Edward Spalding (b. 13 September 1596, d. 26 February 1669/70)
Edward Spalding (son of Willfred Spalding and Anne) was born 13 September 1596 in St. Peter Conhill, England, and died 26 February 1669/70 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, MA. He married (1) Margaret Elliott on 1623 in Redenhall, Norwich, England. He married (2) Rachel on August 1640 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, MA.
Notes for Edward Spalding: According to Western Massachusetts, A History 1636-1925, Vol IV: Edward Spalding and Edmund Spalding are supposed to have left England in company of Sir George Yeardley in 1619 and settled in Jamestown, Virginia. The "Virginia Colonial Record" contains "Lists of the living and dead in Virginia, February 16, 1623." This list, under the heading: "Att James Citie and within the Corporation thereof," has Edward Spalding, Uox Spalding, Puer Spalding, Puella Spalding, and indicates that Edward Spalding with his wife, son and daughter lived at Jamestown in 1623. Edward Spalding is supposed to have been one of those respectable settlers who for one hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco obtained wives from among the "ninety agreeable persons, young and incorrupt," who went to Virginia in 1919." Having witnessed the massacre of English settlers by the Indians in March, 1622, Edward Spalding found other reasons of dissatisfaction with conditions in Virginia, and probably left the colony to go to Massachusetts.
He was made a freeman of Braintree, Massachusetts, May 13, 1640. He and nineteen others petitioned on October 1, 1645, for a grant of 10,000 acres of land, and the General Court complied with their request. He was one of twenty to petition in 1652 for the establishment of the town of Chelmsford, which was granted on May 10, in 1653, when the settlement began. He was chosen selectman at the first town meeting in Chelmsford in 1654, and again in 1656, and 1660-61. He received twenty eight acres on the first division of lands on February 4, 1661. He was surveyor of highways in 1663, and was one of a comittee to lay out the meadow lands in 1665. He was one of the surveyors of Newfield in 1666, and one of the original proprietors, and he was one of the surveyors of North Chelmsford at a later day. He was the possessor of an orchard of apple trees according to the record of 1664, at a time when orchards were much desired.
Edward Spalding died February 26, 1670. In his will he makes "Rachel Spalding, my wife, my sole executor." It was admitted to probate April 5, 1670. The estate amounted to one hundred and forty pounds, eight shillings, ten pence. Edward Spaldings first wife, Margaret, died at Braintree in August, 1640 and his second wife Rachel died before April 5, 1670.
From the Spalding Memorial: The first authentic record of the Spalding family appears in the Virginia Colonial Records, 1619-1680. Evidence shows that Edward Spalding arrived with Sir George Yeardley in or about 1619 to join the Virginia Colony. In this year, several families immigrated to the Virginia Colony, induced by a promise of prosperity from the company; prior to this time, the colony consisted of mostly males. On March 22, 1622, following an Indian massacre which devastated the colony, a census was ordered. The census records of February 16, 1623 include in a "List of the Living," both an Edward Spalding (at "James Citie") and an Edmund Spalden (at "Elizabeth Cittie"). Some years later, it is assumed that Edward Spalding joined the Massachusetts Bay Colony, while Edmund joined the Maryland Colony under Lord Baltimore. The Spalding Memorial was dedicated to these two brothers and their descendants.
The will of Edward Spalden: The 13th day of Feb. 1666.
Edward Spalden of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex and New England being of a perfect memory and understanding do declare this my last will & testament.
Impr. I give and bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God, the creator of heaven & earth and my body to the earth till the day of resurrection.
I give and bequeath my house and the land about it with the appurtenances, the meadow adjoining to it and the lott of meadow in the river meadow, to Rachell Spalden my beloved wife, to use, improve & enjoy, dureing the terme of her naturall life and after her decease to Andrew Spalding. my youngest sonne: paying to his sister Dynah Spalding, my daughter, the some of tenn pounds, if shee be living: if shee be not living, then I will that Andrew Spalding my sonne, shall pay out of the said lands five pounds to Edward Spalding my sonne & five pounds to John Spalding my sonne or to the eldest child of either of them if themselves be not living.
I give and bequeath to Rachel Spalding my wife, my lott in the generall field, called the new field (Note: According to Hubbard in the History of New England, page 399, "The original Edward Spaulding estate was at Newfield and Flaggy meadow, North Chelmsford."), to use and improve dureing the terme of her natural life and after her decease, I will that John Spalding and Edward Spalden my sonnes, shall have the said lott in the new field to be equally divided between them both I give and bequeath to Rachell Spalding my wife all my moveable goods and chattels, to use and improve dureing the terme of her naturall life, and after her decease, to be divided equally amongst my children, only I will that Dynah Spalding my daughter shall have my feather bed, and bolster belongs to it, more than the rest.
I make Rachell Spalding my wife my sole executor.
I make Thomas Hinksmann & Jacob Parker, overseers, to this my last will & testament. witness his marke EDWARD SPALDING.
GEORGE BYAM
JACOB PARKER.
In volume 106 of the State archives is a signed statement by:
John Fiske, the minister, in which he testifies to the Gener'd Court that Josiah Richardson, Eleazer Brown and Jacob Warren "have approved themselves unto our church," desiring that they may be made freemen and take the freeman's oath at the next County Court. This is dated Chelmsford, 9, 1 mo. [March 9] 16M4. These may testify the hon'red governor & General Courte assembled at Boston that Thomas Clark, Edward Spaulden, Joseph Harwell, Samuel fletcher, John Barrett, Comilius Waldo are admitted into full communion with the Church of Christ at Chelmsford & therefore desire to take their freedom according to law.
From Savages Geneological Dictionary of those settlers who came before 1692:
SPAULDING, SPAULDEN, SPOLDEN, SPARLDEN, or SPALDEN, ANDREW, Chelmsford, s. of Edward the first, was a deac. perhaps had fam. and d. 5 May 1713. BENJAMIN, Chelmsford, br. of the preced. m. 30 Oct. 1668, Olive, d. of Henry Farwell, had, beside sev. others, Edward, b. 1672, and Benjamin, 1685. EDWARD, Braintree, by w. Margaret, prob. had John, b. a. 1633; Edward, a. 1635; and Grace, the latter bur. May 1641. His w. d. Aug. 1640, and by ano. w. he had Benjamin, b. 7 Apr. 1643; Joseph, 25 Oct. 1646; Dinah, 14 Mar. 1649; and Andrew, 19 Nov. 1652; was freem. 13 May 1640, rem. to Wenham 1654, hav. nine yrs. bef. project. with other Braintree people the settlem. in the domain of Pomham and other Ind. friends in R. I. thence soon aft. to Chelmsford, there d. 26 Feb. 1670. His will of 13 Feb. 1667, in wh. Benjamin is not ment. made w. Rachel Extrix. but she d. soon aft. him, [[146]] and on prob. of the will 5 Apr. 1670, admin. was giv. to John and Edward. EDWARD, Chelmsford, s. of the preced. m. 6 July 1663, Priscilla Underwood, d. of William, had Dorothy, b. 1664; Deborah, 1667; and Edward, 1671; was freem. 1690, and rep. 1691. JOHN, Chelmsford, s. prob. the eldest, of Edward the first, m. 18 May 1658, Hannah Hale, had Eunice, b. 27 July, 1660, says the rec. in Middlesex; but Farmer MS. beside sev. ds. not nam., gives him John, b. 28 Feb. 1661; Edward, 16 Sept. 1663; Samuel, 6 Mar. 1668; and Joseph, 22 Oct. 1673; was freem. 1690. Descend. of the first Edward have been very num. much scatter. and highly respectab. Nine of this name had in 1834 been gr. at Yale, two at Harv. and eighteen at other N. E. coll. acc. Farmer's MS.
More About Edward Spalding: Fact: 1619, Bought first wife for 120 pounds of tobacco. Fact 1: 1619, Left England in company with Sir George Yeardley in 1619. Fact 2: Settled in Jamestown, Va.. Fact 4: Wife was from "ninety agreeable persons, young and incorrupt". Fact 5: March 1621/22, Witnessed massacre of English settlers by indians. Fact 6: Bet. 1623 - 1640, Moved to Braintree, MA and was made freeman on 13 May 1640. Fact 7: 01 October 1645, With 19 other petitioners granted 10,000 acres of land to establish Chelmsford. Fact 8: 1654, Chosen selectman of Chelmsford, MA and also in 1656 and 1660-61. Fact 9: 1663, Surveyor of highways. Fact 10: 1666, Surveyor of Newfield and North Chelmsford. Fact 11: 26 February 1668/69, Death reported in Court Record, Middlesex Co, Quarterly Court.
More About Edward Spalding and Margaret Elliott: Marriage: 1623, Redenhall, Norwich, England.
More About Edward Spalding and Rachel: Marriage: August 1640, Chelmsford, Middlesex, MA.
Children of Edward Spalding and Margaret Elliott are:
+John Spalding, b. 1631, Chelmsford, MA, d. 03 October 1721, Chelmsford, MA.
Edward Spalding (b. 13 September 1596, d. 26 February 1669/70)
Notes for Edward Spalding: