Its Been A While

Well it's been quite a while since I've added anything to this blog. Information on ancestors is getting harder to find and it seems I'm the only one searching for these people. The task can be tedious and a little overwhelming at times but I will not stop searching, I owe my ancestors at least that much. Searching for and finding your ancestors and learning the stories and history that made them who they were, It really put into perspective our own lives and gives us the opportunity to not only get to know them, but we also start getting to know ourselves even better. Genealogical research is NOT just a hobby. It is our sacred duty to find our family members and never let them be forgotten!

A French revolutionary and an American Patriot

Theres not alot of information on the Weed family after our "Founding Father" Jonas. He married a woman by the name of Mary. Thats about all the info I can find on her. They had a son named Daniel Weed who married a woman named Ruth. Their son was named Abraham. Abraham married a woman named Susan Bell from Stamford, Connecticut around 1686 in December. Here is were it gets interesting. Abraham and Susan had a daughter named Ruth who from a couple of different accounts was mentally handicapped. Ruth was never married but was being taken care of by a brother who had custody. Somehow Ruth ended up with 2 illegitimate daughters; Patience was born in 1738, and Lois was born in 1741. At this point i will flash back to a small town in eastern France. Besancon, is located on the Doubs river close to the Germany border and is considered the gateway to the Alps. In May 1741 in that same French town, A child was born named Francois Joseph Durand. The Durand Family was a very prominent aristocratic family in the region and was very prominent in the area politics. All of the Durand males were born into privelage and were, in every sense of the word, noblemen. At the age of 16 Francois renounced his noble status and left France for America. At some point between then and 1762 Francois, who at this point had changed his name to Francis, met Patience Weed. They were married in May 1762. It seems they had a residence in Norwalk Co. and possibly another in Stamford. I have traced the Brown line back to the Durands and the best part of it for me is the knowledge that it is very probable he served as an aide or as an officer under the famous Marquis de Lafayette As an American Colonist! I did find one excerpt from a journal entry from the famous French General Lafeyette:

Lafayette’s journals mention of the Norwalk burning;

“About fourteen days ago, one British regiment (the forty-fourth completed) and three Hessian regiments were embarked, and
are gone, as is supposed, to Halifax. The operations of the enemy this
campaign have been confined to the establishment of works of defence,
taking a post at King’s Ferry, and burning the defenceless towns of New
Haven, Fairfield, and Norwalk, on the Sound, within reach of their
shipping, where little else was, or could be, opposed to them, than the
cries of distressed women and helpless children; but these were offered
in vain. Since these notable exploits, they have never stepped out of
their works or beyond their lines. How a conduct of this kind is to
effect the conquest of America, the wisdom of a North, a Germain, or a
Sandwich can best decide, it is too deep and refined for the
comprehension of common understandings and the general run of
politicians.”

And then there’s this intriguing mention of the history of Francois Joseph Durand,

“We know almost nothing of that home of Francois (Francis) Joseph in Norwalk. He dropped the name of Francois, which to him could be his name only as pronounced in French (”Frahnswah”), awkward in America and an unwise distinction. The name however, was renewed in that of his oldest son, Joseph (Francois) called by his first name. The second son was called Alexandre, from that time the French names were dropped and the names of the other children were strictly of New England. It is known that (I’ll just use the Francis Joseph from now on) Francis Joseph bought and sold land in Norwalk, and it also appears that he had a home at Stamford, near Norwalk, where many of the Weed (his wife’s family) were living In the census of 1790, Joseph Durand is listed as Norwalk and Stamford. Norwalk was almost entirely burned by the British in 1779, only a few houses remaining which may account for the Stamford home. In this Connecticut home, the family was brought; the older sons were married and their children were growing up about them, when a change came.”

Fun stuff and i love finding out that i am a descendant of Revolutionary War Veterans! I do have alittle more info on the Durand Family. If you have any questions please e-mail me at:

jon.speakerforthedead@gmail.com or brown6pak@msn.com!

just a few photos of our rugrats!

Introducing....Mr. Jonas Weed!

Jonas is not directly related on either of the Male lines of my family (Fathers direct line or Mothers fathers direct line) but he is dirctly traced from my Fathers Grandmothers line.
Anyway...here is some info on him:

Information from another Weed researcher, citing baptismal records of the parish church for Chelveston in Northhamptonshire at the Public Records Office in Northampton, notes the following baptisms:
Elizabeth Weed, daughter of John Weed, baptised 10 October 1587
Leonard Weed, son of John Weed, baptised 19 January 1589
Ann Weed, daughter of John Weed, baptised 25 May 1593
George Weed, son of John Weed, baptised 2 February 1596
Jonas Weed, son of John Weed, baptised 20 February 1597
Richard Weed, son of John Weed, baptised 1 June 1601

This Jonas Weed, baptised in 1597, seems to be the right age to be the Jonas Weed of Stamford noted by John Winthrop in his medical journal in 1668 as being 70 years old.

Jonas came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the fleet with Sir Richard Saltonstall and Governor John Winthrop in 1630. In all, seventeen ships arrived in New England from England that year. The Arbella was one of four in this Winthrop fleet, the others being the Jewel, the Ambrose, and the Talbot. Jonas, and other members of this Puritan group, originally set sail on March 29 of that year and, after some difficulities, finally set sail from Yarmouth at the Isle of Wight and the Arbella reached Massachusetts on June 12, 1630. The Jewell arrived the following day; the Ambrose arrived on June 18; and the Talbot arrived on July 2.
The Arbella left most of its passengers at Salem but Jonas Weed moved on Watertown, MA. It was here that Jonas settled and where he was made a freeman on 18 May 1631. He did not settle long in Watertown, however, as in 1635 he was a first settler in Wethersfield, CT, and later was one of the founders of Stamford, CT in 1641.
In May of 1635 he was one of six dismissed from the Watertown Church to form a new church on the Connecticut River at Wethersfield. Colonial records note than at a Court held at Newton on April 26, 1636:

"Whereas there was a dismission granted by the Church of Watertown in Massachusetts dated 29th of Ma[ ] last to Andrew Ward, Jo: Sherman, Jo: Strickland, Rob'te Coo, Rob'te Reynolds & Jonas Weede, wth intent to forme a newe Ch: Covennte in this River of Connecticut, the sade prties hase soe accordingly done with the publicke allowance of the rest of the members of the saide Churches, as by certificate nowe prduced apprs. It is therefore, in this prsent Cort, ratified & confirmined, they prmising shortlie and publiquely to renewe the saide Covenant vppon notice to the rest of the Churches."

It was in Wethersfield, in 1637, that Jonas married his wife, Mary. Different sources have Jonas' wife as Mary Hoyt and others as Mary Scofield. Neither, however, have been proven. In 1639, Wethersfield along with Windsor and Suckiang (the present day Hartford) joined together to form the Connecticut Colony, and, in that same year, Jonas is listed as a Juror in Wethersfield. Also, Wethersfield was the birthplace of the first three children of Jonas and Mary: Elizabeth, Mary and Dorcas. Jonas Weed's home in Wethersfield was at the extreme northern end of the Eastern side of the present High Street. It's position is indicated by his name on the 1640 map of the town in "The History of Ancient Wethersfield."

In about 1641, Jonas and his family were among the families to found Stamford, CT. Jonas and Mary remained in Stamford and it was here that their remaining six children were born.
His will, dated 26 November 1672, was inventoried on 7 November 1676. Mentioned in his will were: his wife Mary; eldest son John; son Daniel; son Jonas; daughter Mary, wife of George Abbot; daughter Dorcas, wife of James Wright; son Samuel; to John Rockwell, five shillings, and 5 pounds sterling in Daniel's hands for Elizabeth; daughter Sarah, "if she return to the truth"; daughter Hannah, wife of Benjamin Hoit. Executors of his will were wife Mary, and son John.
The will, from the Fairfield Probate Records, is as follows:

The Last Will and testament of Jonas Weed Sr who first doth give up his soul to his Lord Jesus Christ and his Body to an honorable burial and for his outward estate he doth as follows: he doth give and bequeath unto his wife Mary Weed the house she now lives in and the use of the homlot with two acres of meadow and two acres of upland lying in the east field during her lifetime: And [line smudged] all belonging to it: And his [line smudged] pan: and more to [line smudged] of his estate [line smudged].

2ly he doth give and bequeath to his eldest Sonn John Weed Two Acres of Meadowe lying in Rock creek and more to the vallu of five pounds.

3ly he doth give unto his Sonn David Weed the full and Just sum of Ten pounds: for the Said Ten pounds he is to give that peece of Meadowe Lying in the east field in that neck comonly called Mr [Lands?] neck if he with the rest doe agree in the [words smudged] thay may yf Soe much: then he is to have the remainder of my other things.

4ly he doet give unto his Sonn Jonas Weed the Sum of one pounds.

5ly he doth give unto his daughter Mary Abbot the wife of Georg Abbot the Sum of Thirty Shillings.

6ly he doth give unto his Daughter Dorcas: the wife of James wright the sum of ten shillings.

7ly he doth give unto his Sonn Samuel the Sum of Twenty Pounds.

8ly he doth give unto John Rockwell the sum of five shillings and doth leave the vallu of five pounds in Daniels hand for Elizabeth.

9ly he doth give to his daughter Sarah the Sum of five shillings: And in case shee doe returne agayne to the Truth then he doth by will unto her the Sum of five pounds.

10ly he doth give unto his daughter Hannah Benj: Hoits the Sum of Ten pound.

Moreover it is his will that yf his estate doth not amount unto ye Just Sum as above they shallshare out of the above proportionably: And yf his estate [?] [?] to [?] the Sum as above then it is his will that they shall each and every of them advance proportionably to what [?] of them have received : Also he doth by will Impore his wife Mary Weed and his Sonn Daniel and his Sonn Jonas Weed to Administer upon his Estate acording to [will?].

Jonas died in Stamford on 5 June, 1676, and Mary died, also in Stamford, on 10 March 1689.
Children of John and Mary Weed:

Elizabeth b. 1637.
Mary b. ca. 1639.
Dorcas b. ca. 1640.
John b. ca. 1643.
Jonas b. 1647.
Daniel b. 1652.
Sarah b. 1654
Child b. 1656.

I am proud to have a man like Jonas in my family line. He was truley one of our Founding Fathers in the most literal sense of the term.