Robert KITCHELL ⁵⁷

  General Notes:

[FAV.FTW]

On 20 April 1639, Robert left England with a company of Puritan refugeesled by Reverend Henry Whitfield, in the first vessel, The Arabella, thatanchored in the harbor of Quinnipiac, now New Haven, Connecticut.

Aboard ship in route to America, the following Covenant was signed: "We, whose names are hereunder written, intending by God's graciouspermission to plant ourselves in New England, and, if it may be, in thesoutherly part, about Quinnipiack: We do faithfully promise each toeach, for ourselves and families, and those that belong to us; that wewill, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves together in oneintire plantation; and to be helpful each to the other in every commonwork, according to every man's ability and as need shall require; and wepromise not to desert or leave each other or the plantation, but with theconsent of the rest, or the greater part of the company who have enteredinto this engagement.

"As for our gathering together in a church way, and the choice ofofficers and members to be joined together in that way, we do referourselves until such time as it shall please God to settle us in ourplantation.

"In witness whereof we subscribe our hands, the first day of June, 1639." Robert Kitchell, John Stone,Thomas Norton, John Bishop, William Plane,Abraham Cruttenden, Francis Bushnell, Richard Gutridge,Francis Chatfield, William Chittenden, John Hughes,William Halle, William Leete, Wm. DudleyThomas Naish, Thomas Joanes, John Parmelin,Henry Kingsnorth, John Jurdon, John Mepham,Henry Doude, William Stone, Henry Whitfield,Thomas Cooke. John Hoadly,"

The part of Guilford, Connecticut, which lies between East River andStony Creek, constituting nearly all of the present town of Guilford, waspurchased of the sachem-squaw of Menunkatuck (Shaumpishuh), the Indianinhabitants consenting, 29 September 1639. A record of the purchase waslater made in a book entitled, "Guilford Booke of the more fixed Ordersfor the Plantation." This book begins with the following account: "January 31st 1649" [1650 New Style.] "Upon a review of the more fixed agreements, laws & orders formerly &from time to time made The General Court here held the day & yearaforesaid thought fit agreed and established them according to theEnsuing draft as followeth, viz-- "first we do acknowledge, ratify, confirm and allow the agreement made inMr. Newman's barn at Quillipeack now called New Haven, that the wholelands called Menunkatuck should be purchased for us and our heirs, butthe deed, writings thereabout to be made and drawn in the name of thesesix planters in our steads viz. Henry Whitfield, Robt. Kitchell, WilliamLeete, William Chittenden, John Bishop, and John Caffinge,notwithstanding all and every planter shall pay his proportionable partor share towards all the charges and expenses for purchasing, selling,securing or carrying on the necessary public affairs of this plantationaccording to such rule and manner of rating as shall be from time to timeagreed on in this plantation." "The drafts of which purchase or writing are as followeth viz." "The purchase from the Sachem Squaw. "Articles of agreement made and agreed on the 29th September, 1639 [OldStyle, 9 Octoger 1639, New Style] between Henry Whitfield, Robt. Kitchel,William Chittenden, Wm. Leete, John Bishop and Jno. Caffinch, Englishplanters of Menunkatuck and the sachem squaw of Menunkatuck together withthe Indian inhabitants of Menunkatuck as followeth: "Firstly, that the sachem squaw is the sole owner, possessor andinheritor of all the lands lying between Ruttawoo and Ajicomick river. "Secondly, that the said sachem squaw with the consent of the Indiansthere inhabiting [who are all together with herself to remove fromthence] doth sell unto the foresaid English planters all the lands lyingwithin the aforesaid limits of Ruttawoo and Ajicomick river. "Thirdly, that the said sachem squaw having received twelve coats, twelvefathom of wampum, twelve glasses [mirrors], twelve pairs of shoes, twelvehatchets, twelve pairs of stockings, twelve hoes, four kettles, twelveknives, twelve hats, twelve porringers, twelve spoons, two English coats,professeth herself to be fully paid and satisfied. John Higginson,\/Sachem Squaw, her mark. Robt. Newman, / Witnesses. \HenryWhitfield, in the name of the rest.

Of the six persons named, who were to hold the land in trust until achurch had been formed, only four were intrusted with civil power:Robert Kitchell, William Chittenden, John Bishop, and William Justice.When the church was formed in 1643, the purchasers from the Indiansresigned the deed to the church, and these four persons declared thattheir power had ceased by the formation of the church.

On 17 December 1641, the English planters of Menunkatuck made a purchaseof Uncas, sachem of the Mohegans, which covered a track of land calledthe Neck, extending along on the sound and northward through thetownship. This deed was also recorded, on 31 January 1650, in "GuilfordBooke of the more fixed Orders for the Plantation," as follows" "Articles of agreement made and agreed upon the 17th day of Dec. 1641,between Henry Whitfield, Robert Kitchel, Wm. Chittenden, Wm. Leete, JohnBishop, John Caffinch, John Jordan and the rest of the English plantersof Menunkatuck and Uncas the Mohegan sachem as followeth, viz: "Imprimis. That Uncas, the Mohegan sachem aforesaid is the right trueand sole owner, possessor and inheritor of all those lands lying betweenthe East river of Menunkatuck called Moosamattuck, consisting of uplands,plainlands, woods and underwoods, fresh and salt marshes, rivers, ponds,springs, with the appurtenances belonging to any of the said lands andthe river, brooke or creeke, called Tuckshishoagg near untoMuttomonossuck which belong to Uncas or any other Indians. And that hethe said Uncas hath absolute and independent power to alien, dispose andsell all and every part of the said lands together with the island whichlyeth in the sea before the said lands called by the English Falconisland, and by the Indians Messanaumuck. "Secondly. That the said Uncas doth covenant with the said Englishplanters of Menunkatuck aforesaid that he hath not made any former giftor grant, sale or alienation of the said lands or any part of them to anyperson or persons whatsoever, and that he will warrant the same and makegood the title thereof to the said English planters and their heirsagainst all men whatsoever whether Indians or others. "Thirdly. The said Uncas for and in consideration of four coats, twokettles, four fathoms of wampum, four hatchets, three hoes, now in handpaid or to be paid, doth bargain and sell unto the foresaid Englishplanters of Menunkatuck all and every part of particulars formerlymentioned lying between the East river of Menunkatuck and Tuckshishoaggas is aforesaid, to them and their heirs forever, by whatsoever they areor have been usually called, with all the rights, privileges or royaltiesof fishing. And that it shall not be lawful for the said Uncas or any ofhis men, or any others for him, to set any trapps for deer in the saidlands or any wares in the rivers for to catch fish, but to leave itwholly to the use and possession of the English planters aforesaid, sofar as our bounds hereafter to be set out doth limit them. "Fourthly. In that divers Indians have seemed to lay claims to theselands aforesaid, as the sachem squaw of Quillipiack and Weekwosh throughher right, the one-eyed squaw of Totoket and others. To this he saiththat he hath spoken with all the Indians of Quillpiack, together with thesachem squaw, the one-eyed squaw and the rest, and they do allacknowledge that the right of the said land now sold by Uncas is Uncashis child's. He reporteth also that Weekwosh did confess to him thatthis land aforesaid did belong to his child. There were also at theagreement-making two sachems, the name of the one was Ashawmutt, theother Nebeserte, who also affirmed the same that Uncas his child was thetrue heir of said lands. "The bounds of this land which we have purchased is as followeth, viz.,from the East river to Tuckshishoagg by the seaside from the lesser riveras it goes as far as the marsh which is near the head which we judge tobe eight miles off, from the East river where the Connecticut pathgoes over half a mile above the said place where we go over on a bridgeor tree lying over, from thence it goes up east and by north in thewoods, which bounds he is by promise to set out to us in the Spring. Uncas or Poquiam his mark. Henry Whitfield, \Uncas squaw, her mark. Samuel Disborow, witnesses. John Jordan. / "We the planters of Mennunkatuck aforesaid do covenant with Uncas orPoquiam that if at any time any inconvenience or annoyance at any timeshall arise to the English planters of Menunkatuck by the misdemeanors orevil dealings of the Indians which are his men or from himself, theyshall and will at all times come to the English upon notice given themand make them such satisfaction as the English shall require according toright, and if any of the English planters of Menunkatuck shall do anywrong to him or any other Mohegan Indians under his Government, uponcomplaint made to the English Magistrates and officers there shall bemade just satisfaction by them according to right.
William Leete, Secretary."

Mr. Rob't Kitchell was admitted as a freeman in the town of Guilford, 22May 1648. He lived on the corner of Broad and Fair Streets, in Guilford.

A list of freemen in Guilford, in 1657 or 1658, shows Robt. Kitchell.

Robert Kitchell held the following offices by colonial authority inConnecticut and New Haven Colonies: Deputy (Guilford) to New HavenLegislature, May 1656, May 1661, May 1662, May 1663, October 1663; Judge(Guilford town), May 1665.

He removed to Newark, New Jersey.

Facts about this person:

Burial Near the meeting house, Newark, New Jersey

Source: FAV.FTW Author: Charles Mackenzie Medium: Other Date of Import: Dec 2, 2001

Robert married Margaret SHEAFE, daughter of Edmond SHEAFE and Joane JORDAN, on 21 Jun 1631 in Rolvenden, County Kent, England.⁵⁷ (Margaret SHEAFE was born WFT Est 1580-1614 and died in 1679 in Greenwich, Connecticut ⁵⁷.)

  Marriage Notes:

[FAV.FTW]

Marriage license, dated 21 June 1631.