Thomas Nash

THE NASH FAMILY

The following information concerning THE NASH FAMILY is taken from a book entitled "The Nash Family or records of the Descendants of Thomas Nash of New Haven, Connecticut, 1640", collected and compiled by the Reverend Sylvester Nash, A.M. rector of St.John's church, Essex, Connecticut at the press of Case, Tiffany and Company, 1853.

"Thomas Nash was in New Haven, Conn. certainly in 1640 and is supposed to have been one of the company that came with Mr. Davenport in 1638. The name was spelled with a final"e" in some of the records, but this, it is presumed, was the spelling of the Clerk who wrote the names. So far as the Compiler of the following records has been able to learn the Nash's in the United States previous to 1800 may be chiefly divided into four original branches.

1st: The descendants of James Nash of Weymouth, Mass. 2nd: The descendants of Thomas Nash of New Haven, Conn. 3rd:The descendants of Edward Nash of Norwalk, Conn. 4th: The Southern, Virginia, or North Carolina branch.

"The descendants of Thomas Nash can lay no claim to ancestral reknown in that which usually constitutes the glory of the human race. Their ancestors have not been eminent for deeds of blood, or schemes of policy, or for the acquisition of immense wealth. But if honest and generally unquestioned piety, be virtues to be commended, then in the history of their forefathers, there is just cause for gratitude, if not for pride. In this respect, most of the seventh generation may look back on an unbroken line a line respectable, industrious, pious, and generally thriving men. According to the poet's estimate, - "The noblest work of God.

"They have been too, a generally prolific race. The descendants of Lieut. Timothy Nash of Hadley, especially, are now numerous and widely scattered.

"They are still, as they have ever been, mostly laboring men, contributing their full proportion to the agricultural and mechanical wealth of the land, thus fulfilling one great design of their being. A goodly portion of them being also mindful of the higher and ultimate purpose of their creation. "

1. THOMAS NASH of New Haven,Conn.-1640. "On July 26,1637, from the ship Hector, a company landed at Boston, Mass. formed principally by merchants of London, whose wealth and standing at home enabled them to come out under more favorable auspices than any company that had hitherto sought these shores. They were accompanied by the Rev. John Davenport as their Pastor, and are supposed to have been mostly members of his church and congregation, in Coleman Street, London. In that company, as is supposed, came Thomas Nash, with a wife and five children. He was by occupation a gunsmith, a trade which admitted of an easy transition to that of blacksmith. In March, 1638, the whole company sailed from Boston and in about a fortnight landed at a place called Cuinipiac, now New Haven.

"Whence Thomas Nash came is not positively ascertained. One of the fourth generation is reported to have said he had always understood that his ancestor came from Ireland. The prevailing tradition, however, is that he was from Lancashire in England. There is no reason to believe that he was considerably advanced in years when he came to this country, as his children were all born before he emigrated. He is generally mentioned in the records in an affectionate way as Brother Nash, and was occasionally appointed to those public duties, which are congenial with declining years. His home-lot, as shown by an old map, was on the west side of State Street, about one-third of the distance from Chapel to Elm Street. It is highly probable that his wife's name was Margery, and that she was the daughter of Nicholas Baker of Hertfordshire, England.

"Mr. Thomas Nash died May 12, 1658. Mrs. Margery Nash's death is not recorded, but must have been between February 11, 1655 and August 1, 1657.

"The following order of births is children is but conjectural. It is according to the order of their marriage and birth of their first children.

Mary Wife of Roger Allen, or Alling
John Called Captain and Major John Nash
Sarah The wife of Robert Talmage
Joseph Called Sergeant Joseph Nash of Hartford.
Timothy, Born 1626. Called Lieut.Timothy Nash, of Hadley, Mass.

II. LIEUTENANT TIMOTHY NASH."Was born in England or at Leyden, Holland, in 1626. His marriage and the births of his two eldest children were recorded in New Haven. The marriage is without date, but appears to have been in 1657. His wife, Rebekah, was the daughter of the Rev. Samuel Stone, of Hartford. He later moved to Hadley, Mass. His home-lot was on the west side of the main street in the village of Hadley. He certainly had a very respectable estate in lands at his death, as appears from his will, and the subsequent agreement of the heirs.

"He was a useful and respectable citizen who was frequently employed in town affairs. Held the office of Lieutenant in the militia, by which title he is still designated, and it should be remembered that a military title in those days was generally a sign of real men. He represented the town of Hadley at the General Court of Massachusetts, in 1690, 1691 and 1695. He died in a good and respected old age March 13, 1699 in his seventy-third year.

"Mrs. Rebekah Nash died March or April, 1709.

"This couple had twelve children. Among these was Daniel, who was born in about 1676. He married on June 1,1710, Experience Clark, of Northampton, Mass. He was a blacksmith and had a house and shop on a lot situated at the corner of Bridge and Marketstreets in Northampton. In 1626 he sold out in Northampton and went to South Hadley, Mass. It is possible that before he moved to South Hadley he spent time in Deerfield, Mass. It appears that he moved to Great Barrington, Mass. in1739, where he passed the remainder of his life. All that is known of him subsequently is from the following inscription on an old gray stone in the old graveyard at Great Barrington - "Here lies the body of Daniel Nash, who died March 10, 1760, aged 84. Oh Eternity! Eternity!" It is not known where or when his wife died. Daniel Nash had ten children; the youngest child was Phineas.

III. PHINEHAS NASH. Youngest son of Daniel Nash of Northampton and Great Bamington. Supposed birthdate about 1726.Had an eventful life. He appears from tradition in the family to have spent some portion of his youthful days in the neighborhood of Greenfield, Mass. He was received in the Church in Deerfield February 26, 1749, and to that of Sunderland, May 29, 1749.

"It is supposed that he taught school in those places. But he probably followed his father to Housatonic soon afterward. His marriage was recorded in Sheffield in 1755, and he was traced in Great Barrington in 1762. According to the recollections of his daughter Lowly (Mrs. Foster), he removed to Plymouth in the valley of Wyoming, Pa. five or six years before the great massacre, July 3, 1778, where he was residing at the time of that occurrence. His son Asahel was in the fight. His grandchildren recollect hearing him speak of being often in Indian skirmishes in the neighborhood of Deerfield, Mass. but this was the most fearful of all.

"The first settlers at Wyoming claimed under the state of Connecticut. Others came and claimed under Pennsylvania. The result was a kind of civil war, and several were killed on both sides. Mrs.Foster, one of his daughters, recollects going to see four dead bodies near her father's house at one time. She says her father was then a prominent man, and was often resorted to for advice. After the massacre he returned and spent a few years in Mass. or Ct. but he must have returned again to Wyoming, as his wife died there. In his eighty-third year he left Wyoming and rode on horseback 400 miles to Shelburn, Vt. where his son Asahel then resided. On the way he spent a few days with his nephew, The Rev. Daniel Nash in Otsego County, N.Y. and while the Dr. William C. Nash, one of the family, recollects hearing him say he had been unfortunate in his land speculations (probably in consequence of the conflicting claims alluded to,) having paid for his place at Wyoming two or three times, and lost it at last for want of a valid title.

"After about three years spent in Vt. he rode, again on horseback, to Greenfield, Saratoga County, N.Y. where he lived with his daughter, Mrs. Haskins, until his death in the winter of 1823-4, supposed to be about ninety-nine years of age.

"He married Mary Hamlin of Sheffield, Mass. May 15, 1755. They had nine children, the third of which was his son, Asahel, who was born December 30, 1758.

IV. ASAHEL NASH, son of Phineas Nash was in the fight at the dreadful massacre of Wyoming, July 3,1778. He afterwards left Wyoming and migrated northward, first to his native region in Berkshire county, Mass., then to Essex, Vt., and finally to Shelburn, Chittenden County, Vt. He married in 1786 Betsey Shutts of Burlington, Vt., who was born October 11, 1766. Mr. Asahel Nash died in Shelburn, August 18, 1822.

"Mrs. Betsey Nash died in Shelburn October 26, 1821.

"This couple had twelve children, the ninth of which was Phineas Nash, born March 5,1800. He was bred a blacksmith. He married on December 5, 1826, Roxalania King, of Burlington,Vt., who was born July 19, 1808. He settled first in Burlington but removed from thence to St. Albans, Vt. where he still resides. His attention is chiefly turned to the ironing of wagons and carriages, in which he is deemed a workman of superior skill. His children were:

Naomi Born July 3, 1827 - Died August 10, 1828
Warren P. Born August 10, 1828 - Died 1896
Ellen R. Born March 1, 1830, married William B. Styles of Plattsburgh, N.Y. Dec. 16,1849
Marsha M. Born June 8, 1832
Rosamon C. Born May 17, 1834, married Colville, died1923, one child.
Francis M. Born July 17, 1836
Willis King Born November 17, 1840, married Eunice
Naomi C. Born July 17, 1843, married Ozro Brown, died 1935

V. Warren P. Nash married Mary Ann Webster, daughter of Thomas and Sally Webster of Swanton, Vermont on October15, 185S. Mary Ann Webster Nash was born in Swanton on January 11, 1830. Both Warren P. and Mary Ann died in 1896. Among the children were Edgar Nash, 1866-1896, who married Ruby Towler and had two children - Earl and Myrtle Nash Johnson; Fred P. Nash 1860-1926; Willis King Nash 1868-1956; and Flora Nash, 1870-1960, who married Norborn Felton. "

Willis King Nash was my grandfather and pictures of him, along with many of the rest of my immediate family may be viewed at: W.K. Nash