aug., 1681, Simsbury, CT. Son of John GRIFFIN and Ann LANGFORD. John sailed from England on August 24, 1635 aboard the Constance enroute to Virginia. In June 1638, when Lord BALTIMORE of Maryland ordered an attack of the Viriginia Islands of Kent and Palmer, which were under the protection of Capt. CALIBORNE, Secretary of the Colony of Virginia, John escaped by ship and left Virginia. John's name first appears on New Haven, CT records in 1642, and was enrolled in the militia. On Jan. 4, 1643, he was fined a few pence for not having his arms in shape. John took the Oath of Fidelity at New Haven on Jul. 1, 1644. He removed to Windsor, marrying there and appearing in the Windsor records in Aug. 1659. John and Anna were among the first settlers from Windsor to remove to Simsbury, where he was a representative for some years. His estate inventory of Aug. 23, 1681 included about 3 square miles of land, or about 1920 acres. Married May 13, 1647, Windsor, CT.

Anna BANCROFT - b. 1627, England. Daughter of John BANCROFT and Jane.

1. Hannah - b. Jul. 4, 1649, Windsor, CT. Her first husband, whom she married May 10, 1667, died in 1669 at age 23. Hannah married second John HUMPHREY, son of Michael.
2. Mary - b. Mar. 1, 1651, Windsor, CT. There is no evidence that Mary married David WINCHELL as his second wife. Married first Samuel WILSON, and second Anthony HOSKINS. Samuel and Mary reportedly had a large family. Refer to note at the beginning of this narrative for more information.
3. Sarah - b. Dec. 25, 1654, Windsor, CT; d. 1685-1699, Windsor, CT. Married on Oct. 29, 1676 at Windsor, CT, Elias GILLETT (bap. Jul 1, 1649, Windsor, CT), son of Nathan. Elias married second by 1700 Rebecah KELSEY, daughter of Marke and Rebecca (HOSKINS) KELSEY, and widow of Nathaniel MESSENGER. Children of Sarah and Elias: Sarah; Nathan; Hannah; and Ephraim. Daughter of Elias and Rebecca: Mary.
4. John - b. Oct. 20, 1656, Windsor, CT. Married Oct. 7, 1708, Mary, whose surname has been given as BACON. Children: Thomas died in infancy; Mary married Jehiel MESSENGER; Ruth died soon; Ruth married Consider HOLCOMB, son of Capt. Thomas and Elizabeth (TERRY) HOLCOMB; Abagail married John Thomas; Hannah married Hosea WILKENSON; and possibly John.
5. Thomas - b. Oct. 3, 1658, Windsor, CT; d. 1719. Married in 1693 Elizabeth WELTON (b. about 1660; d. Sep. 28, 1722). Children: Hannah did not marry; Thomas did not marry; Mary married Joshua HOLCOMB III; John died in infancy; John married Eleanor HOLCOMB; Nathaniel married his cousin Elizabeth GRIFFIN; Stephen probably married Mary DeLACY; Eunice married John SCOTT; and Benoni married brother Stephen's widow.
6. Abigail - b. Nov. 12, 1660, Windsor, CT. On Mar. 27, 1682, she married Richard SEGAR.
7. Mindwell - b. Feb. 11, 1662, Windsor, CT. Married about 1691 Samuel WILLCOXSON (b. Apr. 15, 1666, Windsor, CT; d. Sep. 13, 1713, Simsbury, CT), son of Sgt. Samuel and Hannah (RICE) WILLCOXSON. Children: Hannah married Thomas MORTON; Samuel; John married Sarah NORTH; Joseph married first Elizabeth HOLCOMB, and second Mary BUTTOLPH; Mindwell married Philip LOOMIS, Jr.; and Ephraim married Hannah HILL.
8. Ruth - b. Jan. 21, 1665, Windsor, CT; d. May 27 or Aug. 25, 1719. Unmarried.
9. Ephraim - b. Mar. or May 1, 1668, Windsor, CT; d. Sep. 20, 1725. Married Dec. 9, 1707 Elizabeth ADAMS. Children: Elizabeth married her cousin Nathaniel GRIFFIN; Anna married Ebenezer LOOMIS; Ephraim married Elizabeth TERRY; Silence; and Phoebe married Solomon TERRY.
10. Nathaniel - b. May 31, 1673, Windsor, CT; d. Feb. 23, 1712/3. Married Mar. 14, 1711/2 Alice WELTON. Daughter: Alice married William JAMES.

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