If Aaron Stark (Junior) was indeed deceased before June 9, 1707, then the Aron Starke who sold the above property must have been Aaron Stark [the third]; he was probably selling the lot his father received posthumously for his service in King Philip’s War.

The date of marriage of Aaron Stark (3rd) is not known with certainty, but on April 20, 1709, William Stark, John Culver, Isaac Lamb, Joseph Culver (Junior), Aaron Stark, and Stephen Stark, along with their spouses, were accused by a grand jury of holding unlawful meetings and of assisting Reverend Valentine Wightman in settling in the community without the approval of the New London Selectmen.¹⁵¹ This occurred as a result of their activities in the Groton Baptist Church, which was established in 1704. The Stark men accused were William Stark (Senior), Aaron Stark (3rd), and Aaron’s brother, Stephen Stark. The wives of these men were also accused, which suggests that Aaron Stark [the third] was married sometime before April 20, 1709.

The given name of the wife of Aaron Stark (3rd) is found only reported two times in the surviving records. On November 25, 1721, Margaret Starke was described as being the wife of Aaron Starke; in this document, she was relinquishing her dower right to property being sold to Nathaniel Niles :¹⁵²

Margaret was also mentioned as acknowledging the above deed transaction on October 1, 1725.¹⁵³ Her surname can be inferred from the surviving records, as follows:¹⁵⁴

“Aaron Stark, John Wells & Thomas Wells all of Groton yeomen sendeth greetings, £35, from Joseph Wells of Groton yeoman, lott of land in Groton being the heads of that land [ ] by their father deceased containing by estimation forty acres, [unreadable),

Signed: Aaron Stark, John Wells, Thomas Wells.

Wit: Ebenezer Avery, Dorothy Avery.

Ack. And Recd: 20 Jan 1713/4.”

Aaron Stark, John Wells, and Thomas Wells received £35 from Joseph Wells for a lot “by their father, deceased.“ Because women were not allowed to own property unless widowed, even when receiving an inheritance, Aaron was most likely acting in her behalf, in company with his brothers-in-law, to sell her right in the property to her brother, Joseph Wells. If this is so, then Margaret’s surname was “Wells.”

Based on the probable birth date (before January of 1707/08) of Aaron Stark (4th) – the oldest known child of Aaron (3rd) and Margaret – they were most likely married before mid-year in 1707.¹⁵⁵ Some researchers state Margaret Wells was born on May 19, 1682, but there is no record to substantiate this day of birth. If she married Aaron Stark (3rd) as late as 1707 at the age of sixteen, she was most likely born before 1692. (As reported above, we know Aaron (3rd) and Margaret were married by April 20, 1709.)

Aaron Stark (3rd) most likely was first a Congregationalist during his early years. As noted above, he was a member of the Baptist Church on April 20, 1709, the date he and his wife, among others of the Baptist congregation, were accused of holding unlawful meetings.¹⁵¹ On March 24, 1717/18, he was a participant in the purchase of one and one-half acres from William Stark (Senior) by members of the Baptist congregation; a church and cemetery were both placed on this site.¹⁵⁶ After this date, Aaron (3rd) may have joined the Rogerene movement.

The Rogerenes were best described by Francis Manwaring Caulkins in the publication entitled “History of New London:”¹⁵⁷

“In respect to the most important articles of Christianity, Rogers was strenuously orthodox. He held to salvation of the just and unjust, and an eternal judgment. He maintained also obedience to the civil government, except in matters of conscience and religion. A town or country rate the Rogerenes always considered themselves bound to pay, but the minister rate they abhorred  denouncing as unscriptural all interference of the civil power in the worship of God. Of their peculiar characteristic a brief summary must here suffice.

In respect to baptism, and the rejection of the first day Sabbath they agree with the Sabbatarians, but they diverge from them on other points. They consider all days alike in respect to sanctity, and though they meet for religious purposes on the first day of the week, when the exercise is over, they regard themselves as free to labor as on any other day. They have no houses set apart for public worship, and regard a steeple, a pulpit, a cushion, a church, and a salaried minister in a black suit of clothes, as utter abominations. They hold that a public oath is like any other swearing, a profanation of the Holy Name, and plainly forbidden in Scriptures. They make no prayers in public worship or in the family: John Rogers conceived that all prayers should be mental and not vocal, except on special occasions when the Sprit of God moving within, prompted the use of the voice. They use no means for the recovery of health, except care, kindness and attention, considering all resort to drugs, medicines and physicians, as sinful.”

From the earliest days of New London County, the Culver and Stark families had been neighbors and friends. John Culver and his wife along with Aaron Stark (3rd) and Margaret, had been accused in 1709 of assisting Valentine Wightman in settling in Groton and having meetings separate from the Congregational Church. Aaron’s sister married Joseph Culver (Junior), and several Culver families could be counted as members of the Baptist Church when they purchased land from William Stark (Senior) on which to erect a church building.

After the death of John Rogers in 1721, John Waterhouse and John Culver became the leaders of the Rogerenes, who were living in the northeastern part of Groton. Anna Williams described them as follows:¹⁵⁸ 

“This is a sparsely populated district [northeastern Groton Township], where the nonconformists are less exposed to such molestations and extortions as assail those of New London. These Groton Rogerenes have Baptists for their nearest neighbors, a sect agreeing with them in certain particulars, but equally with the ruling order holding to the observance of a ’holy Sabbath.’ It is certain that the Groton Rogerenes have, sooner or later, some grievance against these Baptists, evidently in connection with the question of Sunday sanctity.”

At about the time John Rogers died, Aaron Stark (3rd) began to sell his properties, which were located between Old Mystic and Groton Center. On November 25, 1721 – one month after John Rogers died – Aaron Stark (3rd) sold the property he had inherited from his father, along with the adjacent property that he had purchased from Isaac Fox earlier in the year.¹⁵²

Although there were several more deed transactions showing that Aaron (3rd) was divesting himself of property in Groton, the first to mention he was a resident of Colchester occurred September 25, 1725.¹⁵³ Had Aaron (3rd) decided to leave Groton to be nearer the Rogerene movement? If so, this may suggest he had joined this religious sect. by 1725. That he was subsequently part of the Rogerene movement to New Jersey is attested to by the following deed, signed on August 20, 1734:¹⁵⁹

The Black River was within Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and near Schooley’s Mountain. Hunterdon was later divided to create Morris County, New Jersey. Sometime between 1725 and 1734, therefore, Aaron Stark (3rd) moved to New Jersey with the Rogerenes. That this group can be identified at Schooley’s Mountain is shown by the following account:¹⁶⁰

“In 1732 the first religious body came to Schoolmen's Mountain from New London, Connecticut. The group called the Rogerenes, had as their leader a John Cooler (Culver)…These people considered all days alike. They deemed it lawful to labor after worship on the Lord's day, and would sometimes even attend the service of the churches carrying their work along with them into the sanctuary. One description of their worship says "To the meetings the women took their spinning wheels and stools. The men hats on, seated themselves upon the ground in rows opposite the women. Then came the solemn hush of the period of introspection, which often would be long and impressive. When some one was moved to speak the women would quickly uncross their hands and the men would unfold their arms, neither thereafter would be idle for a minute. The women applied themselves to knitting, sewing and spinning, the men went to basket making or some noiseless occupation until the speaking ended and the assemblage dispensed. Their house of worship was usually the ‘temple in the grove’ a grassy slope in the shade of a cluster of venerable oaks leading down to the edge of a body of water."

Aaron (3rd) and his brothers, Stephen, John, and Abiel, were all reported to be residents of Colchester by 1725, proving that the family had made a move to the region before then. The reason cannot be determined with certainty, but the migration of the Rogerenes could explain their relocation; another reason might have been the settlement of a ownership dispute with the Mohegans, which opened the region for new settlers.

Charles R. Stark believed that Aaron (3rd) moved to New Jersey with the Rogerenes, as he states in the following:¹⁶¹

"Aaron Stark was formerly of Groton, where he was named as one of the grantees in the deed of William Stark to the First Baptist Church Mar. 24, 1717/18. About 1730 or 1732 John Culver, Jr., conducted a party to New Jersey, where they settled at a place called Schooley’s Mountain. It is supposed that Aaron Stark was one of this company, as on May 29, 1744, he was of Roxbury (Flanders), Morris County, N. J.”

Could this have been Aaron Stark [the fourth]? In a deed transcription, Charles R. Stark confirmed that both Aaron Stark [the third] and Aaron Stark [the fourth] were residents of Roxbury as of May 29, 1744.

“To whom this presents shall come Know ye that I Aaron Stark Junior of the township of Roxbury in the County of Morris and Province of West Jersey yeoman for and in consideration of the sum of fifty pounds current lawful money of the Province aforesaid in hand paid by my father Aaron Stark Senior of the Province aforesaid which I acknowledge myself satisfied therefore…In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this 29, day of May Anno 1744. 

Signed: Aaron Stark Junior”

Aaron Stark (Junior) and Aaron Stark (Senior) were, respectively, Aaron Stark [4th] and Aaron Stark [3rd], as identified in the present publication. The description of the property appears to be the same property sold to Jonathan Culver in 1734 – as reported above, unless it was a different property located in close proximity to the twenty acres Jonathan Culver purchased in 1734. The reason for the sale of this property cannot be explained, but it does represent the last documented evidence that Aaron Stark (3rd) was living; thus he most likely died after May 29, 1744.

148. Charles R. Stark, “The Aaron Stark Family, Seven Generations.” Page 8 identifies Aaron Stark (3rd) as Aaron Stark [ID#8]. Return to Text

149. Helen Stark, "Aaron Stark Family, Known Facts & Authorities," Unpublished typed manuscript dated 1937. Archived Connecticut State Library, Hartford, Connecticut. Call Number 929.2 St. Return to Text

150. Voluntown, New London County, Connecticut Deed Records. Church of Latter-day Saints of Jesus Christ Family History Library Film #5881, page 69, Lot #124. Transcribed by Gwen Boyer Bjorkman. Return to Text

151. Eva Butler transcribed record from New London Court Records. “William Starke, John Coulver, Isaac Lamb, Joseph Colver Jr., Aron Starke, Stephen Starke and wives all of Groton have and do in a common manner attend upon an unlawful and seprat meeting from that which is Established by law calling & settling Vallantin Whitman....…” Return to Text

152. FHL Film #4293, Book 1, pages 620 to 624. Return to Text

153. FHL Film #4294, Book 2, pages 173 and 174. Return to Text

154. FHL Film #4293, Book 1, Pages 186 and 187. Return to Text

155. Letter dated August 17, 1970 to T. (Thomas) G. Allen from Rev. Clement Bloomfield, O. S. D., St. Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, New Jersey. Rev. Bloomfield describes a visit to Flanders, attempting to locate the Stark family burial ground. As his guide, he refers to an earlier cemetery survey by Russell Rankin in 1927. According to Rev. Bloomfield, this survey was filed in the New Jersey Special Collections of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey at Rutgers Library. Of importance to this discussion was a stone with “A. S.” and the inscription “In memory of Cap’t Aaron Starke who died Jan. 21st 1772 in the 64th year of his age.” Captain Aaron Stark was the son of Aaron Stark [the third] and Margaret and is referred to in this publication as Aaron Stark [the fourth]. If Aaron [the fourth]’s age when he died was correctly stated on his tombstone, then he was born before January 21, 1772, indicating Aaron [the third] and Margaret were married as late as early 1707. Return to Text

156. FHL Film #4293; Book 1, pages 374-375. Return to Text

157. Caulkins, Frances Manwaring, History of New London, Connecticut. From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1860. Published in 1895, 696 pp., 2 vols. Return to Text

158. Anna B. Williams, “The Rogerenes: Part II, History of the Rogerenes.” Boston: Stanhope Press, 1904. Pages 264 & 265, 270, 272. Return to Text

159. Family History Library Microfilm #4295, Book 3, pages 160-161. Return to Text

160. Clara E. Hasid, “Mercenary Days: A brief history of Pleasant Grove.” Excerpt from her research and student essay. Return to Text

161. Charles R. Stark, “The Aaron Stark Family, Seven Generations.” Pages 8 and 9. Return to Text