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The earliest record of the Stiles family who married into this Martin line is that of Thomas and Mary STYLLES of Milbrook, Bedfordshire, England. Thomas was buried 6 March 1614/1615, and his widow, Marye, was buried 20 March 1614/1615.
Children of Thomas STYLLES of Millbrook, Bedfordshire, England: (Note: spelling is as it was found in the church records)
- Maria STYLLES, daughter of Thos. Stylles, was baptized 7 March 1591
- Henrie STYLLES, the sonne of Thomas STYLLES was baptized 27 November 1593
- John STYLLES, sonne of Thos Stylles, was Christianed 25 December 1595
- Chrystopher STYLLES, the sonne of Thos Stylles, was baptized 28 March 1600
- Francis STYLLES, the sonne of Thos Stylles, was baptized 1 August 1602
- Joane STYLLES, the daughter of Thos Stylles and Marye his Wyfe, was baptized 8 January 1604
- Elyzabeth STYLLES, the daughter of Thos Stylles and Marye his Wyfe, was baptized 28 December 1607
- Thomas STYLLES, the sonne of Thos Stylles, was baptized 7 February 1612
The following deaths were recorded in the parish register:
- Joane STYLLES, wife of Thos. S. was buried 22 Jan 1605
- Thomas STYLLES, carpenter, was buried the 6 dg' March 1614
- Wyddow STYLES was buried ye 20th of March 1614
The above records were certified by Lawrence R. Whigham, Rector of Millbrook in the county of Bedford on 20 December 1884 as being true extracts from the register books of the said Parish Church "as far as I can read them."
The parish church of Millbrook is located upon a hill, overlooking the village.
It appears that at least four of the sons of Thomas and Marye Stylles followed the same profession of their father, carpentry.
On 6 March 1634 Samuel Inkley of Carbee in Lincolnshire, a husbandman, apprenticed himself to "Henry Stiles Citizen and Carpenter of London, and now (by the providence of God) outward bound in the good Ship called the "Christian" of London for the Plantation in New England to learn the said art of a Carpenter and c. Term six years from the twentieth of March then next..."
In another Indenture of the same date, "Thomas Stiles, of Milbroke in the County of Bedford Husbandman, doth put himself apprentice to Henry Stiles Citizen and Carpenter of London and now (by the providence of God) outward bound in the good Ship called the "Christian" of London for the Plantation in New England to learn the said art of a Carpenter and with him the said Henry Stiles after the manner of an Apprentice for the Term of five years, signed Thomas Stiles."
Francis was also a carpenter. He came to be noticed by Sir Richard Saltonstall and others who joined together to establish a plantation on the Connecticut River in New England. Francis was selected as steward, or manager, to precede them and prepare the necessary houses, grounds, etc. prior to arrival of the Saltonstall group. Francis did not forget his siblings when he contemplated emigration to the colonies. His elder brother, Henry, then established in London, brothers John and Thomas of Bedfordshire, and sister, Joane were all included in his plans for a new home. The other brother, Christopher, seems to have remained behind in England. The only mention of Christopher is when he was allowed a portion in the distribution of his brother Henry's estate in Windsor.
On 15 February 1634/1635 Henry wrote from London to his younger brother, Thomas, then of Millbrook, asking him to obtain copies of the records of the family births from the Parish Registers. This was a common practice at that time when leaving a parish.
At the Augmentation Office in the Rolls Court, Westminster Hall, London, is a small manuscript in a vellum cover. It contains the names of those permitted to embark at the port of London, after Christmas, 1634 for the colonies. Among the first entries is the following:
"16 March 1634. Theis under-written names are to be transported to New England imbarqued in ye Christian de Lo: Joh White Mr. bound thither, the Men have taken ye oath [of] Allegeance and Supremacie."
Passenger List:
- Ffrancis Stiles, age 35
- Tho. Styles, age 20
- Jo. Stiles, age 35
- Henrie Stiles, age 40
- Joan Stiles, age 3
- Henry Stiles, age 3
- Jo. Stiles, age 9 months
- Rachell Stiles, age 28
Others named on the list not with the Stiles surname:
- Tho. Bassett, age 37
- Tho. Barber, age 21
- Jo. Dyer, age 28
- Jo. Harris, age 28
- James Horwood, age 30
- Jo. Reeves, age 19
- Tho. Ffoulfoot, age 22
- James Busket, age 28
- Tho. Coop, age 18
- Edward Preston, age 13
- Jo. Cribb, age 30
- George Chappell, age 20
- Robert Robinson, age 45
- Edward Patteson, age 33
- Ffrancis Marshall, age 30
- Rice Heylei, age 22
- Tho. Halford, age 23
- Tho. Haukesworth, age 35, and
- Jane Worden, age 30
The party, under the charge and direction of Francis Stiles, consisted of twenty-two adult males, three adult females and two children. Two of the women and both children belonged to the Stiles family. Nearly all the men were apprenticed to either Francis or Henry Stiles before leaving for the colonies.
The following reference was found in Governor Winthrop's Journal under the date of "Sixteenth day of the Fourth Month" (June per New World Calendar):
"A Bark of fourty tun arrived, set fourth with twenty servants by Sir Richard Saltonstall to go plant at Connecticott."
They remained in Boston about ten days, then set sail for Saltonstall's plantation on the Connecticut River near what is now known as Windsor, which they reached about 1 July 1635. The only other white settlers at that time in Windsor were the occupants of the Plymouth Trading House under Captain John Holmes. However, a group of men had come overland a few days before from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and were exploring further up the river, near the present Longmeadow, trying to find a suitable location.
Acting under instructions from Saltonstall, Stiles landed his party and stores on the west bank of the river. Not too long after Stiles commenced, the Plymouth Trading House group, finding no suitable location up-river, came to the same place, stating they were within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. The dispute was a long and heated one. Eventually, however, Stylles had to content himself with landing his stores, sending the vessel back to England, awaiting orders from Sir Richard. The matter eventually reached a compromise, and the Stiles families merged with the others in Windsor. Francis, Thomas, Henry and John had residences adjacent to one another.
Henry Stiles
Eldest brother to emigrate to the colonies
Henry STILES, the oldest of the four brothers who left England in the spring of 1634, settled first at Dorchester, then removed to Windsor in 1636. Henry was a carpenter in London and had been made a freeman previous to his emigration.
Henry was the first person tried by the Court of Connecticut for the fault of selling a gun to the Indians, which was held at Newtown (Hartford) 26 April 1636, which complaint was made that "Henry Stiles of Dorchester, had traded a piece with the Indians for corn." The court ordered Henry to regain the gun from the Indians in a "fair and legal way, or else this Court will take it into further consideration." An order was issued subsequent to this charge that no one shall trade with the natives, "any piece, or pistol, or gun".
Henry was killed 3 October 1651, at the age of 58 years, by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of Thomas (son of Matthew) Allyn, of Windsor, on a military "training day" at Hartford. The inquest into his death found that Thomas Allyn carelessly cocked his piece, and being just behind Henry, the piece discharged, killing Mr. Stiles. Henry died a bachelor, leaving no posterity.
Found in the records of the Particular Court; Vol. II, fol. 29 which met at Hargford on the first Thursday of December, 1651 are the proceedings of the Grand Inquest into Henry's death, and an Inventory of the estate of Henry Styles, deceased. The court granted his brother, John, rights to administer the estate, and to pay "such proporcons to the other brothers as the courte shall appointe."
This was done as follows:
To Francis Styles and to he at Long Island [Thomas] and to hee in England, [Christopher], 26 pounds 13s 4d apiece, which John Styles is to pay them, and if that brother in England bee dead then his proporcon shall be equally devided between the surviving brothers."
The other brother, Christopher, seems, for some reason, to have preferred to remain behind. Of him we have no further record, save that, in 1651, he was one who was allowed a portion in the distribution of his brother Henry's estate in Windsor.
Jonathan Stiles
Immigrant ancestor of our Stiles family
John Stiles was the second son of the Millbrook family, and was baptized in St. Michael�s Church on 25 December 1595. He married Rachel, surname unknown, while still in England. He died at Windsor, Connecticut on 4 June 1662/63, aged 67. His widow died 3 September 1674.
Will of Jonathan Stiles:
I, John Stiles being weake of Body but of perfect memory apprehending my day is neere at an ende my soule waiting for the salvation of God doe make this my last Will and Testament.
*I bequeath my soule to god that gave it to me, and my body to a Christian Buriall, as for my worldly goods I thus dispose of them. I give to my wife Rachel all my estate for as long as she lives in a widowhood condition. But if it please God that shee change her condition into a married relation then my Will is that the estate that she then stands possessed of shall be divided and my wife shall have a third part and ye rest of my estate shall be equally divided among my four children. That is to say: Henry, John, Isaac and Sarah Steward. Also my will is that when my wife dies the estate that she stands then possessed of shall be equally divided amongst my foure children. Also my will is that if my son Henry can answer the former legacies to my other three children after my wife's decease according to ye true proportion of their parts then it shall be in my son Henry's liberty to keep all ye lands intire to himself. I desire my loving friends Jacob Drake and John Gaylord and John Bissell Junior to be my Overseers to see this my will performed according to ye premises aforesaid. This being my full desire and Last Will made and subscribed the last day of May 1662.
Signed: John Stiles (with his mark)
Testis: John Griffin and John Bancroft.
Francis Stiles
Third son of Thomas of Millbrook
Francis Stiles, the third son of the Milbroke family was baptized in St. Michael�s Church in Milbroke, Bedfordshire, England on 1 August 1602. For some time previous to coming to America he had been a master carpenter and a citizen of London. He appears to have been enterprising, for it is through Francis that the family found themselves adjoined to Sir Richard Saltonstall and the adventure in New England. He was the only one of the four Stiles brothers to whom the title of "Mr." was given, which in those days was an index of social position.
He was admitted a freeman at Windsor on 10 September 1640, and was on the Jury on 14 October 1642.
Thomas Stiles
Youngest brother to emigrate to the colonies
Thomas was the youngest brother of the family born in Millbrook, Bedfordshire, England, being baptized 7 Feb 1612. He was a husbandman by trade, and the last of the family to leave Milbroke, joining his brothers in London just before they set sail to the new colonies. He was given the task of obtaining from the Parish Records, the births of the Stiles family preparing to depart London.
As mentioned previously, on 6 March 1634 he indentured himself to his eldest brother, Henry. By indenturing himself he received a free exit from England.
Thomas received lands in the earliest distribution of property among the first settlers of Windsor, and was located near his brothers. As to the law at the time, "no young man that is not married, nor hath any servants, and be no public officer, shall keep by himself without consent of the town where he lives� under penalty of 20 shillings per week."
He was one of the fifteen men who formed a part of Windsor�s quota (of 30) for the Pequot exposition, and was a participant in the bloody fight at Fort Mystic. The following taken from the leader, Captain John Mason, states that "Two men, being one man�s servants, namely, John Dyer and Thomas Stiles, were both of them shot in the knots of their handkerchiefs, being about their necks, and received no hurt."
Thomas� life in Windsor was brief. He turns up next in Flushing, on Long Island, as one of the twenty-one original patentees of that town. At the time it was under Dutch government as �New Netherlands�, but had a mixture of Englishmen from the New England colonies of Quakers from Holland.
On 6 December 1664, there was a Warrant to the Magistrates of Flushing, for restoring the Wife of John Wood. "Whereas, I am informed that Ann, the wife of John Wood, of Rhode Island, is and hath been for ye space of about two years past, harboured by Thomas Styles, of the town of Flushing, who in her absence from her Husband hath had two children [by her]. These are to require you to make inquiry into the business, and to prevent further scandal, that you cause the said Ann to be restored to her Husband, with what goods are in the Custody of Thomas Styles, belonging to the said John Wood, or his wife, and for so doing this shall be your warrant. Given under my hand at Fort James, in New York this 6th day of December 1664."
On 30 August 1673, when the Dutch regained New York, the name of Thomas Styles of Flushing was among the inhabitants of the English Villages who took the oath of allegiance to the States of New Netherland, and the Prince of Orange. The destruction of the records of the town of Flushing during the Revolutionary War presents a problem establishing the legitimate descendants of Thomas. It is reported that he had two daughters, but no sons. This seems to be born out by the confirmatory patent to the freeholders of the town of Flushing in 1685, by Gov. Dongan, where the name of Margaret Stiles is among the patentees found therein.
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