Francis GRISWOLD (1610 -1652 ) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather, one of 4,096 in this generation of the Shaw line.

The Griswold family were exceptional among our ancestors having a coat of arms at the time of their immigration

Francis Griswold was born about 1610 in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England.  His parents may have been George Henry GRISWOLD  (bapt. 6 Nov 1574 at Wootten Wawen Warwickshire- 1623) and Dousabel  LEIGH (1575 – 1615)   Francis married Mary [__?__].   Francis died in 1652 in Cambridge, Mass.

Many sites have perpetuated the error that Dorothy James married a George Greswold and had various children who came to America. The available records do not support this. Dorothy James married Henry Greswold in Belbroughton, Warwickshire in 1592. They did have a son George (as well as Humphrey and William). However, George was only about 13 years old (i.e., born ca 1588) when his father died in 1601/02. George died about 1615. George was presumably unmarried as no mention is made of a wife or children and all of his property (including Greet Hill) went to his brother Humphrey. His father was born in 1563 (his mother, Dorothy, is reputed to have been born about 1567 and died in 1656). Thus they could not have had a son George born in 1548.

Mary [__?__] was born about 1617 in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England.  After Francis died, she married William Bullard on 4 Jan 1653/54 in Cambridge, Middlesex , Massachusetts.  Mary died in 1685 in Cambridge, Mass.  Alternatively, Mary  died 2 Oct 1652 in Charlestown, Mass.

William Bullard was born about 1594 in Barnham, Suffolk, England.  His parents were William BULLARD and Grace BIGNETT.  On 16 May 1610 in Barnham, Suffolk, England, he was mentioned in the will of William Bullard.  In 1630 in Barham, Suffolk, England, he was mentioned in the will of Grace Bignett. William Bullard immigrated in 1638 to Massachusetts Bay Colony.  He settled in Dedham, Mass.  He lived in 1658 in Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He  moved in 1677 to Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.  William died on Monday, 23 Dec 1686 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts.

Children of Francis and Mary:

Often this name is spelled Grissell, Grisill, Grisold, Greshold, and Greshould.

Many sites state that Francis immigrated with his brother Matthew, but I’m thinking Matthew belonged to a different family.    It looks like Francis lived in Cambridge, Mass and brothers Matthew and Edward Griswold immigrated to Connecticut, and are assoicated with Saybrook, Norwich and  Killingworth, Connecticut, called then “Kenilworth,” in honor of the Griswold’s native place in England.

Jonah PALMER lived in Charlestown, Mass which is only three miles from Cambridge before his family moved to Rehoboth in 1643 so he might have known Elizabeth as a child, but she would have been only 7 or 8 years old when the Palmer family left for Rehoboth.   Our Francis and Mary had no male children and hence few rearchers into their true English origins.

On the other hand, maybe GEORGE GRISWOLD of Kenilworth, England, had five sons born there.

THOMAS, remained in Kenilworth.
MICHAEL, b. 1597; settled  Wethersfield, Conn.

EDWARD, b. 1607; settled Windsor, Conn., 1639, Killingworth, 1664.

FRANCIS, b. _____; settled . Cambridge, Mass.

MATTHEW, b. 1620; settled Windsor and Lyme, Conn. [Salisbury Genealogy, Vol. II, p. 5].

Adding to the confusion, Edward named one of his sons Francis Griswold (1629 – 1671).   here is a mystery whether our not Mary Griswold married William Bullard after our Francis died.  There is another mystery whether or not the widow of the other Francis Griswold married Major William Bradford.

Francis’ Father

GEORGE  GRESWOLD (Roger
John⁹, John⁸, John⁷, John⁶, John⁵, William vel Thomas⁴, Richard³, Ralph (Rudolphus)², John¹), son of   Roger¹⁰ GRESWOLD, was christened on 6 Nov. 1574 in Wooten Wawen, Warwickshire and died between 1613 and 1633. He married about 1606, DOUSABEL LEIGH? , who was born about 1575, was buried on 28 Aug. 1615 in Wooten Wawen.   The George Greswold mentioned in the eleventh generation in the Visitation of Warwickshire, 1619, may be the father of Edward Griswold, who emigrated from Kenilworth, England, to Windsor, Conn. in 1639. It is clear from a deposition made by Captain George Griswold that the great grandfather’s name was George Griswold, who had three sons, Edward, Matthew and Thomas. There is thus the possibility that George Griswold, father of Edward and Matthew, is to be identified with the George Griswold of the eleventh generation.

More than this possibility, or at most probability, cannot be affirmed as yet. The Kenilworth parish records prior to 1630, which might have settled the question, were destroyed during the wars of the Commonwealth, and the Griswold family in England has become extinct. There are facts enough, however, to make the connection between the Griswolds, of Windsor, Conn. and the Greswold heraldic family of Kenilworth and Solihull, Warwickshire, at least possible if not probable.  Rev. F. W. Chapman in his unpublished memoranda on the Griswold family held the opinion that the grandfather of Edward and Matthew was a Francis Griswold, on what grounds it is not known.   “Matthew Griswold, Esq., of Kenilworth, Warwick County, England, had three sons, Edward, Matthew and Thomas, who were cousins to Humphrey Griswold, of Malvern Hall

Possible Siblings

Edward Griswold, born in England, about 1607. He married there about 1630, Margaret, whose parentage is unknown. Actual records of his birth and marriage have not been found.  One source researching the Griswold Genealogy, Captain George Griswold indicates that Edward’s parents were George Griswold (baptised 6 Nov 1574 at Wooten Wawen) and Dousabel, whose maiden name was thought to be Leigh.   The Griswold Family Association in America has done extensive research and believes that George Griswold is the father of Edward.  Sadly, the Kenilworth parish records prior to 1630, which might have settled the question, were destroyed during the wars of the Commonwealth, and the Griswold family in England has become extinct.

The Greswold Family, 12 Generations in England – Researched and Edited by Robert L. & Esther  Complied by Coralee Griswold.,

Children

1. Elizabeth GRISWOLD (See Jonah PALMER‘s page)

4. Hannah Griswold

Hannah’s husband John Kent was born 20 Jul 1645 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. His parents were Richard Kent and Dorothy Emma Shorte. John died 30 Jan 1718 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

9 Nov 1655 –  “Jonas PALMER and Elizabeth GRISWOLD PALMER of Rehoboth” sold to William Bullard, son of our ancestor William BILLARD Sr and second husband of Mrs. Mary GRISWOLD for a consideration part of which was to be paid to “Hannah Grissell daughter of Francis Grissell of Charlestown aforenamed deceased,” land in Charlestown “by the last will and testament of the said Francis Grissell deceased given and bequeathed unto the said Elizabeth Palmer” [ MLR 1:152-53; Wyman 447]);

Sources:

http://www.griswoldfamily.org/

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/o/w/e/Nancy-L-Owen/GENE3-0009.html

http://www.politicalfamilytree.com/samples%20content/members/PDF%20Content/Griswold-CT-2.pdf .

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9720433/person/-417308351/story/2cfc4013-74b0-4301-aaf9-64c742070cf1?src=search

http://armidalesoftware.com/issue/full/Thaler_409_main.html#N14

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=441344