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Historic Record of the Town of Meriden, Connecticut, 1906, Vol 2
A historic record and pictorial description of the town of meriden, Connecticut, and the men who have made it. From earliest settlement to close of it's first century. A century of Meriden "The Silver City." Issued as the official souvenir history by authority of the general committee at the centennial celebration, June, 10 to 16, 1906. Compiled by C. Bancroft Gillespie.
On his mother's side Ratcliffe Hicks is descended from Charles Stearns, born in England, and settled at Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1646, and there acquired lands which he sold to his son, Samuel, and in 1681 removed to Lynn, Massachusetts. His son, Shubael, born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1655, served in the Narragansett Expedition in the King Philip War, and was stationed at the garrisons at Chelmsford and Groton, Massachusetts, and whose brother, Charles, was slain in the king's service. Shubael Stearns, second, was one of the original grantees of land in what is now Tolland, where he settled in 1714 and who later became a Baptist preacher, but on account of religious differences with his neighbors removed with his own and his sons' families to Virginia, later to Pepper Cotton and finally to Sandy Creek, N. C., where he died. His son, also named Shubael, became a noted preacher of the same faith.
STEARNS The Stearns family is of old English origin, and the name is well known in Nottingham,Berks, Norfolk, Hertford, Suffolk and Cambridge counties. The name has been variously spelled Sternes, Sterns, Starnes, and Sterne in England. Stearns is the form which is used by the American branch of the family. The arms of the Sterns family are: Or, a chevron between three crosses flory sable. Crest; A cock starling proper. These were used by an old family in Watertown, Massachusetts. The family was prominent in England. Richard Sterne was archbishop of York. There is a family tradition that three brothers, Daniel, Isaac and Shubael, came from England to America in 1630, and settled near Watertown, that Daniel died soon afterward, unmarried, and that the other two brought their families with them. Shubael died, leaving two sons, Charles and Nathaniel, eight or ten years old, who were brought up by their Uncle Isaac. The fact that Charles Stearns was left ten pounds by Isaac, who called him "kinsman," and that Isaac, Charles and Nathaniel named their sons John, Isaac and Samuel, would tend to bear out this tradition. It is certain that there were three immigrants of the name, probably brothers; Isaac, of Watertown, Charles, kinsman (probably nephew) of Isaac, and Nathaniel, of Dedham.
(I) Charles Stearns, the immigrant ancestor of this branch of the family in America, came to New England, May 6, 1646, and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts. He bought, March 15, 1648, of Edward Lamb, of Watertown, a house and eight acres of land and three or four lots; and the same day he bought from John Fisher six acres of upland. He was elected January 6, 1680-81, constable and tax gatherer of Watertown, but refused to take the oath, and the same year sold his land in Watertown to his son Samuel. Soon after he and his son Shubael moved to Lynn End, now Lynnfield, Massachusetts. One Samuel Hosier bequeathed to him ten pounds. He married (first) Hannah (???), who died June 30, 1650, at Watertown, and was buried July 2, 1651. He married (second) June 22, 1654, Rebecca Gibson, daughter of John and Rebecca Gibson, of Cambridge. She was admitted a member of the Watertown church in February, 1658-59. The births of the first two children were recorded in Cambridge, Children: Samuel, born June 2, 1650; Shubael, mentioned below; John, January 24, 1657; Isaac, 1658; Charles Jr., slain in the king's service before 1695; Rebecca, born 1661; Martha, married (???) Hutchinson.
(II) Shubael Stearns, son of Charles Stearns, was born September 20, 1655, at Watertown, Massachusetts. He settled in Lynn, near the Reading line. He was a soldier in King Philip's war.
His will was dated November 19, 1733, proved September 2, 1734. He married Mary Upton.
Children: Shubael, born August 19, 1683; Samuel; Hannah, 1687; Mary, April 16, 16--; John, 1691; Ebenezer, 1693; Martha, 1695; Eleanor, 1697; Rebecca, 1699.
Charles Stearns. - FIRST GENERATION.
"In March, 1628, the Plymouth Company sold to a company of six gentlemen in England, the territory extending from a line three miles north of Merrimack River, to a line three miles south of Charles River, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The number of joint proprietors soon became much enlarged and they assumed the title of "The Massachusetts Bay Company," choosing Matthew Cradock, a wealthy merchant of London, to be governor, and Thomas Goffe, also a merchant of London, to be deputy-governor. In June, 1628, a company of emigrants was sent over, who landed at Salem and commenced the settlement of that ancient town. That a large number of settlers accompanied Sir Richard Saltonstall from Salem to Watertown is evident from the following consideration, that about forty men signed the covenant on the 30th of July, while the number of female members is not stated. Others, having large families, did not then sign the covenant, not being entitled to church membership. There is no record extant of any municipal transactions of Watertown earlier, in date, than 1634, four years after its first settlement.
An important change then took place in the government of the colony and a house of deputies or representatives became a constituent part of it. As the people, from this date, began to be represented in the government of the colony, so, the ordering of the civil affairs of the town began to be intrusted to a body of freemen,chosen,annually, for that purpose. Then originated that peculiar New England municipal body, a board of select-men.
Previous to this date, the civil and ecclesiastical affairs of the town were combined, without any distinct line between them. No one had a right to vote, unless he were a church-member; and the church was Congregational wherein its affairs were managed by the votes of the members. The church officers seem to have taken the lead both in civil and ecclesiastical affairs, and, it is probable that, previous to 1634, the records were kept accordingly. Whatever those records were, they are lost." Charles Stearns was admitted freeman, May 6, 1646. On Mar. 15, 1648, he purchased of Edward Lamb, of Watertown, a house and eight acres of land, and three other lots. On the same day, he purchased of John Fiske, six acres of upland. Isaac Stearns, (First Vol. I), in his will, dated June 14, 1861, mentioned him as my kinsman, Charles "Sternes," and bequeather him p10. Samuel Hosier also bequeathed to him p10, but without stating any relationship. Jan. 6, 1680-1, he was elected constable, or tax-gatherer, of Watertown, but refused to take the oath; and the same year, he sold his land in Watertown to his son, Samuel. It is supposed that soon after this he, with his son Shubael, moved to that part of Lynn, called Lynn End, now the town of Lynnfield. His first wife, Hannah, d., June 30, 1651, in Watertown and was buried July 2, 1651. He md. (2), June 22, 1654, Rebecca Gibson, dau. of John and Rebecca Gibson, of Cambridge. The births of their first two children are recorded in Cambridge, but she was a member of the Watertown Church, Feb., 1658-9. (See Camb. Church Gathering, p. 59.) The following extract from the Essex Registry of Probate shows the number and the names of his children, at least, of those who lived to maturity, or to have families: "Sept. 9, 1695, Shubael Stearns, of Lynn, petitions for letters of administration on the estate of his brother, Charles. slain in the King's service. Balance of his estate after settlement of debts (p4, 12s., 10d.), to be divided as follows:--equally between his brothers, Shubael and John; the children of brothers Samuel and Isaac; Rebecca Sternes .alias Traine, and Martha Hutchinson. his sisters." "There is a tradition prevalent in Lynn. Massachusetts, that three brother, names Daniel, Isaac (First Vol. I) and Shubael Stearns, came from England to America in 1630, and settled near Watertown, Massachusetts; that Daniel died, unmarried; that Shubael and Isaac each brought their families with them; that, soon after landing, Shubael and wife both died, leaving two sons, named Charles and Nathaniel, eight or ten years of age, who were reared and cared for by their Uncle Isaac; this same account was given by John Peck Stearns (6822); that these sons afterwards married and each, as well as their Uncle Isaac, left a large family, from whom all of the name of Stearns in America are supposed to have descended.
It is noticable that Isaac (First Vol. I.), Charles and Nathaniel all named their sons John, Isaac and Samuel. There is also a traditional anecdote of the first landing of the Stearns family, as follows: "that on reaching anchorage in America, Isaac, like the spies sent into Canaan, went forward and selected a place of settlement; soon after, an emulation arose between the two boys as to which should step on land first, and, as they sprang from the boat, Charles Stearns missed his footing and fell into the river which was therefore christened the Charles River." Nevertheless, the historian claims for the name a royal origin.
CHARLES STEARNS, date of birth unknown;
md. (1), Hannah (???), who d., June 30, 1651;
md. (2), June 22, 1654, Rebecca Gibson, dau. of John and Rebecca Gibson, of Cambridge; seven children.
SAMUEL STEARNS b., June 2, 1650, in Watertown, Massachusetts
SHUBAEL STEARNS b., Sept. 20, 1655, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
JOHN STEARNS b., Jan. 24, 1657, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
ISAAC STEARNS b., 1658.
CHARLES STEARNS JR., slain in the King's service, prior to 1695.
REBECCA STEARNS, b., 1661;
MARTHA STEARNS.