N.B. In 1893 John Harvey Treat in The Treat Family (pp. 20-21) claimed on 23 Feb. 1652/3 at 68 years of age Richard Treat Sr. was commissioned an Ensign, or 3rd in line of command, of Wethersfield's "trained band" (town militia). In that record Richard Sr. is referred to as "Mr. Trott," who was then an 8-year long serving deputy from Wethersfield to the General Court. The first action by that court was, in modern English: "Wethersfield having presented Rich: Trott to be chosen Ensign to the trained band in that town, this Court declares that they approve of the choice & confirm him in that position" (Conn. Pub. Recs, Vol. 1, 1636-1665, 237). As written, this must have referred to Richard Treat Jr. who was then 29 years old. Then on 11 March 1657/8 at 34 years of age John H. Treat credited Richard Jr. as elected a Corporal of the Connecticut Colony's "Troop of Horse" [ibid 1:310].
On its face the military title of Ensign attributed to Richard Sr. did not make sense to this descendant. At 68 years old it would have been highly irregular in early New England civil, social and military affairs for a man to be commissioned to a subordinate position (3rd in command) well below his long established civil and social standing. In the second instance, on 11 March 1657/8 the colony troops under Maj. John Mason elected or reaffirmed Richard Lord of Hartford as Capt., Daniel Clark of Windsor as Lieut., Daniel Wilson of Windsor as Ensign, John Allin of Hartford as the Cornet, along with three Corporals (one being Richard Treat of Wethersfield) and Mr. Thomas Wells, Jr. of Hartford as the Quarter Master. In 1952 the renowned New England genealogist Donald Lines Jacobus in his well-known Hale, House and Related Families rejected John H. Treat's military title of Ensign being attributed to Richard Sr. (p. 765) noting that Richard Jr. in the Westhersfield vital records for the birth of his first child on 14 Feb. 1661/2 was recorded as "Richard, son of Ens. Richard and Sarah Treat" (Weth. VRs, 262). For these and other arguments that could be made this descendant of Richard Sr. has assigned the commission of Ensign to Richard Jr.
-------------------------
Richard Treat, Esq., the immigrant ancestor of the Treat Family of Wethersfield, Conn., the youngest known child of Robert & Honora Treat of Pitminster, Somersetshire, England. He was bapt. Aug. 28, 1584 at St. Andrew and St. Mary Church in Pitminster. He d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Feb. 13, 1668/9, the date of his will, and Mar. 3, 1669/70 when his will was proved and ordered to be recorded.
Richard is claimed by an unknown person or persons to have d. Feb. 14, 1668/69, the day after he wrote his will, but no document has been found that confirms his actual date of death. A person's estate inventory was typically taken within a matter of days after death, with Richard's taken in January 1669/70, the day not written, by three men, two who were his sons-in-law: John Deming and Robert Webster. If Richard died as claimed in February in the Gregorian calendar year of 1669, it is highly unlikely his family, let alone his creditors, would have waited 11 months to have his estate inventory taken followed by his will being proved. Accordingly, this descendant has used the year 1670 as the most likely year of Richard's death.
On Apr. 27, 1615 in Pitminster, Richard m. Alice Gaylord, the mother of all his children, dau. of Hugh Gaylord. She was bapt. in Pitminster May 10, 1594 and was living when Richard wrote his will.
The Hollister Family in America (Lafayette Wallace Case, 1886, p. 24) errantly claims Richard had a first wife named Joanna: "Lieut. John Hollister married Joanna, daughter of Hon. Richard Treat, Sr., and his first wife Joanna." Joanna (Treat) Hollister, the second child of the family, was baptized three years after the marriage of Richard and his wife Alice Gaylord. Further, the first bequest in Richard Treat's will states: "I give & bequeath to my loving wife Alis Treat after my decease..." Thus, there is no factual support for Richard Treat having had a first wife named Joanna or that Alice Gaylord was not the mother of all of Richard's known children. In addition, while he is always referred to as "Mr." Richard Treat, "Mr." Treat or "Mr." Trott as a deputy from Wethersfield to the colonial court or as "Mr." Treat etc. as magistrate (i.e., Justice of the Pease) to the court, the term Honorable was reserved for colonial governors, judges, etc. and not for magistrates. Writing in 1886, Case used a term that applied differently in late 1800s America than in 1600s America.
Case also had trouble with printing Richard Treat's will calling wife "Alis" in his will as "Mrs" Treat; instead of giving his "Great Bible to my Daughter, Honour Demon [sic, Deming]" he printed "to my daughter, Hon. Mr. Demon [sic]."
Richard, wife Alice and all of their known children emigrated circa 1637 to New England and settled in Wethersfield, Conn. The children, all bapt. of record at St. Andrew & St. Mary Chh. in Pitminster, Somersetshire, England, are:
• i. Honor (q.v. Honora) Treat, bapt. Mar. 19, 1615/6, d. in Wethersfield, Conn. before June 26, 1690; m. circa 1637, John Deming, b. in England circa 1615, and d. in Wethersfield betw. Mar 9, 1699/700 and Nov. 21, 1705. His will dated June 26, 1690 made no provision for wife Honor, presumably then deceased. Ten children of the family.
• ii. Joanna Treat, bapt. May 24, 1618, d. circa Oct 1694 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Lieut. John Hollister, who d. testate in Wethersfield in Apr. 1665. Eight children of the family.
• iii. Sarah Treat, bapt. Dec. 3, 1620, d. after June 6, 1673 prob. in Newark, NJ; m. May 20, 1644, Matthew Canfield, s. of Gregory Canfield & Joan Merrill, bapt. Feb. 27, 1603/4 in Harlestone in Northamptonshire, England. He d. Mar. 19, 1672/3 in Newark, NJ. Sarah & her husband followed Sarah's brother Robert to Newark in the Province of East Jersey, now Newark, NJ, where Robert was the principal founder in 1666 of Newark. Nine children of the family. [an ancestor of the writer's spouse followed Robert Treat to Newark and was one of the 66 founding proprietors of Newark.]
• iv. Ens. Richard Treat, Jr., bapt. Sept. 9, 1623, d. in Feb 1692/3 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. circa 1661 Sarah Coleman, dau. of Thomas, who d. Aug. 23, 1734 in Wethersfield. Four children of the family.
• v. Gov. Robert Treat, bapt. Feb. 25, 1623/4, d. July 10, 1710 in Milford, Conn.; m. 1) Dec. 25, 1647 Jane Tapp, dau. of Hon. Edmund and Jane Tapp, who d. in Milford Apr. 8, 1703. He m. 2) Oct. 24, 1705 in Milford, Elizabeth (Powell) Bryan, dau. of Elder Michael and Abigail Powell, the wid. of Richard Bryan. She was b. June 16, 1641 in Dedham, Mass. and d. Jan. 10, 1705/6 in Milford. At least seven children of the family, all by first wife Jane Tapp.
• vi. Elizabeth Treat, bapt. July 25, 1627, d. after Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of her supposed husband's will) but before her father's will of Feb. 1668/9. Per John H. Treat in 1893 (The Treat Family 485), she supposedly m. circa 1649 George Wolcott, who d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of his will) and Feb. 12, 1662/3 when his estate inventory was made. George Wolcott and his wife Elizabeth had four known children, but per Donald Lines Jacobus in 1952 (Hale, House 767) there was no proof that George Wolcott was the son-in-law of Richard Treat, Sr. or that Richard Treat had Wolcott grandchildren. Otherwise, Richard's daughter Elizabeth may have been married to an unidentified Johnson and called" my daughter Johnson" in his 1669 will.
• vii. Susanna Treat, bapt. Oct. 8, 1629, d. testate in Hartford, Conn. before Nov. 7, 1705, the date her Jan. 23, 1698 will was proved (her estate inventory was taken Nov. 12, 1705); m. Nov. 10, 1653 prob. in Wethersfield, Conn., Lieut. Robert Webster, s. of Gov. John Webster & Agnes Smith, bapt. Nov. 17, 1619 in Cossington, Leicestershire, England. He was named in Richard Treat's will, was one of the will's three overseers and was a named appraiser of Richard's estate invemtory. He d. testate in 1676 in Hartford. Eleven children of the family. [they are the writer's ancestors.]
• viii. Alice Treat, bapt. Feb. 16, 1631/2; bur. as an infant in Pitminster Aug. 2, 1633.
• ix. Lieut. James Treat, bapt. July 20, 1634, d. Feb. 12, 1708/9 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Jan. 26, 1664/5, Rebecca Latimer, dau. of John & Ann Latimer, b. Oct. 6, 1646 in Wethersfield where she d. Aug. 23, 1734. Nine children of the family. [Rebecca (Latimer) Treat's brother John is the writer's ancestor.]
• x. Katherine Treat, bapt. June 29, 1637; m. Nov. 19, 1655 in Boston, Mass., Rev. William Thompson of New London, Conn. and Surry County, VA, latter where they purportedly died.
Initially edited 5/21/2019, N.B. added 9/29/2022; latest edit 1/26/2023.
On its face the military title of Ensign attributed to Richard Sr. did not make sense to this descendant. At 68 years old it would have been highly irregular in early New England civil, social and military affairs for a man to be commissioned to a subordinate position (3rd in command) well below his long established civil and social standing. In the second instance, on 11 March 1657/8 the colony troops under Maj. John Mason elected or reaffirmed Richard Lord of Hartford as Capt., Daniel Clark of Windsor as Lieut., Daniel Wilson of Windsor as Ensign, John Allin of Hartford as the Cornet, along with three Corporals (one being Richard Treat of Wethersfield) and Mr. Thomas Wells, Jr. of Hartford as the Quarter Master. In 1952 the renowned New England genealogist Donald Lines Jacobus in his well-known Hale, House and Related Families rejected John H. Treat's military title of Ensign being attributed to Richard Sr. (p. 765) noting that Richard Jr. in the Westhersfield vital records for the birth of his first child on 14 Feb. 1661/2 was recorded as "Richard, son of Ens. Richard and Sarah Treat" (Weth. VRs, 262). For these and other arguments that could be made this descendant of Richard Sr. has assigned the commission of Ensign to Richard Jr.
-------------------------
Richard Treat, Esq., the immigrant ancestor of the Treat Family of Wethersfield, Conn., the youngest known child of Robert & Honora Treat of Pitminster, Somersetshire, England. He was bapt. Aug. 28, 1584 at St. Andrew and St. Mary Church in Pitminster. He d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Feb. 13, 1668/9, the date of his will, and Mar. 3, 1669/70 when his will was proved and ordered to be recorded.
Richard is claimed by an unknown person or persons to have d. Feb. 14, 1668/69, the day after he wrote his will, but no document has been found that confirms his actual date of death. A person's estate inventory was typically taken within a matter of days after death, with Richard's taken in January 1669/70, the day not written, by three men, two who were his sons-in-law: John Deming and Robert Webster. If Richard died as claimed in February in the Gregorian calendar year of 1669, it is highly unlikely his family, let alone his creditors, would have waited 11 months to have his estate inventory taken followed by his will being proved. Accordingly, this descendant has used the year 1670 as the most likely year of Richard's death.
On Apr. 27, 1615 in Pitminster, Richard m. Alice Gaylord, the mother of all his children, dau. of Hugh Gaylord. She was bapt. in Pitminster May 10, 1594 and was living when Richard wrote his will.
The Hollister Family in America (Lafayette Wallace Case, 1886, p. 24) errantly claims Richard had a first wife named Joanna: "Lieut. John Hollister married Joanna, daughter of Hon. Richard Treat, Sr., and his first wife Joanna." Joanna (Treat) Hollister, the second child of the family, was baptized three years after the marriage of Richard and his wife Alice Gaylord. Further, the first bequest in Richard Treat's will states: "I give & bequeath to my loving wife Alis Treat after my decease..." Thus, there is no factual support for Richard Treat having had a first wife named Joanna or that Alice Gaylord was not the mother of all of Richard's known children. In addition, while he is always referred to as "Mr." Richard Treat, "Mr." Treat or "Mr." Trott as a deputy from Wethersfield to the colonial court or as "Mr." Treat etc. as magistrate (i.e., Justice of the Pease) to the court, the term Honorable was reserved for colonial governors, judges, etc. and not for magistrates. Writing in 1886, Case used a term that applied differently in late 1800s America than in 1600s America.
Case also had trouble with printing Richard Treat's will calling wife "Alis" in his will as "Mrs" Treat; instead of giving his "Great Bible to my Daughter, Honour Demon [sic, Deming]" he printed "to my daughter, Hon. Mr. Demon [sic]."
Richard, wife Alice and all of their known children emigrated circa 1637 to New England and settled in Wethersfield, Conn. The children, all bapt. of record at St. Andrew & St. Mary Chh. in Pitminster, Somersetshire, England, are:
• i. Honor (q.v. Honora) Treat, bapt. Mar. 19, 1615/6, d. in Wethersfield, Conn. before June 26, 1690; m. circa 1637, John Deming, b. in England circa 1615, and d. in Wethersfield betw. Mar 9, 1699/700 and Nov. 21, 1705. His will dated June 26, 1690 made no provision for wife Honor, presumably then deceased. Ten children of the family.
• ii. Joanna Treat, bapt. May 24, 1618, d. circa Oct 1694 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Lieut. John Hollister, who d. testate in Wethersfield in Apr. 1665. Eight children of the family.
• iii. Sarah Treat, bapt. Dec. 3, 1620, d. after June 6, 1673 prob. in Newark, NJ; m. May 20, 1644, Matthew Canfield, s. of Gregory Canfield & Joan Merrill, bapt. Feb. 27, 1603/4 in Harlestone in Northamptonshire, England. He d. Mar. 19, 1672/3 in Newark, NJ. Sarah & her husband followed Sarah's brother Robert to Newark in the Province of East Jersey, now Newark, NJ, where Robert was the principal founder in 1666 of Newark. Nine children of the family. [an ancestor of the writer's spouse followed Robert Treat to Newark and was one of the 66 founding proprietors of Newark.]
• iv. Ens. Richard Treat, Jr., bapt. Sept. 9, 1623, d. in Feb 1692/3 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. circa 1661 Sarah Coleman, dau. of Thomas, who d. Aug. 23, 1734 in Wethersfield. Four children of the family.
• v. Gov. Robert Treat, bapt. Feb. 25, 1623/4, d. July 10, 1710 in Milford, Conn.; m. 1) Dec. 25, 1647 Jane Tapp, dau. of Hon. Edmund and Jane Tapp, who d. in Milford Apr. 8, 1703. He m. 2) Oct. 24, 1705 in Milford, Elizabeth (Powell) Bryan, dau. of Elder Michael and Abigail Powell, the wid. of Richard Bryan. She was b. June 16, 1641 in Dedham, Mass. and d. Jan. 10, 1705/6 in Milford. At least seven children of the family, all by first wife Jane Tapp.
• vi. Elizabeth Treat, bapt. July 25, 1627, d. after Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of her supposed husband's will) but before her father's will of Feb. 1668/9. Per John H. Treat in 1893 (The Treat Family 485), she supposedly m. circa 1649 George Wolcott, who d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of his will) and Feb. 12, 1662/3 when his estate inventory was made. George Wolcott and his wife Elizabeth had four known children, but per Donald Lines Jacobus in 1952 (Hale, House 767) there was no proof that George Wolcott was the son-in-law of Richard Treat, Sr. or that Richard Treat had Wolcott grandchildren. Otherwise, Richard's daughter Elizabeth may have been married to an unidentified Johnson and called" my daughter Johnson" in his 1669 will.
• vii. Susanna Treat, bapt. Oct. 8, 1629, d. testate in Hartford, Conn. before Nov. 7, 1705, the date her Jan. 23, 1698 will was proved (her estate inventory was taken Nov. 12, 1705); m. Nov. 10, 1653 prob. in Wethersfield, Conn., Lieut. Robert Webster, s. of Gov. John Webster & Agnes Smith, bapt. Nov. 17, 1619 in Cossington, Leicestershire, England. He was named in Richard Treat's will, was one of the will's three overseers and was a named appraiser of Richard's estate invemtory. He d. testate in 1676 in Hartford. Eleven children of the family. [they are the writer's ancestors.]
• viii. Alice Treat, bapt. Feb. 16, 1631/2; bur. as an infant in Pitminster Aug. 2, 1633.
• ix. Lieut. James Treat, bapt. July 20, 1634, d. Feb. 12, 1708/9 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Jan. 26, 1664/5, Rebecca Latimer, dau. of John & Ann Latimer, b. Oct. 6, 1646 in Wethersfield where she d. Aug. 23, 1734. Nine children of the family. [Rebecca (Latimer) Treat's brother John is the writer's ancestor.]
• x. Katherine Treat, bapt. June 29, 1637; m. Nov. 19, 1655 in Boston, Mass., Rev. William Thompson of New London, Conn. and Surry County, VA, latter where they purportedly died.
Initially edited 5/21/2019, N.B. added 9/29/2022; latest edit 1/26/2023.
N.B. In 1893 John Harvey Treat in The Treat Family (pp. 20-21) claimed on 23 Feb. 1652/3 at 68 years of age Richard Treat Sr. was commissioned an Ensign, or 3rd in line of command, of Wethersfield's "trained band" (town militia). In that record Richard Sr. is referred to as "Mr. Trott," who was then an 8-year long serving deputy from Wethersfield to the General Court. The first action by that court was, in modern English: "Wethersfield having presented Rich: Trott to be chosen Ensign to the trained band in that town, this Court declares that they approve of the choice & confirm him in that position" (Conn. Pub. Recs, Vol. 1, 1636-1665, 237). As written, this must have referred to Richard Treat Jr. who was then 29 years old. Then on 11 March 1657/8 at 34 years of age John H. Treat credited Richard Jr. as elected a Corporal of the Connecticut Colony's "Troop of Horse" [ibid 1:310].
On its face the military title of Ensign attributed to Richard Sr. did not make sense to this descendant. At 68 years old it would have been highly irregular in early New England civil, social and military affairs for a man to be commissioned to a subordinate position (3rd in command) well below his long established civil and social standing. In the second instance, on 11 March 1657/8 the colony troops under Maj. John Mason elected or reaffirmed Richard Lord of Hartford as Capt., Daniel Clark of Windsor as Lieut., Daniel Wilson of Windsor as Ensign, John Allin of Hartford as the Cornet, along with three Corporals (one being Richard Treat of Wethersfield) and Mr. Thomas Wells, Jr. of Hartford as the Quarter Master. In 1952 the renowned New England genealogist Donald Lines Jacobus in his well-known Hale, House and Related Families rejected John H. Treat's military title of Ensign being attributed to Richard Sr. (p. 765) noting that Richard Jr. in the Westhersfield vital records for the birth of his first child on 14 Feb. 1661/2 was recorded as "Richard, son of Ens. Richard and Sarah Treat" (Weth. VRs, 262). For these and other arguments that could be made this descendant of Richard Sr. has assigned the commission of Ensign to Richard Jr.
-------------------------
Richard Treat, Esq., the immigrant ancestor of the Treat Family of Wethersfield, Conn., the youngest known child of Robert & Honora Treat of Pitminster, Somersetshire, England. He was bapt. Aug. 28, 1584 at St. Andrew and St. Mary Church in Pitminster. He d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Feb. 13, 1668/9, the date of his will, and Mar. 3, 1669/70 when his will was proved and ordered to be recorded.
Richard is claimed by an unknown person or persons to have d. Feb. 14, 1668/69, the day after he wrote his will, but no document has been found that confirms his actual date of death. A person's estate inventory was typically taken within a matter of days after death, with Richard's taken in January 1669/70, the day not written, by three men, two who were his sons-in-law: John Deming and Robert Webster. If Richard died as claimed in February in the Gregorian calendar year of 1669, it is highly unlikely his family, let alone his creditors, would have waited 11 months to have his estate inventory taken followed by his will being proved. Accordingly, this descendant has used the year 1670 as the most likely year of Richard's death.
On Apr. 27, 1615 in Pitminster, Richard m. Alice Gaylord, the mother of all his children, dau. of Hugh Gaylord. She was bapt. in Pitminster May 10, 1594 and was living when Richard wrote his will.
The Hollister Family in America (Lafayette Wallace Case, 1886, p. 24) errantly claims Richard had a first wife named Joanna: "Lieut. John Hollister married Joanna, daughter of Hon. Richard Treat, Sr., and his first wife Joanna." Joanna (Treat) Hollister, the second child of the family, was baptized three years after the marriage of Richard and his wife Alice Gaylord. Further, the first bequest in Richard Treat's will states: "I give & bequeath to my loving wife Alis Treat after my decease..." Thus, there is no factual support for Richard Treat having had a first wife named Joanna or that Alice Gaylord was not the mother of all of Richard's known children. In addition, while he is always referred to as "Mr." Richard Treat, "Mr." Treat or "Mr." Trott as a deputy from Wethersfield to the colonial court or as "Mr." Treat etc. as magistrate (i.e., Justice of the Pease) to the court, the term Honorable was reserved for colonial governors, judges, etc. and not for magistrates. Writing in 1886, Case used a term that applied differently in late 1800s America than in 1600s America.
Case also had trouble with printing Richard Treat's will calling wife "Alis" in his will as "Mrs" Treat; instead of giving his "Great Bible to my Daughter, Honour Demon [sic, Deming]" he printed "to my daughter, Hon. Mr. Demon [sic]."
Richard, wife Alice and all of their known children emigrated circa 1637 to New England and settled in Wethersfield, Conn. The children, all bapt. of record at St. Andrew & St. Mary Chh. in Pitminster, Somersetshire, England, are:
• i. Honor (q.v. Honora) Treat, bapt. Mar. 19, 1615/6, d. in Wethersfield, Conn. before June 26, 1690; m. circa 1637, John Deming, b. in England circa 1615, and d. in Wethersfield betw. Mar 9, 1699/700 and Nov. 21, 1705. His will dated June 26, 1690 made no provision for wife Honor, presumably then deceased. Ten children of the family.
• ii. Joanna Treat, bapt. May 24, 1618, d. circa Oct 1694 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Lieut. John Hollister, who d. testate in Wethersfield in Apr. 1665. Eight children of the family.
• iii. Sarah Treat, bapt. Dec. 3, 1620, d. after June 6, 1673 prob. in Newark, NJ; m. May 20, 1644, Matthew Canfield, s. of Gregory Canfield & Joan Merrill, bapt. Feb. 27, 1603/4 in Harlestone in Northamptonshire, England. He d. Mar. 19, 1672/3 in Newark, NJ. Sarah & her husband followed Sarah's brother Robert to Newark in the Province of East Jersey, now Newark, NJ, where Robert was the principal founder in 1666 of Newark. Nine children of the family. [an ancestor of the writer's spouse followed Robert Treat to Newark and was one of the 66 founding proprietors of Newark.]
• iv. Ens. Richard Treat, Jr., bapt. Sept. 9, 1623, d. in Feb 1692/3 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. circa 1661 Sarah Coleman, dau. of Thomas, who d. Aug. 23, 1734 in Wethersfield. Four children of the family.
• v. Gov. Robert Treat, bapt. Feb. 25, 1623/4, d. July 10, 1710 in Milford, Conn.; m. 1) Dec. 25, 1647 Jane Tapp, dau. of Hon. Edmund and Jane Tapp, who d. in Milford Apr. 8, 1703. He m. 2) Oct. 24, 1705 in Milford, Elizabeth (Powell) Bryan, dau. of Elder Michael and Abigail Powell, the wid. of Richard Bryan. She was b. June 16, 1641 in Dedham, Mass. and d. Jan. 10, 1705/6 in Milford. At least seven children of the family, all by first wife Jane Tapp.
• vi. Elizabeth Treat, bapt. July 25, 1627, d. after Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of her supposed husband's will) but before her father's will of Feb. 1668/9. Per John H. Treat in 1893 (The Treat Family 485), she supposedly m. circa 1649 George Wolcott, who d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of his will) and Feb. 12, 1662/3 when his estate inventory was made. George Wolcott and his wife Elizabeth had four known children, but per Donald Lines Jacobus in 1952 (Hale, House 767) there was no proof that George Wolcott was the son-in-law of Richard Treat, Sr. or that Richard Treat had Wolcott grandchildren. Otherwise, Richard's daughter Elizabeth may have been married to an unidentified Johnson and called" my daughter Johnson" in his 1669 will.
• vii. Susanna Treat, bapt. Oct. 8, 1629, d. testate in Hartford, Conn. before Nov. 7, 1705, the date her Jan. 23, 1698 will was proved (her estate inventory was taken Nov. 12, 1705); m. Nov. 10, 1653 prob. in Wethersfield, Conn., Lieut. Robert Webster, s. of Gov. John Webster & Agnes Smith, bapt. Nov. 17, 1619 in Cossington, Leicestershire, England. He was named in Richard Treat's will, was one of the will's three overseers and was a named appraiser of Richard's estate invemtory. He d. testate in 1676 in Hartford. Eleven children of the family. [they are the writer's ancestors.]
• viii. Alice Treat, bapt. Feb. 16, 1631/2; bur. as an infant in Pitminster Aug. 2, 1633.
• ix. Lieut. James Treat, bapt. July 20, 1634, d. Feb. 12, 1708/9 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Jan. 26, 1664/5, Rebecca Latimer, dau. of John & Ann Latimer, b. Oct. 6, 1646 in Wethersfield where she d. Aug. 23, 1734. Nine children of the family. [Rebecca (Latimer) Treat's brother John is the writer's ancestor.]
• x. Katherine Treat, bapt. June 29, 1637; m. Nov. 19, 1655 in Boston, Mass., Rev. William Thompson of New London, Conn. and Surry County, VA, latter where they purportedly died.
Initially edited 5/21/2019, N.B. added 9/29/2022; latest edit 1/26/2023.
On its face the military title of Ensign attributed to Richard Sr. did not make sense to this descendant. At 68 years old it would have been highly irregular in early New England civil, social and military affairs for a man to be commissioned to a subordinate position (3rd in command) well below his long established civil and social standing. In the second instance, on 11 March 1657/8 the colony troops under Maj. John Mason elected or reaffirmed Richard Lord of Hartford as Capt., Daniel Clark of Windsor as Lieut., Daniel Wilson of Windsor as Ensign, John Allin of Hartford as the Cornet, along with three Corporals (one being Richard Treat of Wethersfield) and Mr. Thomas Wells, Jr. of Hartford as the Quarter Master. In 1952 the renowned New England genealogist Donald Lines Jacobus in his well-known Hale, House and Related Families rejected John H. Treat's military title of Ensign being attributed to Richard Sr. (p. 765) noting that Richard Jr. in the Westhersfield vital records for the birth of his first child on 14 Feb. 1661/2 was recorded as "Richard, son of Ens. Richard and Sarah Treat" (Weth. VRs, 262). For these and other arguments that could be made this descendant of Richard Sr. has assigned the commission of Ensign to Richard Jr.
-------------------------
Richard Treat, Esq., the immigrant ancestor of the Treat Family of Wethersfield, Conn., the youngest known child of Robert & Honora Treat of Pitminster, Somersetshire, England. He was bapt. Aug. 28, 1584 at St. Andrew and St. Mary Church in Pitminster. He d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Feb. 13, 1668/9, the date of his will, and Mar. 3, 1669/70 when his will was proved and ordered to be recorded.
Richard is claimed by an unknown person or persons to have d. Feb. 14, 1668/69, the day after he wrote his will, but no document has been found that confirms his actual date of death. A person's estate inventory was typically taken within a matter of days after death, with Richard's taken in January 1669/70, the day not written, by three men, two who were his sons-in-law: John Deming and Robert Webster. If Richard died as claimed in February in the Gregorian calendar year of 1669, it is highly unlikely his family, let alone his creditors, would have waited 11 months to have his estate inventory taken followed by his will being proved. Accordingly, this descendant has used the year 1670 as the most likely year of Richard's death.
On Apr. 27, 1615 in Pitminster, Richard m. Alice Gaylord, the mother of all his children, dau. of Hugh Gaylord. She was bapt. in Pitminster May 10, 1594 and was living when Richard wrote his will.
The Hollister Family in America (Lafayette Wallace Case, 1886, p. 24) errantly claims Richard had a first wife named Joanna: "Lieut. John Hollister married Joanna, daughter of Hon. Richard Treat, Sr., and his first wife Joanna." Joanna (Treat) Hollister, the second child of the family, was baptized three years after the marriage of Richard and his wife Alice Gaylord. Further, the first bequest in Richard Treat's will states: "I give & bequeath to my loving wife Alis Treat after my decease..." Thus, there is no factual support for Richard Treat having had a first wife named Joanna or that Alice Gaylord was not the mother of all of Richard's known children. In addition, while he is always referred to as "Mr." Richard Treat, "Mr." Treat or "Mr." Trott as a deputy from Wethersfield to the colonial court or as "Mr." Treat etc. as magistrate (i.e., Justice of the Pease) to the court, the term Honorable was reserved for colonial governors, judges, etc. and not for magistrates. Writing in 1886, Case used a term that applied differently in late 1800s America than in 1600s America.
Case also had trouble with printing Richard Treat's will calling wife "Alis" in his will as "Mrs" Treat; instead of giving his "Great Bible to my Daughter, Honour Demon [sic, Deming]" he printed "to my daughter, Hon. Mr. Demon [sic]."
Richard, wife Alice and all of their known children emigrated circa 1637 to New England and settled in Wethersfield, Conn. The children, all bapt. of record at St. Andrew & St. Mary Chh. in Pitminster, Somersetshire, England, are:
• i. Honor (q.v. Honora) Treat, bapt. Mar. 19, 1615/6, d. in Wethersfield, Conn. before June 26, 1690; m. circa 1637, John Deming, b. in England circa 1615, and d. in Wethersfield betw. Mar 9, 1699/700 and Nov. 21, 1705. His will dated June 26, 1690 made no provision for wife Honor, presumably then deceased. Ten children of the family.
• ii. Joanna Treat, bapt. May 24, 1618, d. circa Oct 1694 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Lieut. John Hollister, who d. testate in Wethersfield in Apr. 1665. Eight children of the family.
• iii. Sarah Treat, bapt. Dec. 3, 1620, d. after June 6, 1673 prob. in Newark, NJ; m. May 20, 1644, Matthew Canfield, s. of Gregory Canfield & Joan Merrill, bapt. Feb. 27, 1603/4 in Harlestone in Northamptonshire, England. He d. Mar. 19, 1672/3 in Newark, NJ. Sarah & her husband followed Sarah's brother Robert to Newark in the Province of East Jersey, now Newark, NJ, where Robert was the principal founder in 1666 of Newark. Nine children of the family. [an ancestor of the writer's spouse followed Robert Treat to Newark and was one of the 66 founding proprietors of Newark.]
• iv. Ens. Richard Treat, Jr., bapt. Sept. 9, 1623, d. in Feb 1692/3 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. circa 1661 Sarah Coleman, dau. of Thomas, who d. Aug. 23, 1734 in Wethersfield. Four children of the family.
• v. Gov. Robert Treat, bapt. Feb. 25, 1623/4, d. July 10, 1710 in Milford, Conn.; m. 1) Dec. 25, 1647 Jane Tapp, dau. of Hon. Edmund and Jane Tapp, who d. in Milford Apr. 8, 1703. He m. 2) Oct. 24, 1705 in Milford, Elizabeth (Powell) Bryan, dau. of Elder Michael and Abigail Powell, the wid. of Richard Bryan. She was b. June 16, 1641 in Dedham, Mass. and d. Jan. 10, 1705/6 in Milford. At least seven children of the family, all by first wife Jane Tapp.
• vi. Elizabeth Treat, bapt. July 25, 1627, d. after Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of her supposed husband's will) but before her father's will of Feb. 1668/9. Per John H. Treat in 1893 (The Treat Family 485), she supposedly m. circa 1649 George Wolcott, who d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. betw. Jan. 19, 1662/63 (date of his will) and Feb. 12, 1662/3 when his estate inventory was made. George Wolcott and his wife Elizabeth had four known children, but per Donald Lines Jacobus in 1952 (Hale, House 767) there was no proof that George Wolcott was the son-in-law of Richard Treat, Sr. or that Richard Treat had Wolcott grandchildren. Otherwise, Richard's daughter Elizabeth may have been married to an unidentified Johnson and called" my daughter Johnson" in his 1669 will.
• vii. Susanna Treat, bapt. Oct. 8, 1629, d. testate in Hartford, Conn. before Nov. 7, 1705, the date her Jan. 23, 1698 will was proved (her estate inventory was taken Nov. 12, 1705); m. Nov. 10, 1653 prob. in Wethersfield, Conn., Lieut. Robert Webster, s. of Gov. John Webster & Agnes Smith, bapt. Nov. 17, 1619 in Cossington, Leicestershire, England. He was named in Richard Treat's will, was one of the will's three overseers and was a named appraiser of Richard's estate invemtory. He d. testate in 1676 in Hartford. Eleven children of the family. [they are the writer's ancestors.]
• viii. Alice Treat, bapt. Feb. 16, 1631/2; bur. as an infant in Pitminster Aug. 2, 1633.
• ix. Lieut. James Treat, bapt. July 20, 1634, d. Feb. 12, 1708/9 in Wethersfield, Conn.; m. Jan. 26, 1664/5, Rebecca Latimer, dau. of John & Ann Latimer, b. Oct. 6, 1646 in Wethersfield where she d. Aug. 23, 1734. Nine children of the family. [Rebecca (Latimer) Treat's brother John is the writer's ancestor.]
• x. Katherine Treat, bapt. June 29, 1637; m. Nov. 19, 1655 in Boston, Mass., Rev. William Thompson of New London, Conn. and Surry County, VA, latter where they purportedly died.
Initially edited 5/21/2019, N.B. added 9/29/2022; latest edit 1/26/2023.
Inscription
At the time of Richard's death, the Wethersfield Village Cemetery was the town's only cemetery. Unfortunately, by 1899 only two gravestones of those who died prior to 1700 were still extant, and Richard's was not one of them.
Family Members
Siblings
Children
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Honor Treat Deming
1616 – unknown
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Johanna Treat Hollister
1618–1694
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Sarah Treat Canfield
1620–1673
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Robert Treat Sr.
1622–1710
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Ens Richard Treat Jr
1623–1693
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Elizabeth Treat Wolcott
1627–1668
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Susanna Treat Webster
1629–1705
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Susannah Treat Webster
1629–1705
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Alice Treat
1632–1633
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Lieut James Treat Sr
1634–1709
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Matthias Treat
unknown–1662
