Family History

 
TWELFH GENERATION


Nicholas KNAPP died on 16 Apr 1670 in Stamford, CT, USA.

1st wife was Elinor. She died on 16 Jun 1658. [Stamford Registrations2]

Was he was born in Bures, Suffolk or Wells, Norfolk as some researchers claim?
http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cofairfield/pages/stamford/knapp_background.htm

Nicholas arrived in America in the Winthrop Fleet in 1630 and lived in Massachusetts at least between 1646 and 1650 when he is recorded in Stamford, Connecticut.

Nicholas was fined £5 on 1 March 1630/31 for selling water of no worth as a cure for Scurvy. He was to be imprisoned until he paid his fine, or give security for it, or else be whipped, & shall be liable to any man's action of whom he received money for the said water. William Pelham and Edward Lockwood promised to pay Knapp's fine.
[Records of the Governor and Court of the Massachusetts Bay Co., Printed copy 1:83, Original page 50].
 

On 7 August 1632, £3 of his fine of £5 was remitted.
[Records of the Governor and Court of the Massachusetts Bay Co., Printed copy 1:99, Original page 66]
 
At the General Amnesty of 6 September 1638, it was noted that part of the fine "was paid, & the rest was remitted".
[Records of the Governor and Court of the Massachusetts Bay Co., Printed copy 1:243, Original page 171].

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The following information pertaining to Nicholas Knapp, is extracted from "Watertown Records comprising The First and Second Books of Town Proceedings withe the Land Grants and Possessions also The Proprietors' Book and the First Book and Supplement of Births, Deaths and Marriages", prepared for Publication by the Watertown Historical Society, Watertown, Massachusetts (1894).

LANDS -Grants, Divisions, Allotments, Possessions and Proprietors' Book

[Lands, Grants and Possessions] 1636. July 25. A Grant of the Great Dividends lotted out by the Freemen to all the Townsmen

The Second Division.

17 Nicholas Knap Thirty Acres
1636. February 28. A Grant of the Plowlands at Beverbroke Planes
31 Nicholas Knap Six Acres

Inventories of Grants & Possessions

39 Nicholas Knap Seven Acres [Held by Grant] 1642. M3 D10 [10 Jun]

Lands, Grants & Possessions

Lott I or Division

Nicholas Knop One hundred & seventeen acres - Lot #90

Original Index to First Inventory

Page 25. Nicholas Knap

Lands, Grants & Possessions

1. An Homestall of Sixteen Acres more or less bounded the Southwest with William Barham; the Northeast with Richard Brown; the Northwest with Robert Lockwood & the Southeast with Banklane.
2. Two Acres in Pine Marsh bounded the South with the river & the North with John Barnard.
3. One Acre in Pond Meaddow bounded the East & North with John Page & the West with Isaac Sterne.
4. Thirty Acres of upland being a great Division in the 2 Division & the 17 Lott.
5. Six Acres of Plowland in the hither Plaine & the 35 Lott.
6. Seven Acres of Meddow in the remote Meddowes & the 39 Lott.
7. Thirteen Acres of upland beyond the further Plaine & the 59 Lott.
8. A Farme of One Hundred & seventeen Acres of upland in the 3 Division.
[Evidently he sold this acreage before 1644 as it does not appear on the 1644 list]

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7 (3) 1646 - Nicholas Knapp of Watertowne granted unto Bryan Pendleton (for valuable consideration received) all his land in Watertowne granted by the towne as by the transcript may appear with all the houseing thereupon (only one acre in Pond Meadow formerly suold being excepted) with all privileges there unto beloning. And this was by an absolute deed of sale dated the  (blank) and acknowledged by Nich: Knapp the 6 (3) 1646 before Mr Nowell. A hand & seale.
[Massachusetts, Suffolk Deeds 1:71]

7 (3) 1646 - Nicholas Knapp of Watertowne granted unto Bryan Pendleton (for valuable consideration received) granted unto Edward Garfield of the same towne one acre of meddowe lying in the same towne : & this was by an absolute deed of sale dated 29 Sept 1645 & acknowledged before Mr Hibbins 6 (3) 1646. A hand & seale.
[Massachusetts, Suffolk Deeds 1:71]

Connecticut

1751 - Stamford Town Records Book 1 - page 53.

  • Sept 26th 1651
    An agreement mad bettwen Elyas Bayly, the on pty & Nickles Knape ye other pty, that the said Elyas Bayly doth by by thes prsents sell, alienate, asign and sett over from him & his to the sayd Nickles Knap and his for ever viz., his hous and hom late bought of Jo. Coe as above specified, bounded by the highway North & West, the Council land, South, the sayd Nickles Knape, Eest, the said ( ) contaying an acre & halfe, more or lesse, quietly to injoy and posses as his prop'r right & title, the sayd Elyas Bayly to free the foresayd sale of all bargings, sale, taxes, ratts, incumbrances whatsoever befor this entry.

1667 - Stamford Town Records , Bk 2, pg 11.

  • Apll 22, 1667, Its ordered at a towne meeting yt [that] all such inhabitance of Standford yt intend to have anny privilige in ye horse pasture, are to give in there names to ye recorder for one horse or two, yt they shall fence for. The names are here underwritten as follows; (included was) Nicholas Knapp - 1 horse.

1670 - The 1670 Connecticut State Census is a reconstructed listing of 1544 household heads and 824 freeman. Data for the census was found in household, estate, tax, landowner, church and freeman lists between the years 1660 and 1673.
Knapp, Nicholas, 22 Apr 1667, Stamford, LKI, STAM67:221
This is a reference to the 1667 record listed above.

He died between the date of the will on 15 and 27 of Apr 1670, between the date of the will and the date of the inventory.

Last Will and Testament - 1670

  • Fairfield Probate Records Vol 1665-1675, page 2:55 & 2:56  [Original registered Will]
     
    In Stamford ye 15th 2mo Anno 1670 [15 Apr 1670]:
    The Last Will and Testament of Nicholas Knap of Stamford concerning the disposal of his worldly estate:
    1.I give to my sonn Moses Knap my house and land in Stamford with all the meadow and upland belonging to me.Also I give to my said sonn Moses my cart and plowe or plowes--with all the furniture of Irons, yokes, and chaynes belonging and a small gun in the house and a sword.
    2.I give unto my sonn Timothy Knap the monies remayning due to me upon the bil for the house of John Bats [John Bates] lives in.
    3.I give to my sonn Calep [Caleb] the loom and halfe the geers and the other halfe of the geers I give to my sonn Joshua Knap.
    4.I give to my daughter Sarah Disbrowe the monies due to me from her husband about 37s - concerning the horss.
    5.I give to my daughter Hannah one mare.
    6.I give to my daughter Lidea [Lydia] the mare that was Mr Bishop's with the increase she hath.
    7.I give to my daughter Ruth twenty shillings.
    8.I give to my two daughters-in-law [step daughters], viz:Sarah and Uneca Buxton, all their mother's clothes as a free gift, except one hat and one new pettecote, which my will is they should have onward of their portion.Also I will and bequeath unto Uneca Buxton the new Bible as a free gift.
    9.My will is that portions due my daughters-in-law [step daughters], viz:Sarah and Uneca Buxton, out of the estate of their father Clement Buxton:I say that their part and portions be currently payd according to their portion of the inventorie.
    10. Lastly my will is that my sonn Joshua Knap be sole executor of this my last will to receive all and pay all dues according to this my will as also debts to or for me.
    If in the case that mare be not found that I have given to Lidea [Lydia] that then shee to have another mare in lue of that.
    This being my last will and renouncing all other former wills made by me witness my hand.
    Nicholas"y" Knap (his mark)
    Witnes
    John Weed 
    Eleazur Slawson
  • Inventory - 27 Apr 1670 - total £166 13s. 1 1/2d., of which the house and lands totalled £50.
    [Original registered Inventory]
    [Probate Records of Fairfield, Connecticut 2:56]

Children

The following list was taken from the Watertown records comprising the first and second books of town proceedings - Births, Marriages and Deaths - First Book :-

1631. Jonathan knap the sonn of Nickholas and Elinor knap buried the 27 of the tenth aged 7 weekes [b. 8 Nov 1631 - d. [buried] 27 Dec 1631]
1632. Timothy knap the sonn of Nickolas and Elinor knap borne the 14 day of the tenth month [b. 14 Dec 1632]
1634. Joshua knap the sonn of Nickholas and Elinor knap Borne the 5 day 11 month [b. 5 Jan 1634/35]
1635. Caleb knapp the son of Nickolas and Elinor knap Borne ye 20d - 11th [b. 20 Jan 1636/37]
1638. Sary Knap daughter of Nicholas and Elinor Knap borne the 5d - 11th [b. 5 Jan 1638/39]
1640. Ruth the daughter of Nicholas and Elinor Knapp borne 6 (11) [b. 6 Jan 1640/41]
1643. Hannah the daughter of Nicholas & Elinor Knap borne 6 (1) [b. 6 Mar 1642/43]
 Other children were
Lydia KNAPP - Married Isaac HALL

2nd Marriage - He married second in Stamford on on  9 Mar 1658/9 Unica (Unknown) Buxton / Brown. She was widow of 1) Clement Buxton and 2) Peter Brown [Gillespie Anc 61-63]. Unica apparently died by 15 Apr 1670 (not mentioned in Nicholas' will). She and Nicholas had no known children together, but she had four Buxton children [CT VR v1 p74 M(2)]


General sources include :-
1. The Great Migration Begins ..., Volumes I-III.Anderson, William Charles, (1995)
2. Stamford registration of births, marriages, and deaths - Rev. E.B. Huntingdon pub. 1874.


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