Everett F. Bingham, in NEHGR 142:253-254, says: "William Backhouse
(sic) was listed as an apprentice to William Nutt of Grimesthorpe, near
Sheffield, [Yorkshire] had been given his freedom in 1627, and in 1631
was admitted to membership in the Sheffield Culters Company. This placed
him as a member of that company at the same time as Thomas Bingham, Sr.,
husband of Anna (Fenton), and father of Thomas Bingham, Jr. (the immigrant
ancestor of Binghams in America.)"
Births for the five children of William Backus who immigrated to
America are listed in the Sheffield, Yorkshire parish registers, burials
of two more children who died young in England, and the burial of his wife,
Elizabeth (last name unknown) in 1643.
There can be little doubt this William Backhouse is the William Backus
of Saybrook, Conn because he used a unique "trademark" for his signature,
which was a W directly over a B, likely used to "sign" his cutlery products.
This same mark is found on papers he signed in England as well as on his
will, in Connecticut. Additionally, the names of the children recorded
in the parish register match the names of the children of the American
William Backus. These facts, coupled with the man in Norwich referred to
his cutlery tools in his will leaves no doubt that the person referred
to in the three locations and records are the same man.
William Backus, English immigrant was a cutler. He settled in Saybrook,
Conn, as a widower with grown children, by 1659. He was on the list
of the original 35 settlers who paid Uncas, the Mohegan chief, 70 pounds,
for the nine square mile parcel of ground to become Norwich, Connecticut.
Born: "Probably about 1606" (NEHGR
142:254, 1988), Note that 18 years before youngest child's birth would
be 1610.
Immigrated: By 1659, ship unknown (The
William Backhouse immigrant of 1637 either died soon after arrival,
or if that immigrant was William, returned to England soon after. The 1637
immigrant was likely a different man. There is no record in America after
1637 of a William Backus until the reference to our William Backus in Saybrook
in 1659 (Bingham genealogy say 1657.). The later kids of our William Backus
were born in England after 1637.) Arrived as a widower, kids in 1659 would
have been 19-31 years of age.
Spouses:
1) Elizabeth (last name unknown), md by 1628, she was born by 1610,
buried at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England February 9, 1643, age about 33.
Seven children, two died young.
2) Mary (Fenton) Bingham, widow of Thomas Bingham, Sr. and mother
of Thomas Binghams, Jr, American immigrant in 1659 in Saybrook, Conn. Late-life
marriage, he was probably in his mid-fifties. No children. She died May,
1670, in Norwich.
Occupation: Cutler, worker with steel,
probably especially knives. Work records for the Sheffield Company have
been found in England, and he referred to his cutlery tools in his will.
Founder of Norwich, Conn: The Backuses
were founders of Norwich. William, Jr., Stephen and step-son Thomas Bingham
are all listed as founders of Norwich in most lists that are made of that
prestigious group. William, Sr acceded the "official honors", of being
a first time land owner to his younger son Stephen.
Died: Probably shortly before June, 1664,
when the inventory of his estate was taken, at Norwich, Conn, age about
60.
Estate: He left a will, dated
Jun 12, 1661, inventory taken June 7, 1664. (New London Probate, 1646-1666,
143-4). All of his children are named, corresponding with the baptism records
in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, some 30 years earlier.
Notable Backuses include American Express
founder Timothy Chapman Backus, Revolutionary War General Jedidiah Huntington,
and Inca explorer and historican and early aviator and Connecticut Governor
Hiram Bingham, and General George McClellan - Union Army Commander-in-Chief.
Sketches on Notable In-laws, many of whom are ancestors of branches of
Backuses, include Jonathan Edwards, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Silliman,
the father-son Jonathan Trumbulls, and many others.
Identity of First Wife of Immigrant
William, the Father
Apparently no progress has been made over the years in identifying
the ancestry, and surname, of William's first wife, Elizabeth. Savage (Dictionary
of New England Genealogy) used the name Sarah Gardiner for her, but the
consensus of researchers now is that Sarah Charles was the first wife of
William's son, William. See next note.
Who is Sarah Charles the Wife of?
There are some earlier genealogies out there that have an error
that is being repeated. It is now proven and known that Sarah Charles was
the first wife of William Backus, Jr., the son of the elder immigrant.
Some genealogies report her as the wife of the elder immigrant. This is
based on both the wills of Sarah Charles father and William Backus, Jr.
This error is from repeating the work of Savage, whose published work predated
the Civil War. His work is a valuable aid in New England genealogy, but
it does have errors, and this one of them. (For example, see NEGHR, Vol
142, p. 253-4, 1988)
When Did William Migrate?
Reports continue to persist that William migrated in 1637 without
any explanation for son Stephen being born in England in 1641 and his baptism
recorded there, and his wife's burial recorded there in 1643. I think it
more likely that he migrated after his wife's death. The Bingham genealogy
speculates that the Bingham's were Cromwellians and came over after the
death of Cromwell in 1658-9, as the pro Anglican/Catholic forces took charge
in England again. Among other reasons, Saybrook was a Puritan town, and
an Anglican might more likely migrate to Virginia during that period of
time. If that is so, that might be a plausible explanation for William
also, as he worked with Thomas Bingham at the Cuttler's Company in Sheffield
as cutlers. Might they not share the same beliefs?
Notwithstanding the reports that he migrated in 1637, the first record
of William Backus is reported in the Bingham Genealogy of 1927, pg 75,
when Backus is a name listed as present at a Saybrook town meeting on January
7, 1657.
Name of Second Wife of William,
the Father
The Bingham work of 1927 consistently uses the name "Stenton" for
Thomas Bingham's second wife, who later married William Backus. A Backus
researcher reports in Vol 143 of the NEGHR, Pg 24, that the correct name
is Fenton. He cites a misunderstanding of the double "ff" in olde English
style writing for "st" as the source for the misunderstanding. This lady
is the matriarch of all Binghams in America eminating from Thomas Bingham,
as she was his natural mother.
The first name is of some confusion also. The name used in English
church records is "Anna". The name on her son's tombstone in Windham, CT,
a photograph of which appears pg 157a of Bingham's genealogy, is "Mary".
The genealogies I have seen have discounted the Mary and use Anna instead.
I submit that many people, even of that time, used more than one name,
and favored one name over another at different periods in their lives.
I think rather than "Mary" being outright "wrong" as the Bingham genealogy
claims, that she probably used both names in her lifetime.
Bingham Notes
Although in-laws to me, the Bingham genealogy is tied in with ours,
so might comment on one issue. There apparently is confusion on the death
date of Thomas Bingham, the father of the 18 year old American immigrant
in 1659-60. The 1927 Bingham work makes a case for him dying on the ocean
voyage in 1659-60. The author cites a family tradition and then adds that
it is a nice explanation that "fits". The later Backus update in Vol 142
of the NEHGR indicates that Mr. Bingham died in February, 1648, and cites
Hale, House, 452; which I have not seen.
1 William Backus I 1606 - 1661 .... +Elizabeth 1610 - 1643 Immigrated
to Saybrook, then Norwich, Conn in late 1650;s .... 2 Stephen Backus 1641 - 1695 .......... +Sarah Spencer 1644 - 1707 Moved
to Canterbury, Windham Co, Conn ........... 3 Sarah Backus 1668 - 1742 ................. +David Knight 1656 - 1744 Lived in Woodstock, Canterbury,
and, finally, Norwich, Conn .................. 4 Joseph Knight 1705
- 1739 ........................ +Sarah Read 1711 -
Lived and died in Norwich, Conn ........................ 5 Anna "Hannah"
Knight 1735 - 1809 .............................. +Daniel Baldwin
II 1731 - 1816
Both born in Norwich, Conn; moved to Vermont after the Revolution ............................... 6 Elijah
Baldwin 1756 - 1841 ............................... *2nd Wife of
Elijah Baldwin: ..................................... +Polly
'Patty' Richardson 1768 - 1812
Elijah served in the Revolution, moved to Vermont aftewards. ...................................... 7
Ezra Baldwin 1805 - 1892 ...................................... *2nd
Wife of Ezra Baldwin: ............................................
+Lydia Eaton 1810 - 1872
Born and raised in Vermont, followed his sons to Iawa, then Kansas ............................................ 8
Henry Gilbert Baldwin 1836 - 1894 ..................................................
+Eleanor Serepta Fisher 1843 - 1924
Civil War Veteran, Ottawa Co, Kansas Pioneer in the 1860's ...................................................
9 Arthur Willis Baldwin 1876 - 1961 .........................................................
+Inez Evangeline Hallock 1886 - 1976 .
