Individual Details
Thomas Stafford
(1605 - 4 Nov 1677)
In the publication "A Contribution to the Genealogy of the Stafford Family in America: containing An Account of Col. Joab Stafford, and a complete record of his descendents in the Male Lines." by Henry Marvin Benedict: published Albany ; Joel Munsell 1870.
It states the following: "The first Stafford who came to this country was Thomas born about 1605 in Warwicshire, England. He emigrated to Plymouth in New England, in or about 1626, and was among the inhabitants admitted "at the Toune of Nieu-Port since 20th of the 3rd month, 1638." A few years later he removed to Providence, RI, and thence to Warwick, RI, in 1652, where he died in 1677.
Thomas Stafford is recorded, 1655, in "the Roule of ye Freemen of y' Clonie" as "Freeman of the Towne of Warwicke." In 1662 he was granted fifty acres of land in Connecticut by the General Court, and may possibly have stayed there for a few years. He was a millwright, and at Plymouth he built the first mill in this country for grinding corn by water. He constructed another mill at Providence near what is called Millbridge, and still another one on his place in Warwick, the site of which is still recognizable.
In the will of Thomas Stafford, made Nov 4, 1677, just before his death and proved on 27 Apr 1678, mention is made of his wife Elizabeth, (and we know nothing further of her) to whom he left one half of his dwelling house, orchard, meadow and other lands and two cows. He left his son Thomas the other half of the property. Bedding and household stuff went to the widow and on her decease what was left was to be divided between son Thomas and daughter Deborah Westcott. Deborah also received a cow. Sons Samuel & Joseph and daughter Hannah Bromley each received a calf. The will was witnessed by John Potter & Amos Westcott.
"The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island Comprising three Generations of Settlers who came before 1690" by John Osborn Austin (Albany 1887, Pg 219) says Thomas was a miller who came from England about 1626 to Plymouth, MA.
In John Osborne Austin's "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island"(GDRI) it is stated that Thomas first landed at Plymouth, Mass. His occupation is listed as a miller and he is said to have built the first mill for grinding corn with water-power. On May 20, 1638 his name appears on a list of inhabitants of Newport, Rhode Island. In Gary Boyd Roberts's "Genealogies of Rhode Island Families" quotes two other genealogy works that Thomas and his brother John arrived in The New World in a vessel of their own. I have not been able to find any other trace of John. It also states the Thomas and John were the sons of Lord Stafford of Staffordshire. In 1655 he was recorded in "the Roule of ye Freeman of ye Colonies" as "Freeman of the Towne of Warwicke" (GDRI).
A possible clue as to Thomas's origins follows.
According to Phillip Stafford, he obtained the following in Dec. 1934 from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 124 E. 56thSt., New York City, NY from records supplied to the Society by the late Martin H. Stafford of Albany, NY:
" Several branches descend from Sir John Stafford who held the manor of Bromshulf, County Stafford, in 1361. He had two sons, Sir Ralph Stafford of Grafton, County Worcester, and Sir Humphrey Stafford of Hook, County Dorset. Thomas Stafford who came to America in 1626 was descended from Sir Ralph Stafford of Grafton. Sir Ralph married Maud,the daughter and heiress of Sir John Hastang of Leamington, County Warwick. Ralph had two sons, Humphrey and John. Humphrey had three sons, John, Humphrey and William. John died without issue. Humphrey and William died in trying to quell Jack Cade's rebellion in 1450.Humphrey had four sons. William had one son, John, from whom Thomas,who came to America, was descended."History of Emmigration to US
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=0acb3c45-c29f-44ab-826d-55b4142a5a69&tid=10325823&pid=-125942567
It states the following: "The first Stafford who came to this country was Thomas born about 1605 in Warwicshire, England. He emigrated to Plymouth in New England, in or about 1626, and was among the inhabitants admitted "at the Toune of Nieu-Port since 20th of the 3rd month, 1638." A few years later he removed to Providence, RI, and thence to Warwick, RI, in 1652, where he died in 1677.
Thomas Stafford is recorded, 1655, in "the Roule of ye Freemen of y' Clonie" as "Freeman of the Towne of Warwicke." In 1662 he was granted fifty acres of land in Connecticut by the General Court, and may possibly have stayed there for a few years. He was a millwright, and at Plymouth he built the first mill in this country for grinding corn by water. He constructed another mill at Providence near what is called Millbridge, and still another one on his place in Warwick, the site of which is still recognizable.
In the will of Thomas Stafford, made Nov 4, 1677, just before his death and proved on 27 Apr 1678, mention is made of his wife Elizabeth, (and we know nothing further of her) to whom he left one half of his dwelling house, orchard, meadow and other lands and two cows. He left his son Thomas the other half of the property. Bedding and household stuff went to the widow and on her decease what was left was to be divided between son Thomas and daughter Deborah Westcott. Deborah also received a cow. Sons Samuel & Joseph and daughter Hannah Bromley each received a calf. The will was witnessed by John Potter & Amos Westcott.
"The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island Comprising three Generations of Settlers who came before 1690" by John Osborn Austin (Albany 1887, Pg 219) says Thomas was a miller who came from England about 1626 to Plymouth, MA.
In John Osborne Austin's "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island"(GDRI) it is stated that Thomas first landed at Plymouth, Mass. His occupation is listed as a miller and he is said to have built the first mill for grinding corn with water-power. On May 20, 1638 his name appears on a list of inhabitants of Newport, Rhode Island. In Gary Boyd Roberts's "Genealogies of Rhode Island Families" quotes two other genealogy works that Thomas and his brother John arrived in The New World in a vessel of their own. I have not been able to find any other trace of John. It also states the Thomas and John were the sons of Lord Stafford of Staffordshire. In 1655 he was recorded in "the Roule of ye Freeman of ye Colonies" as "Freeman of the Towne of Warwicke" (GDRI).
A possible clue as to Thomas's origins follows.
According to Phillip Stafford, he obtained the following in Dec. 1934 from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 124 E. 56thSt., New York City, NY from records supplied to the Society by the late Martin H. Stafford of Albany, NY:
" Several branches descend from Sir John Stafford who held the manor of Bromshulf, County Stafford, in 1361. He had two sons, Sir Ralph Stafford of Grafton, County Worcester, and Sir Humphrey Stafford of Hook, County Dorset. Thomas Stafford who came to America in 1626 was descended from Sir Ralph Stafford of Grafton. Sir Ralph married Maud,the daughter and heiress of Sir John Hastang of Leamington, County Warwick. Ralph had two sons, Humphrey and John. Humphrey had three sons, John, Humphrey and William. John died without issue. Humphrey and William died in trying to quell Jack Cade's rebellion in 1450.Humphrey had four sons. William had one son, John, from whom Thomas,who came to America, was descended."History of Emmigration to US
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=0acb3c45-c29f-44ab-826d-55b4142a5a69&tid=10325823&pid=-125942567
Events
| Birth | 1605 | , Warwickshire, , England | |||
| Emigration | 1626 | Warwickshire, England to RI | |||
| Marriage | 1634 | Warwick, Kent Co., RI - Elizabeth | |||
| Marriage | Abt 1635 | Warwick, Kent Co., RI - Elizabeth |  | ||
| Death | 4 Nov 1677 | Warwick, Kent Co., RI | | ||
| Burial | Old Stafford Cemetery, Conimicut Pt, Warwick, Kent County, RI | ||||
| Occupation | Miller--first water powered mill in America |
Families
| Spouse | Elizabeth (1614 - 1677) |
| Child | Thomas Stafford Jr. (1632 - 1723) |
| Child | Samuel Stafford (1636 - 1718) |
| Child | Hannah Stafford (1640 - 1692) |
| Child | Sarah Stafford (1646 - 1669) |
| Child | Joseph Stafford (1648 - 1731) |
| Child | Deborah Stafford (1651 - 1706) |
Endnotes
1. "New England Marriages Prior To 1700" by Gary Roberts, VRRI.
2. Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England Before 1692.