Maternal

Lineage: Rebecca & Abigail3, Moses2, Griffin1

CRAFTS, c.1600-aft.1711

Related Families:  Gardner | Wright | Goodrich Dual maternal descent

        (1) Lt. Griffin Crafts, born 1600/1603 probably in Yorkshire, England, died 4 October 1689 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; married 1591 in England, Alice, died 26 March 1673 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.

Children:

1. Hannah, born 1628 in England, died 18 August 1692 in Newton, Massachusetts; married 2 April 1645 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Nathaniel Wilson, Sr.
2. John, born 10 July 1630 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 3 September 1685 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; married first 7 June 1654 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Rebecca Wheelock; married second 30 March 1669 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Mary Hudson
3. Mary, born 10 October 1632 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 3 July 1653 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; married before 1653 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Joseph Griggs
4. Samuel, born 12 December 1637 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 9 December 1709 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; married 16 October 1661 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Elizabeth Seaver
5. Moses, mentioned below
6. Abigail, born 28 March 1634 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 19 January 1706/1707 in Medfield, Massachusetts; married 25 January 1650/1651 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, John Ruggles; married second on 15 November 1659 in Dedham, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, Ralph Day; married third on 7 December 1678 in Dedham, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, Edward Adams

 

        (2) Moses Crafts, born 28 April 1641 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, died 30 December 1718, age 77, buried in the Old Burying Ground, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut; married 24 January 1667 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Rebecca, born 9 November 1647, probably at Roxbury, daughter of Peter Gardner, son of Thomas Gardner, the immigrant. Roxbury church records show that "Rebecca, wife of Moses Crafts, was admitted to full communion 5 May, 1676."
        In 1667, the year of his marriage, Moses signed a petition of soldiers at Castle Island.  He probably remained in Roxbury until 1672 when his name is found on the subscription list to raise money to build a "New House for worship," in place of the old one.  He pledged 2 pounds.  Soon afterwards the family removed to Deerfield, Massachusetts, where Moses owned a home lot of 11 acres on the east side of Main St.  He conveyed the property by deed to Eliezur Hawks on 13 July 1696 for 16 pounds.
        Moses was licensed by the selectmen in 1673 to keep an "ordinary" or hotel in Deerfield, with permission to sell "strong water."  While at Deerfield, he sold a parcel of land for 20 pounds on 8 June 1674 described as follows:

"To Thomas Peck, his heirs and assigns, aparcel of land lying at Muddy River in the township of Boston containing twenty acres more or less, Bounded on the North East side by land of Ixiah Clark, South East by land of Griffin Craft; South West by land of Jacob Elliott; North West by land of Nathaniel Wilson, together with all the woods, underwoods, wayes and swamps . . . "

        When King Philip's War broke out, the residents who survived the Deerfield Massacre abandoned their homes and fled to Hatfield and Hadley, Massachusetts, for protection.  Moses and his family remianed in Hatfield until 1678 when he was taxed in that town.
        On 12 December 1678, the town of Branford, Connecticut, granted Moses Crafts and Quinten Stockwell four acres of land upon the plain for house-lots, and twenty acres to Moses Crafts and thirty Stockwell to be laid out below the Guilford road, provided they build houses.  There were several other lots granted to them.  On 8 December 1680, Moses was chosen town collector.  On 6 December 1681 he sold his homestead and pasture for 50 pounds to John Savage, and on 23 December 1681 he sold for 11 pounds twenty acres to Jonathan Frisbie.  That same day, Quinten Stockwell and Moses Crafts divided and deeded land to each other.
        Moses was living in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, by 1683, for on 26 October of that year he sold five and one-half acres of land in Branford, Connecticut, to Thomas Gatsell.  On the same date he deeded to Jonathan Firsbie nineteen acres for 5 pounds that was granted to Moses by the town.  On 4 June 1689, Moses sold a lot of twenty acres at Pine Brook, Branford, Connecticut.  In all of these deeds, he is called "of Wethersfield."
        After Moses' father died, he contested the will, which was made 18 May 1689, claiming that it was unust, and that his father had been unduly influenced by his brother Samuel, who was named executor.  The will was proved before Moses filed his objections and they were overruled by the Court.
        When Moses moved to Wethersfield he had some land granted to him, but he purchased most of his farm.  He was quite prominent in town and held several offices.
        Moses often sigend his name as Crafts, but oftener perhaps omitted the terminal "s."  Upon his tombstone at Wethersfield, Connecticut, the name is written "Croft."  The full inscription says:
 

Here Lieth The Body of Mr. Moses Croft Who Departed His Life December Ye 30th 1718, In Ye 80th Year of His Age

According to Roxbury, Massachusetts, vital records, he was actually in his 78th year when he died.  The date of the death of Rebecca Gardner Crafts has not been ascertained, but it probably occurred in Wethersfield where she was living in 1699, as is shown by a deed of 10 June 1699.

Children:

1. Rebecca, born 2 March 1671 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; married Samuel Wright
2. Abigail, born 1676 probably in Hatfield, Massachusetts; married Jonathan Goodrich

 

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