JEREMIAH VAIL + WIVES CATHERINE, MARY & JOYCE, BIO ITEMS

JEREMIAH VAIL + WIVES CATHERINE, MARY & JOYCE, BIO ITEMS

(1) JEREMIAH VAIL + CATHERINE(____), MRS. MARY PAINE & J0YCE

(____) FAMILY INFORMATION:

Excerpts from "Some of the Vail Family Descended from Jeremiah

Vail at Salem, Mass., 1639," by Henry Hobart Vail and based in part

on earlier research by Alfred Vail (see Source attached to this record

for publication data):

FIRST GENERATION:

JEREMIAH VAIL, b. probably in the west of England about 1618;

m. lst Catherine; m. 2d, 24 May 1660, widow Mary Paine; m. 3d, before

1685, Joyce (Rejoice);d. in 1687.

CHILDREN:

i ABIGAIL, baptized at First Church, Salem, Mass., 18 May 1644; m. at

Southold, L.I., Joseph Horton.

ii. SARAH, baptized at Salem, Mass., 21 Mch 1647; m. Thomas Moore.

iii. JEREMIAH, baptized at Salem, Mass., 30 Dec 1649.

iv. JOHN, b. 1663; m. Grace Braddick (1); d. 15 Aug 1737.

v. DANIEL, b. about 1665; may have died unmarried.

vi. MARY, b. 1667, d. at Southold, 22 Sep 1689; her gravestone, near

the Presbyterian hurch in Southold, is the only record of her existence.

[PARTIAL SUMMARIZATION CONTRIBUTED TO ANCESTRY.COM BY "gryphonryder1"]

IMMIGRATION:

Probably in the late 1630's, to Salem. Not known if married or not, but all children appear to have been born in the New World starting in 1644, so it is likely he didn't marry until after reaching our shores. It is likely his first wife was an immigrant on her own, or the daughter of an immigrant. He would have been quite young, in his twenties when he migrated.

RESIDENCES:

1639-1649: Salem, Mass, by 1639, through at least 1649 (date of last child's birth recorded there.)1649/53-55, By 1653: Removed to Gardiner's Island to become superintendent for Lt Lion Gardiner1655-59, In 1655, Town of Easthampton offered Jeremiah Vaile a lotAft 1655: Removed to Southold, Long Island: Described as neighbor in 1655 list of Matthias Corwin property:) "A third lot of meadow at Accoboack; Jer. Vail's meadow, lying north, and Abr. Whitehares, south-west."

FIRST RECORD:

He was a resident of Salem as early as 1639 and on July 24 of that year was a witness in court held there.

SPOUSES:

1) Catherine (___), probably in the New World in the early 1640's. She was likely born about the same time as Jeremiah, about 1618, to possibly as late as 1624 (20 years before date of birth of oldest known child.) First recorded child born May 18, 1644, Salem. She died between 1649-1660, probably aged 25-42. (1649 was the date of birth of the last child ascribed to her, 1660 is the date when Jeremiah remarried.)

2) Mary Folger, widow of Peter Paine, on May 24, 1660 in Southold, Long Island, New York. Mary Folger was probably the daughter of John Folger and Meribiah Gibbs of Nantucket and is likely the great-aunt of Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin is a grandchild of a Peter Folger, a brother of Mary Folger. This identity is not given in the Vail Genealogy. Torrey gives her maiden name as Folger. Mary was likely born by 1618-1630. She had five children with Jeremiah after 1660. I'm not aware of any children she had from her first marriage; but it's quite possible that descendants of her Vail kids are half cousins to any that she may have had from her Paine/Payne marriage. She must have died before 1685, the estimated date of Jeremiah's third marriage given by the Vail genealogy and also by Torrey. If born in 1630, she would have been about 50 and her five children would have all been under 25 at the time she died. See TAG 38:183.

3) Joyce/Rejoice (___), before 1685. They were only married a short time, as he died in 1687.

OCCUPATION:

Blacksmith.

DEATH:

In 1687, while living in Southold, Long Island, New York.

WILL/ESTATE:

His will, made December 4, 1685, was probated October 19, 1687.

(2) JEREMIAH VAIL

By Colonial Dames of America. Chapter I, Baltimore, Grafton

[CONTRIBUTED TO ANCESTRY.COM BY "acharwin"]

In 1639 Jeremiah Vail was living in Salem, Mass. He was a blacksmith by occupation as long as he lived in this colony but in 1650 he moved to Gardiner's Island off Long Island where for some years he superintended Lieutenant Lion Gardiner's farms. In 1655 he moved to Easthampton Long Island and in 1659 to Southold where he died 1687. He married first Catherine; second May 24 1660 Mrs Mary Paine ; third before 1685 Joyce Six children.

(3) JEREMIAH VAIL, ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF LONG ISLAND, NY

[CONTRIBUTED TO ANCESTRY.COM BY "cnlo71']

In 1639, Salem had become the largest town in America occupied by people speaking the English tongue. There were then, but ten, or a dozen scattered groups of white settlers on the whole Atlantic Coast, and Salemhad about 1,000 inhabitants. Among them, there was a blacksmith named Jeremiah Vail. This was our first ancestor.

Jeremiah Vail was born about 1618. We do not know by what ship he came, nor the port from which he sailed. There is evidence to show that he was English and not Welsh. He was married, and his wife’s name was probably Catharine. He had three children born there, and they were duly baptized in the First Church of Salem, in which Samuel Skelton was pastor and Francis Higginson was teacher. This baptismal record approximates their birth dates.

He joined with fellow settlers in the struggle for existence in the forest clad hills. He aided to clear the forests, the build houses, to make roads, and to fight Indians.

According to the public records of Salem, Mass., Jeremiah Vail was a witness there in a court held July 24, 1639; he became a proprietor in 1647; bought land in 1648; sold it in 1651, and removed out of the jurisdiction. On April 6, 1645, Catharine Vail was admitted to the church of Salem. This was probably his wife. It was probable that Jeremiah Vail followed his trade as blacksmith in Salem for 11 years. He then removed to Gardiner’s Island, then called the Isle of Wight. Previous to his removal to Gardiner’s Island, at a town meeting held in Southampton, Long Island, June 17, 1651, the town “Granted a L100 lot to Jeremy Veale (another variation of Vail), Blacksmith of Salem [Mass.] provided he do come and settle here before January next and that to his power he in readiness doe all the blacksmith work that the inhabitants doe stand in need of.” This offer of land in Southampton probably originated with Thomas Vail were brothers. They were probably related.

Jeremiah Vail did not accept the offer of land made by the town of Southampton, but with Anthony Waters, took charge of the farm of Lt. Lion Gardiner on his island, which he had bought from the Indians in 1639, and to which he removed after his term of service ended at Fort Saybrooke. Lt. Gardiner remained on the island for some years, but in 1653, took his family over to Easthampton, and left Gardiner’s Island in charge of the farmers. In legal and ecclesiastical affairs, Gardiner’s Island was subject to the authority of the town of Easthampton, and its’ early records contain several brief statements respecting Jeremiah Vail. There was a difference between him and an Indian sachem named Wyandance with regard to an old log canoe. It was taken into court by Lt. Gardiner and decided against Vail, and he paid the Indian damages. In this case, servants on the island, under Vail, appeared as witnesses.

From 1653 until 1655, Jeremiah Vail superintended the farm work on Gardiner’s Island, and was occupied in reducing to cultivation that wooded waste of land. On Feb. 12, 1655, by action of the town of Easthampton it was “Ordered that Jeremiah Vaile (another variation of Vail) should have the Lott adjoining to Joshua Garlick Reserved for him till his time be expired with Mr. Gardiner.” This lot was opposite the present site of the Presbyterian Church in Easthampton, and there beside his neighbor, Goodman Garlick, he lived with his family for four years, 1655-1659.

Goody Garlick, the wife of Joshua Garlick had the misfortune to be accused as a witch, and in Feb. 1657, had her trial in Easthampton. There was much of the usual testimony given in such cases, tending to show that Goodwife Garlick had exerted some mysterious evil influence upon certain ill persons and weak-minded children; but Goodman Vail and his wife appeared as witnesses in her behalf, and his testimony tended to show that the supposed supernatural events came from simple and ordinary physical causes. When the belief in witchcraft was so strong and terrifying it is worthy of notice that Jeremiah Vail showed a sound head and a good heart. As for Goody Garlick, the Easthampton authorities, after taking much rambling and incoherent evidence which are gravely recorded in the town books, concluded that their wisdom and experience were not sufficient for so important a case, and they sent her, in March, for trial to the authorities at New Haven, Ct. Under the town laws, witchcraft was subject to the death penalty. Governor Winthrop was a wise man, and after due examination sent Goodwife Garlick back to her home and wrote a letter to the authorities in Easthampton charging them to “carry neighborly and peaceably without just offence to Jos. Garlick and his wife and that they should do the like to you.” This letter ended witchcraft trials in that town.

Before March 24, 1659, Jeremiah Vail sold his homestead in Easthampton to Robert Parsons and John Kirtland, and he probably then removed to Southold, Long Island, where he had owned land from some seven years.

No record has been found of the death of his first wife, the mother of his three eldest chidren; but she died about this date, and in Liber B, p. 117, of the Southold records is found the evidence of his marriage, May 24, 1660, to Mary Paine, widow of Peter Paine. His daughters were then 16 and 13 years of age respectively, and his son Jeremiah was 11. His settlement at Southold became permanent, and he lived there, on the lot which had been occupied by Peter Paine.

It sees, however, that Jeremiah Vail did not remove all of his property from Easthampton. A cow in the keeping of Stephen Osburne was attached, “prised” and sold to satisfy the town rates and the claim of a Pequot Indian for labor. A bill of particulars is on record including four shillings for the “transport of the pay to the pequit” and the town got its rates. After that date, Dec. 27, 1660, his name does not appear in Easthampton records.

Since Southold thus became the permanent home of Jeremial Vail, it may be well to give a short account of this town. Originally it embraced all the northeastern end of Long Island westward of Wading River and north of Peconic River and Bay, with the islands adjacent on the east. It extended fully one-third across Long Island from east to west. The two towns of Riverhead and Shelter Island have been organized from territory formerly within Southold.

There were settlers in Southold before the arrival of the Rev. John Youngs and his associates, but the organization of the town, and of its church dates from its coming in October 1640. The town took its name from that of Southwold, England, where the Rev. John Youngs probably preached, and where his parents lived. Some of his congregation came from Suffolk County in eastern England, and later this name was given to the county on Long Island in which Southold lies. The village was laid out at the head of a quiet bay extending westward from the narrow channel that separates Shelter Island from Long Island. On the main street, which extended westward, they laid out their “home lots” of from four to seven acres, giving the choicest position to their pastor, and they there built the rude log houses which served their temporary use. It is evident that the street was laid out through the woods, since seventeen years later it was ordered in town meeting that each inhabitant should take up and carry away all the stumps in front of his lot before March 1657, on a penalty of twelvepence for each stump left.

The Indian title to the lands was extinguished, and later an English title was secured from Mr. James Farrett, the agent of the Earl of Stirling, to whom the Scotch-loving King James had given this entire island. In the years immediately following the settlement of the town, all purchases of land from the Indians were made in the name and interest of the “freeholders and inhabitants,” and were held by them or divided among them in proportion as each on contributed to the expense. Thus the commonage was acquired. Later, rights in the common landswere granted by the town; but soon there were inhabitants who were not owners of commonage, and the control of the commange was, after much contention, given to the owners who were organized as a corporaton separate from the town.

Through the division of common lands the several freeholders became possessed of various lots, sometimes of small extent, dotted over a wide region. Exchanges and purchases were active, and a series of such trades brought these scattered fragments into farms of convenient size and form.

Until 1662, Southold was one of the 16 towns forming the colony of New Haven; but in this year, John Winthrop obtained a new and very liberal charter for Connecticut, which by its terms brought into Connecticut, not only all the all the towns adhering to New Haven, but extended the limits of Connecticut “to the South Sea on the West parte.” Southold submitted, very promptly, to the authorities at Hartford by a letter dated October 4, 1662, signed by 32 citizens of Southold, appointing Col. John Youngs as their deputy. Jeremiah Vail was one of the signers of this letter, which was read at Hartford on October 9 – the day on which the charter was first publicly read. At the same time, 26 citizens of Southold, including “Jer: Vayle.” were accepted freemen of Connecticut. Of this number, only three were recorded with the honorary “Mr.”

This union of Long Island towns with Connecticut was of short duration, for in August 1664, an English naval force seized New Amsterdam, which Charles II had given beforehand to his brother James, then Duke of York and Lord High Admiral. This gift embraced half of Connecticut and all of Long Island, so that the English towns on the eastern end of Long Island were by this act joined under one government with the Dutch towns on the western end. The English towns desired to desired to remain with Connecticut. They even made some show of resistance to the Dutch force in 1673, when the Dutch temporarily regained New York and held it for a year. When, however, the powers across the water became weary of fighting and made peace, Feb. 19, 1674, no consideration was given to the wishes of these faraway towns. The entire island was joined to New York, and from that Southold was part of that colony and State. The inhabitants of this town were thus, without from moving home, subject to four different jurisdictions within 12 years.

As a freeman of Southold, Jeremiah Vail, held in his own name, in 1676, about 500 acres of land, and through his marriage with the widow Paine, he occupied the four-acre home lot originally alloted to Peter Paine and held also some 50 acres in various other early divisions.

In the year 1683, Jeremiah Vail appeared again in the records of Salem, Mass. Acting as administrator of the estate of Nathaniel Pierson, Sr., he petitioned the court for leave to sell lands in order to pay debts and divide the estate among heirs. The petition was granted February 16.

On July 18, 1685, Jeremiah Vail made a deal jointly with his son John; both their wives Joyce Vail and GraceVail, signed as witnesses. According to the enumeration made in 1686, his family then consisted of four males and two females. Comparing this with his will executed the previous year, it appears that these were Jeremiah Vail, Sr.; his sons, John and Daniel; his third wife, Joyce; and Grace Vail, the wife of his son John. The fourth male I cannot name.

In 1675, Jeremiah Vail was rated for taxation at L152, he being then one of the well-to-do citizens of Southold; but eight years later he was rated at only L74. It seems that he made some provision from his estate for his elder chidlren before making his will, in which no one of the three older children was named. In this will, dated at Southold, Dec. 4, 1865, he describes himself as “Jeremy Veale, Senior,” thus recognizing his eldest son, who was then a man 40 years of age, and who up to the date of his father’s death signed his name, “Jeremiah Vail, Junior.” This will was probated Oct. 19, 1687. It is therefore probable that the senior Jeremiah Vail died in 1687, aged nearly 70 years. By will, he gave his dwelling house, certain lands and a right of commonage, with all his household goods and moveables, cattle, horses and swine, to his son John, reserving to his “beloved wife Joyce Vale her thirds during her life.” To his son Daniel he gave certain lands and a first lot of commonage. He also gave lands to Jeremy Foster, the son of Joseph Foster of Southampton, and other lands to Thomas Tustan of Southold, his “well beloved friend and neighbor.”

It will be noticed that John Vail inherited the homestead in Southold, subject to the widow’s use. We should therefore expect to find these names associated later, and they do so appear in the Census List of 1698.

CHILDREN:

(1) ABIGAIL, baptized at First Church, Salem, Mass., May 18, 1644. She

married Joseph Horton at Southold, Long Island. He is the son of

Barnabas Horton. She was probably his second wife. About 1685,

they removed to Westchester County, N.Y., but later returned to

Southold

(2) SARAH, baptized at Salem, Mass., on March 21, 1647. She married

Nathaniel Moore, who was baptized in 1642. He is the son of Thomas

Moore and Martha Youngs, sister of Rev. John Youngs. Nathaniel

died on June 10, 1733.

(3) JEREMIAH, was baptized at Salem, Mass., on Dec. 30, 1649.

(4) JOHN, was born in 1663. He married Grace Braddick. He died on

August 18, 1737.

(5) DANIEL, was born about 1665. He may have died unmarried.

(6) MARY, was born about 1667. She died at Southold on Sept. 22, 1689.

Her gravestone near the Presbyterian Church in Southold is her only

record.

(4) U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Torrey Collection)

Name: Jeremiah Vail

Gender: Male

Birth Year: 1617

Marriage Date: 24 May 1660

Death Year: 1687

Marriage Place: New England, United States

Spouse's Name: Mary Folger ([Mrs.] Mary Paine)

(5) U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Torrey Collection)

Name: Jeremiah Vail

Gender: Male

Birth Year: 1617

Marriage Date: 1685

Death Year: 1687

Marriage Place: New England, United States

Spouse's Name: Joyce