HIGLEY-FILER
From the files of Stephen M. Lawson
Lt. Walter and Jane Fyler
Walter FYLER - b. England, d. Dec. 12, 1683, Windsor,
CT; bur. Old Burying Ground, Windsor, CT. To Dorchester, MA in
1630; admitted freeman there 1634; settled in Windsor, CT 1636.
Lt. in Pequot War 1637, for which he received land grant Feb.
24, 1640 within the 'Palizado,' or fort. The home he built on
this land is now Headquarters of The Windsor Historical Society,
96 Palisado Avenue, Windsor, CT. A memorial in the Old Burying
Ground reads: "Erected to the memory of Lt. Walter Fyler,
died Dec. 12, 1683, and his wife, Jane Irving Fyler, died Sept.
11, 1690. Erected July 1969 by the Fyler Family Assn., Inc."
Walter was perhaps the son of Roman FYLER of Cornwall,
England, and brother of Ann (m. John HOSKINS), Samuel, and George.
Jane - d. Sep. 11, 1690, Windsor, CT. Her surname has
been reported as IRVING, but is not proven.
Children of Walter and Jane Fyler
- John - b. Sep. 12, 1642, Windsor, CT; d. Oct. 9, 1723, Windsor,
CT. Married first Oct. 17, 1672, Windsor, CT Elizabeth DOLMAN
(b. England; d. Mar. 17, 1684); and second Oct. 21, 1686 Bethsaida
POOLE (d. Oct. 24, 1716), daughter of William. John graduated
from Harvard in 1666, and was a Windsor trader. No children.
- Abigail - b. 1643, Windsor, CT; d. by 1684.
- Zerubabel - b. Dec. 23, 1644, Windsor,
CT; d. Oct. 21, 1714, Windsor, CT.
- Samuel - b. 1646, Windsor, CT; d. by 1684.
- Stephen - b. 1649, Windsor, CT; d. by 1684.
- Johanna - b. 1650, Windsor, CT; d. by 1684.
Zerubabel and Experience (Strong) Filer
Zerubabel FILER - b. Dec. 23, 1644, Windsor, CT; d.
Oct. 21, 1714, Windsor, CT. Son of Walter FYLER
and Jane. He was bequeathed a lot in Windsor by Thomas FORD,
if "he should marry Experience STRONG." Married May
27, 1669, Windsor, CT.
Experience STRONG - bap. Aug. 4, 1650, Windsor, Hartford
Co., CT. Daughter of Elder John STRONG
and Abigail FORD.
Children of Zerubabel and Experience Filer
See
Notable Cousins
for line to: Benjamin Franklin GOODRICH and William Hubbs REHNQUIST
- Thomas - b. Jan. 25, 1669/0, Windsor, CT; d. Sep. 7, 1756.
Married Nov. 20, 1707 Elizabeth GRANT, daughter of John Grant
and Mary HULL. Children: Elizabeth married Capt. Moses THRALL;
Thomas married Mary; Samuel died in infancy; and Samuel married
Jerusha SHELDON.
- Jane - b. Jan. 1, 1671/2, Windsor, CT; d. 1726. Married Sep.
20, 1694 Wakefield DIBBLE (b. 1667), son of Ebenezer DIBBLE and
Mary WAKEFIELD, and widower of Sarah LOOMIS. Children: Ezra died
in infancy; Joseph; Ezra married Hannah STARR; Mary; Sarah; Abigail;
Nemiah; John; Philo; Wakefield; Elisha; David married; and Ebenezer
married.
- Zerubabel - b. and d. Oct. 31, 1673, Windsor, CT.
- Zerubabel - b. Dec. 25, 1674, Windsor, CT; d. Jan. 2, 1761,
Bloomfield, CT. Married Jan. 3, 1706 Rachel GILLETT, daughter
of Jeremiah GILLETT and Deborah BARTLETT. Children: Rachel; Experience;
Silas married Catherine DRAKE; Jeremiah married Jerusha KELSEY;
and Samuel married Ann STOUGHTON.
- John - b. Mar. 2, 1676, Windsor, CT; d. Aug. 10, 1715. Residence:
Suffield, CT.
- Samuel and Abigail - b. Jan. 5, 1680, Windsor, CT. Samuel
died Jun. 5, 1680 and Abigail died four days later.
- Samuel - b. Sep. 26, 1681, Suffield,
CT; d. Sep. 13, 1710, Hebron, CT.
- Abigail - b. Apr. 8, 1683, Suffield, CT; d. Dec. 24, 1754.
Married first Jan. 5, 1709 Jonathan DEMING (1661-1727) son of
Jonathan DEMING and Sarah GRAVES. Abigail married second Abraham
WATERHOUSE. Children of Abigail and Jonathan: Daniel married
Mehitable RUSSELL; and Charles married Ruth WARNER.
- Stephen - b. Mar. 27, 1688, Windsor, CT; d. Feb. 21, 1760.
Ensign.
- Ebenezer - b. Dec. 2, 1690, Windsor, CT; d. there Dec. 16,
1690.
- Experience - b. Dec. 25, 1691, Windsor, CT; d. May 25 1744,
Deerfield, MA. Married 1729 Samuel CHILDS (1679-1756), son of
Richard CHILDS and Elizabeth CROCKER of Barnstable, MA. Samuel
was the widower of Hannah BARNARD. Child: Experience married
Jonathan HOYT.
- Elizabeth - b. Jun. 2, 1694, Windosr, CT. Married Dea. Josiah
WILLARD of Wethersfield, CT, son of Simon WILLARD and Mary GILBERT.
Josiah was first married to Hannah MONTAGUE. Elizabeth had no
known children.
Capt. John and Sarah (Strong) Higley
John HIGLEY - b. Jul. 22, 1649, Frimley, Surrey, England;
d. Aug. 25, 1714, Simsbury, CT. An importer, land holder, public
office holder, and Captain of the train band (1698), his will
was dated May 6, 1714, naming wife Sarah and all 15 of his surviving
children. Son of Jonathan HIGLEY and Katherine BREWSTER,
who were married Jan. 3, 1647/8. Katherine was the daughter of
Rev. John BREWSTER (d. Aug. 14, 1656), and reportedly a
relative of Elder William BREWSTER of the 'Mayflower' fame. John
HIGLEY may have been a run away apprentice at the time he left
England, and evidence suggests that upon his arrival at Windsor,
CT about 1666 he entered the service of John DRAKE, Jr. He married
first Nov. 9, 1671, Windsor, CT Hannah DRAKE (b. Aug. 8, 1653,
Windsor, CT; d. Aug. 4, 1694, Simsbury, CT), daughter of John
DRAKE, Jr. and Hannah MOORE. Though currently in question, in
the past John DRAKE, Jr. has been connected with the DRAKE family
in England, which included the noted Sir Francis DRAKE (John DRAKE,
Sr. being the great grandson of John, brother of Sir Francis'
father, Edmund), and Sir Walter RALEIGH (he being the husband
of Joan DRAKE, sister of John and Edmund, and aunt of Sir Francis).
John HIGLEY obtained land at Windsor, CT from his father in law,
and operated a business importing rum and other commodities from
Barbados. He purchased additional land in Windsor, and in 1684
moved to Simsbury, CT where he became active in public life, excepting
that of the church. He married second about 1696 Simsbury, CT.
Sarah STRONG - b. Mar. 14, 1665/6, Windsor, CT; d. May
27, 1739, Windsor, CT. Daughter of Return
STRONG and Sarah WARHAM, and widow of Joseph BISSELL (d. Aug.
3 1689). Sarah and Joseph had two sons: Joseph (b. Mar. 21, 1687)
and Benoni (b. Dec. 7, 1689; d. Aug. 6, 1761).
Children of John and Hannah Higley
- John - b. Aug. 10, 1673, Windsor, CT; d. Dec. 1, 1741, Simsbury,
CT. Schoolmaster at Simsbury, Landholder, and public office holder.
Co-executor of father's estate. Did not marry.
- Jonathan - b. Feb. 16, 1675/6, Windsor, CT; d. May 1716,
Simsbury, CT. Member of the church at Simsbury. Settled at Turkey
Hills. Married Dec. 4, 1701, Simsbury, CT Ann BARBER (d. Nov.
15, 1722), daughter of Lt. Thomas BARBER. Children: Jonathan
died in infancy; Jonathan died in infancy; and Mercy married
John COULT.
- Hannah - b. Mar. 13, 1677/8, Windsor, CT; d. there four days
later.
- Elizabeth - b. Mar. 13, 1677/8, Windsor, CT; d. Dec. 9, 1744,
Westfield, MA. Member of the church at Westfield. Married between
1706 and 1710 Nathaniel BANCROFT (b. Sep. 25, 1680, Windsor,
CT; d. Jun. 13, 1740, Westfield, MA). Children: Two children
died in infancy; Desire died young; Susannah married Benjamin
ASHLEY; Nathaniel died in infancy; Mercy died young; Experience
died in infancy; Terza died young; and Elizabeth died in infancy.
- Katherine - b. Aug. 7, 1679, Windsor, CT; d. Mar. 7, 1740/1,
Hebron, CT. Resided at Westfield, MA, and after 1732 at Hebron,
CT where she joined the church. Married Feb. 24, 1704 James NOBLE
(b. Oct. 1, 1677; d. Jan. 18, 1712), son of Thomas NOBLE. Children:
Lydia married Stephen KELSEY; James did not marry; David married
Abigail LOOMIS.
- Brewster - b. 1680, Windsor, CT; d. Nov. 5, 1760, Simsbury,
CT. Married Feb. 17, 1708/9, Windsor, CT Esther HOLCOMB (b. Feb.
1683/4; d. Dec. 24, 1775, Simsbury, CT), daughter of Nathaniel
HOLCOMB and Mary BLISS. Daughters Elizabeth and Hannah were both
great grandmothers of John
BROWN of Harpers Ferry fame. Children: Brewster married first
Esther HOLCOMB (daughter of John and Anna (PETTIBONE) HOLCOMB),
and second Mrs. Mindwell BULL (Brewster and Esther became great
great grandparents of Dr. Brewster HIGLEY VI, author of Home
on the Range); David married Anna OWEN; Joseph married first
Ruth HOLCOMB, second Sarah CASE, and third Eunice SMITH; Hannah
married Elijah OWEN; Hester married Capt. Josiah CASE; John married
first Apphia HUMPHREY, and second Mrs. CLARK; Elizabeth married
Rev. Gideon MILLS; and Naomi married Solomon HUMPHREY.
- Hannah - b. Apr. 22, 1683, Windsor, CT; d. Nov. 7, 1764,
Lebanon, CT. Settled at Lebanon, CT. Married Aug. 31, 1704, Simsbury,
CT Captain Joseph TRUMBULL (d. Jun. 16, 1755, Lebanon, CT), son
of John TRUMBULL, JR. of Suffield, CT. Hannah and Joseph became
the parents of Gov. Jonathan TRUMBULL, Sr., grandparents of the
famed artist Col. John and his brother Gov. Jonathan, Jr., and
great grandparents of Gov. Joseph TRUMBULL. And their granddaughter
Mary, daughter of Gov. Jonathan, Sr., married Declaration of
Independence signer William WILLIAMS. Children: Joseph married
Sarah BULKLEY; Gov. Jonathan married Faith ROBINSON; Mary married
Joshua FITCH; Hannah died in infancy; Hester; Hannah married
Joseph SHERMAN; Abigail married Mr. BACKUS; John died in infancy;
and David died young (drowned).
- Joseph - b. 1685, Simsbury, CT; d. May 3, 1715, Simsbury,
CT. Did not marry.
- Samuel - b. 1687, Simsbury, CT, d. May 1737, lost at sea.
Schoolmaster (1714), physician (1725), mine operator (1727),
and minter of the Higley Copper coin (1729-1737). Lost at sea
while transporting copper ore to England. Marriage intentions
published Sep. 19, 1719, Westfield, MA to Abigail BEMAN (d. Aug.
5, 1746, Simsbury, CT). Children: Jonathan married Mary THOMPSON;
Annie married; and Abigail married Samuel SMITH.
- Mindwell - b. about 1689, Simsbury, CT. Married first Sep.
2, 1714 Jonathan HUTCHISON (d. Sep. 10, 1717); second Feb. 2,
1727 James TISDALE (d. May 2, 1727); and third Sep. 17, 1729
Capt. Nathaniel FITCH (b. Oct. 1679, Norwich, CT; d. May 4, 1759,
Lebanon, CT), son of Rev. James FITCH and Priscilla MASON. Children
surnamed HUTCHISON: Hannah died young; and a child died in infancy.
Children surnamed FITCH: Jabez died young; Ezekiel married Susannah
HIGLEY; and Isaac.
Children of John and Sarah Higley
- Sarah - b. 1697, Simsbury, CT; d. about 1739. Married Dec.
24, 1723 Jonathan LOOMIS, Jr. (b. Feb. 1, 1694), grandson of
Nathaniel LOOMIS of Windsor, CT. Daughter Margaret became grandmother
of merchant, banker, philanthropist and library founder Walter
NEWBERRY (1805-1868). Children: Sarah died young; Jonathan died
young; George married; Keziah married Joseph LOOMIS; Margaret
married John WARNER; Wait died young; and Jonathan died young.
- Nathaniel - b. Nov. 12, 1699, Simsbury,
CT; d. Sep. 1773, Simsbury, CT.
- Joshua - b. Sep. 8, 1701, Simsbury, CT; d. Apr. 2, 1702,
Simsbury, CT.
- Josiah - b. Sep. 8, 1701, Simsbury, CT; d. May 31, 1751,
Simsbury, CT; bur. Turkey Hills, CT. Sgt. in CT militia. Married
Dec. 31, 1724, Simsbury, CT Dinah GILLETT, daughter of Nathan
GILLETT and Rebecca OWEN. Children: Josiah married; Rebecca;
Susannah; Dinah; Nathan married Anna BARRETT; and Elijah married
Anna HALLIDAY.
- Abigail - b. Nov. 4, 1703, Simsbury, CT; d. Jul. 1742, Goshen,
CT. Lived at Lebanon, CT in parish known as Goshen. Joined Goshen
Congregational Church in 1730. Married by 1724 Peter THORPE (d.
Sep. 1, 1734). Children: James; Ruth; Sarah; Peter; Aaron; Abigail
married Joseph GAY; and Hannah married John FOSTER.
- Susannah - b. 1705, Simsbury, CT; d. after 1748. Married
Jan. 2, 1724 Elisha BLACKMAN. Settled at Lebanon, CT. Children:
Joseph married; Elisha married Lucy SMITH; Jonathan married Sarah
COMSTOCK; and Susannah.
- Isaac - b. Jul. 20, 1707, Simsbury, CT; d. about 1758, Torrington,
CT. Moved to Torrington, CT in 1739, serving in public office
and as a founder of the church there. Married first Feb. 13,
1735 Sarah PORTER (d. Jul. 19, 1753, Torrington, CT), daughter
of Daniel PORTER and Mindwell ALEXANDER; and second Feb. 24,
1757 Sarah LOOMIS (living in 1800). Children of first marriage:
Sarah did not marry; and Susannah.
Samuel and Abigail (Phelps) Filer
Samuel FILER - b. Sep. 26, 1681, Suffield, Hartford Co., CT; d. Sep.
13, 1710, Hebron, Tolland Co., CT. Son of Zerubabel FILER
and Experience STRONG. Married Nov. 19, 1702, Hebron, Tolland Co., CT.
Abigail PHELPS - b. Jun. 5, 1682, Simsbury, CT; d. Jan.
28, 1709/10, Hebron, Talland Co., CT. Daughter of Timothy
PHELPS and Mary GRISWOLD.
Children of Samuel and Abigail Filer
- Abigail - b. Feb. 6, 1703, Hebron,
CT. Married Nathaniel HIGLEY.
- Anne
- b. Sep. 12, 1705, Hebron, Tolland Co., CT. Married Jan. 28, 1724/5
Jonathan SACKETT (Mar. 20, 1696, Westfield, Hampden Co., MA; d. Sep. 1,
1773, Westfield, Hampden Co., MA), son of William SACKETT and Hannah
GRAVES. Children of Anne and William SACKETT: Ann died young; Jonathan
married Hannah PHELPS; Capt. Justus married Lydia NEWCOMB; Reuben
married Mercy FINNEY; Aaron died young; Ann died young; Hannah died
young; and Rebecca.
- Samuel - b. Sep. 9, 1707; d. Jun. 23, 1783. Capt. Samuel
was married on Oct. 4, 1727 at Hebron, Tolland Co., CT to Amy BURNHAM,
daughter of Samuel and Mary BURNHAM. Residences: Hebron and Theyford,
CT. Children of Samuel and Amy FILER: Amy married David CARVER; Lt.
Samuel married Mary WHITE; Abigail married Capt. Roger PHELPS; Ann
married Amos PHELPS; Elizabeth did not marry; and John married Mary
FULLER.
- John - b. and d. Feb. 19, 1709.
Nathaniel and Abigail (Filer) Higley
Nathaniel HIGLEY - b. Nov. 12, 1699, Simsbury, CT; d.
Sep. 1773, Simsbury, CT. Son of John HIGLEY
and Sarah STRONG. Married Mar. 29, 1720, Simsbury, CT.
Abigail FILER - b. Feb. 6, 1703, Hebron, CT. Daughter
of Samuel FILER and Abigail PHELPS.
Children of Nathaniel and Abigail Higley
- Mary - b. 1721, Simsbury, CT; d. 1825 ('at age 104'), Marlboro,
Windham Co., VT. Did not marry.
- Abigail - b. Nov. 1,
1723, Simsbury, CT; d. Feb. 5, 1815, Simsbury, CT. Married Josiah HOLCOMB.
- Theopolis - b. Mar. 29, 1726, Simsbury, CT; d. Aug. 26, 1762.
Joined North Granby Congregational Church (then Northwest Society).
Died while Corporal in militia while on an expedition. Married
Rhoda. No children.
- Solomon - b. Jan. 8, 1728/9, Simsbury, CT; d. Jun. 2, 1821,
Mount Lebanon, NY. Joined North Granby First Church (1753), and
joined with the Shakers by 1780 at Mount Lebanon, NY. Married
about 1749 Lydia HOLCOMB (b. 1731; d. Feb. 27, 1822), daughter
of Lt. David HOLCOMB and Mehitable BOTTOLPH. Son Roswell HIGLEY
became the great grandfather of Alfred V. HIGLEY, pioneer settler
at Lake Quinault, WA. Illustrated with photos
and drawings, "The Higleys, Lake Quinault Pioneers,"
by Rowena L. and Gordon D. Alcorn, was published as a series
of six weekly articles in The Aberdeen Daily World beginning
Jan. 27, 1966. Children: Sarah possibly died young; Nathaniel
married; Seth married Lucy HEROD; Roswell married Sarah GARNSEY;
Dan did not marry; Judge Seba married Sylvia DICKINSON; Theopolis
did not marry; David died young in accident; Dudley married first
Esther DAVIS, and second Eunice PRESSON; and Lydia did not marry.
- Dudley - b. about 1730, Simsbury, CT; d. 1771. Joined First
Congregational Church at North Granby, CT 1756. Married Jul.
27, 1753 Eunice STRATTON, daughter of Seriah STRATTON. Eunice
married second Nathaniel MESSENGER. Children of Dudley and Eunice:
Lois married David GRISWOLD; and Hannah married David MESSENGER.
- Lemuel (or Samuel) - b. about 1734, Simsbury, CT. Served
in Rev. No known children.
- Daniel - b. 1737, Simsbury, CT; d. Mar. 15, 1812, Marlboro,
VT. Joined First Congregational Church at North Granby 1767.
Moved to Vermont about 1780. Sgt. and Lt. in Revolutionary War.
Married first 1767 Ruth (d. Jun. 8, 1803), and second Mrs. Bathsheba
LINCOLN. Children of Daniel and Ruth: Daniel married Lucy WARREN;
Orpha married Mr. SLADE; Ruth married Jeremiah COLES; Jordan
married Margaret MILLER; Orange married first Polly MILLER, and
second Hannah HOWARD; Judiah married Relief STEARNS; Silvia married
Abner HARRIS; Lucretia married Oliver HIGLEY; Theodore married
Mercy HASKELL; Pliny married first Mary WILLARD, and second Mary
NICKERSON; and Sterling died young.
- Mindwell - b. 1738, Simsbury, CT. Married Mar. 3, 1768, Simsbury,
CT Seth HIGLEY (b. Oct. 29, 1746, Simsbury, CT; d. Feb.-Mar.
1794), son of Brewster HIGLEY II and Esther HOLCOMB, who was
daughter of John and Anna (PETTIBONE) HOLCOMB. Seth was a Rev.
War soldier from CT. After the death of Seth, Mindwell lived
at Bloomfield, CT as Mindwell (HIGLEY) HIGLEY LATIMER. Children
of Mindwell and Seth: Seth married Naomi HOLCOMB; Levi married
Hepsibah HOLCOMB; a son died as infant; Warren married Lucy SAWYER;
Roxanna married Abel HOLCOMB; Amelia married Erastus BATES; a
daughter (twin) died as infant; Polly (twin) married first Herman
PINNEY, and second Mr. PALMER; Rhoda married first Pliny HUMPHREY,
and second Aaron Moses SEYMOUR; Sallie married George BARNARD;
and Oliver married Clarissa PHELPS.