| Notes |
- Richard is the son of Barbara Fairchild & Richard Gildersleeve, Sr.
The surname Gildersleeve is found in East Anglia from at least 1601. The name was derived from "sleeves braided with gold." Gyldensleve-Gildersleeve are recorded in County Norfolk since 1273 when Roger Gyldenesleve, landholder, was listed in the Hundred Rolls.
Richard Gildersleeve, Puritan, who lived in England about 33 years, depart for New England before 1635 in the great Puritan Exodus. RG & his family stopped at newly settled Watertown, a few miles from the sea coast. In May 1635 there were about 30 people from Watertown, Mass. RG & his family came then or in the autumn when 60 men, women & children journeyed a month from the Puritan settlements westward through the forests to find homes in the Connecticut valley. In Apr 1637, RG survives attach by Pequots natives.
. 1640 Mar 10 , "Goodman Gildersleeve" received his homestead house & 3 acres bounded by High St. on the east. This home was very near the fort on the great bend of the Connecticut river. This fort served its purpose in the Pequot raid as most all the settlers escaped.
Religious quarrels in Watertown, Mass. Bay colony, were not to his liking so he helped found Wethersfield in the Connecticut colony. After living in Stamford 3 y. & serving as magistrate in New Haven, he realized that domination was too far-reaching & oppressive & that he would not achieve the ideals or which he left England. So in the spring of 1644 RG & many Stamford settled crossed Long Island Sound to the north shore to Hempstead, then under Dutch domination. The English patentees of the town adopted a unique poly from the first in regard to land holding. Instead of dividing up vast areas of won land, they were held in reserve for portions of pastures, marshes, meadows & woods.
. In 1640 to 1660 the British Crown introduced a new POLL TAX, on every adult male & thus the need for original or descriptive names such as Smith, Sheppard, The Elder, the Younger. etc.
. The first division of land for Hempstead, Queens County in 1647 named Richard Gildersleeve, among the freeholders. Marriage of daughter Elizabeth Gildersleeve to Capt. William Lawrence.
. 1648 Nov 4, this year was marked by a revival of the dispute between Newtown & Bushwhack, respecting the meadows at Mespat Kills, the latter town, not content with the decision passed at Hempstead covering a large part of the meadows in controversy, together with some 1200 A. of upland within the Newtown patent. In defense, Newtown pleaded their Indian purchase to which were added the depositions of Richard Gildersleeve Jr. that the meadow in dispute "was laid out a long while since for Newtown, before Bushwich was a town." Former magistrates of Newton, Robt. Coe & Richd. Gildersleeve Sen, also testified that they laid out the said meadow for Newtown, by virtue of an order received from Gov. Stuyvesant. The evidence strongly favored the claim of Newtown. Mr. Robt. Coe, the high sheriff, posed that the meadow was laid out for Newtown & that they paid rates for it with their other land & Richard Gildersleeve Sen. testified that he with Mr. Coe had to lay out the meadow in dispute for Newtown & that his son paid part of the purchase thereof from the Indians.
. Roger Gyldensleve, fl.1273, land holder in Norfolk. The name was derived from "sleeves braided with gold." This was an insignia of office at the Court of Flanders before the Norman Conquest. Roger is the first occurrence of the name in England & a direct line has not yet been found. The name is found primarily in Norfolk, England, until the 1500's when it starts to occur also in Suffolk.
. A few generations missing here * see Gildersleeve Pioneers by Willard H Gildersleeve, 1941, for an account of Richard's experiences among the New England Puritans, the Indians & the Dutch & New England Historical Genealogical Register 2003 or later for additional information. Genealogy: xx Gildersleeve, is the father of: Robert Gildersleeve (1544) of Heddington, Essex, married Barbara Fairchild, are the parents of Robert, Richard, or possibly Thomas Gildersleeve (c1566) possible father of this Richard Gildersleeve 1601-1681 as follows:
. Richard Gildersleeve & his family joined the great Puritan exodus of the Winthrop fleet (1630-1640), during which 20,000 people sailed for America to escape the autocratic rule of Charles the First. "They had a 'happy voyage' of 6 to 8 weeks, contrasting with less fortunate ones that were from 3-5 months." The family then arrived in the American Colonies in 1634, at Watertown, Massachusetts.
The Watertown Puritans in Watertown, however, had established a theocracy which was even more intolerant than the British & he left Massachusetts for religious freedom in Wethersfield, Connecticut, around 1636. The first winter in Connecticut was a time of suffering & hardship, because a boat with supplies for the immigrants froze in the Connecticut River & never arrived.
. 1636 Sep 1, Richard became a surveyor, as evidenced by the record of the court, directing him to survey & inventory the estate of John Oldham, who had been killed by the Indians; also their records show that Gildersleeve was owner of 255 acres of land in that settlement.
. 1639, he was on the list of the original settlers of New Haven Colony, moving to Stamford in 1641. He was elected in 1643 as deputy to New Haven Court.
Ref: Gaylords & Gildersleeves," by Helen Gaylord Gildersleeve.
. Hempstead. In 1647 there were 57 freeholders in the [Hempstead] township & a formal division of the land was made anions' them. They included: Richard Gildersleeve, William Lawrence, William Thickstone, Thomas Willet, John Lawrence, Thomas. In 1673 the list had passed the hundred mark, as may be seen from the enumeration preserved in A'anderkemp's Translation of Dutch Records, XXII.
The original condition on which the first patent was granted was that the people should pay a tax to the Council at New Amsterdam of a tenth part of their farm produce 10 years after the first general peace with the Indians. It would seem that it was not until 1658 that the people declared their readiness to contribute to Stuyvesant's treasury. In that year they informed the Governor that they had "voted' & put upon denomination our former Magistrate, Mr. Gildersleeve & with him William Shodden, Robert Forman & Henry Pearsall," all of them known "men of honest life & of good integrity," as their Magistrates, v Stuyvesant, invariably gracious to the English settlements, at once confirmed the selection. The same year Magistrate Gildersleeve was authorized to go to New Amsterdam & arrange about the payment of the taxes, provided the Governor was reasonable in his views of the matter, as he seems to have been.
The early government of Hempstead was by town meeting, over which the influence of the Presbyterian Church was predominant until the beginning of the eighteenth century & long after that its influence in the affairs of the township continued to be important. The town meeting did everything even to the extent of naming the value of the various products of the farm & fixing the price of labor. A day's work was adjudged to be worth 2s 6d, but then a night's lodging was only valued at 2d & 2 days' wages paid for a week's board. At that rate the laborer of 1658 was at least as well paid as his brother of the present day. Attendance at church was early voted a prime necessity & it was ordered that any man or woman who did not occupy a place in the church at the Sabbath services should be fined 5 shillings - the value of a week's board, - for the first offense & 10 shillings for the second & 20 shillings for the third. Those who still absented them selves after being so mulcted were deemed incorrigible under lenient measures & were to be dealt with by means of corporal punishment & after that, if the remedy failed, were to be banished from the town. Drunkenness seems to have been one of the common faults of the brethren, if we may judge by the severe measures taken. These fines & punishments were not, however, determined as to their application by the town meeting, but after trial in the regular local court. Some of the records of that tribunal are interesting for the light they throw on the domEstic history of that early time & we quote the following from Onderdonk's "Annals of Hempstead:"
. 1658 July 25 - Richard Valentine having reported that Thomas Southard went up & down with a club, the latter, meeting him one morning as he was going about his avocations, struck him on the face. As Southard still menaced & threatened to further beat him, he took oath that he stood in danger & fear of his life & required the peace & that Southard might put in security for his good behavior. It is therefore ordered by Mr. Richard Gildersleeve, for that Thomas Southard did contemptuously resist authority in refusing to obey the marshal with his warrant & did fly the same & betook himself to his own house for his refuge, in consideration of these outrages & misdemeanors he is required to put in security for his appearance at court. And said Southard doth bind himself & all his lands, goods & chattels, to appear at court & meantime to keep the peace & good behavior.
Ref: History of Long Island.
. Richard is said to have been born at Aldeburgh Parish, on the North Sea Coast was a founder of Stamford in 1641. About 1644 he joined the group that settled Hempstead, Long Island. In 1652 he moved to Middlesburg (later Newtown), Long Island & was Magistrate. He returned to Hempstead where he was magistrate in 1658. He was on the Hempstead 1683 tax list.
. Richard Gildersleeve, Puritan, born in 1601 in Suffolk, England, came to New England in 1635 & was a pioneer in the settlements of Connecticut, Dutch New York & Long Island, as was his son, Richard 2d. The grandson, Richard 3d of Northport, founded the older line of Gildersleeve families that has spread all over America, while his brother Thomas was founder of the more numerous younger line & very prominent in St. George's Church of Hempstead.
Ref: Gildersleeve Pioneers, by Willard H Gildersleeve, 1941.
Richard was one of the 50 original proprietors of Hempstead which was part of Queens County at that time. Nassau County was Established in 1899.
Ref: The Nassau Country Historical Journal, Vol.XVIII/ Summer, 1957, No.3.
. 1657 July 25, Hempstead, Letter to Gov General of New Netherlandes, at Fort Amsterdame, Peter Stuyvesant:
Right Worshipful ye, we have recd bearing date the 17th of July we were in the understanding ye are are unsatisfied leaning some speeches from some particular man or men not being employed by the towne nor by their knowledge or consent nether doe the towne own what they have said wee hope according to the agreement made for a 100 skeepell? of wheat for the tenants ye will be content the which the towne agreed with ye & are willing to perform our desires are to embrace Mr. Dentons ministry if good be pleased to continue hime amongst us & as for yourself we have had sufficient experience of your willingness & doubt not but ye are the same by ye late free & noble offer so hoping will not take any exemptions against the whole for some particular extravagant speeches for so it will sometimes fall out where a general vote is we have sent Mr. Simone the bearer thereof he shall further inform your worship so not further to trouble your Worship present we remain in all service to command according to our power.
Signed, Richard Gildersleeve, in the name & behalf of the Towne of Hempstead.
Ref: Documents relative to the colonial history of the State of New York, 1883.
. 1658 March 28. - It is ordered that Mr. Richard Gildersleeve, Mr. John Seam an, Robert Jackson & William Foster go with Chekanow, sent & authorized by the Montauk Sachem to mark & lay out the general bounds of the town lands, to be know by marked trees & other places of note to continue forever. And in caseth at Tackpousha, Sagamore of Marsapeage, with his Indians doth come, they a ll together shall lay out the bounds.
June 188(?)0.]
. 1658 Jul 10, At a Hempstead town meeting, the town deputed Richard Gildersleeve to go down to the Manhattans to greet with the go error concerning the the, which are not to exceed 100 steeples of wheat to be delivered at the town harbor. At the same time they agreed to pay the herdsman that attended their cattle 12 shillings sterling a week in butter, corn & oats, at fixed prices. 6 bushels of corn was allowed by the town for the killing of a wolf; beer 2 pence a mug.
. 1658, November 27 - To P Stuyvesant, Fort Amsterdam, at Mannatans, Long Island. The Town Clerk transmits to the Governor the names of Richard Gildersleeve, William Schadden, Robert Forman & Henry Pearsalla. ll men of honest life - & desires him to appoint two of them magistrate s He adds, "It hath pleased God after a sickly & sad summer to give us a seasonable & comfortable autumn, wherewith we have been (through mercy) refreshed & gained strength of God, so that we necessarily have been employed in getting winter food for our cattle & thereby have prolonged our wonted time of choosing magistrates." Gildersleeve & Robt. Forman were appointed.
Signed, Inhabitants of Hempsteede, Dutch MSS., xii, 98.
. 1659 February 3. - Some of the public debts & charge of the town for the year past, brought in by the persons under named. Mr. Gildersleeve, for entertainment of the Indians, 2Ð. Mr. Gildersleeve, for one journey to the Dutch concerning the tenths, 15Ð.
. 1669 June ye 28th - Present The Governor, Inhabitants. of Newtowne.* together with Rob Does, Testimony ina Voce & Mr. Richard Gildersleeve Sen., Robt. Jacksons, & Riche. Gildersleeve Jun., deposition that this Meadow in question was laid out a long while since for Nettowne, before Boswijck was a Towne.
Ref: Minutes of the Executive Council of the prince of NY.
Note: Newtowne also known as Middleborough.
. 1669 Nov 2 - Order on Petitions from Long Island Towns
That ye Indians may not have their Law for nothing, that they may not rouble ye English for things of small moment or of no concern. So leaving ye premisses to ye Governor serious consideration desiring humbly a favorable rant & answer to ye same with our prayer. Inhabitants of Hempstead, Richard Gildersleeve, Clerk.
The Indians deny that Mautachkett Sachem right to give away their land & still insist upon, never to have been paid for it.
- That such cattle as we kill them & bring over to [New] York or other goods that we buy at Yorke may be customs free. Richard Gildersleeve. Mr. Gilderseelve saith that their right is from ye Dutch Governor who granted it by Patent to them was to be given in consideration of a Mare, some Cattle & Hoggs kill by them.
. 1671 Jul 3 - Richard Gildersleeve & Capt. John Seaman, who by vote of the town of Hemptead were sent to NY t treat with the Governor about the Eastern bounds of this Towne & in their discretion to John with M. Terry according to the conditions that were last made between the said Mr. Terry & ye Towne.
Ref: Hempstead Town Records, Vol 1, Jamaica, NY, p278.
. 1 July 13th - At a Council at Fort James. Mr. Gildersleeve & Capt. Seamans are employed by the Towne of Hempstead to make invalid Mr Terry's Grant, & to make their Clayme to Matinicock Land. It's by ye Governor recommended to them & Mr Terry to endeavour a Composure. Whereupon they came to a conclusion which was recorded.
Ref: Minutes of the Executive Council of the province of NY.
. 1675 Oct 21, at a Council. No powder nor lead to be sold in this towne to the Indians. Mr. Cornell, Captain Wm. Lawrence, from Flushing & Mr. Gildersleeve, Hempstead.
. 1677 July 3. - Richard Gildersleeve declares that Matthew Bedell owes him a bushel of wheat for a scythe he had of him & 3 bushels for the hire of a lot of meadow. Defendant owns the bushel of wheat & the 3 bushels he owned due if he found the meadow burned. John Smith says he one time met Bedell coming from the South, last summer, the latter end of mowing time, asked him what he had been doing & he said, "A mowing on Gildersleeve's lot at Cows Neck." The Court order Bedell to pay one bushel of wheat for the scythe & 3 for the meadow. -p 309.
Ref: Annals of Hempstead, Henry Onderdonk Jr.; Jamaica, L.I.; June 1880.
. 1688 Feb 10 - A letter from ye Governor to ye Inhabitants of Hempstead, Loving friends, Ye Petition or Address by Richard Gildersleeve behalfe of ye Towne, concerning the price of corne & other matters therein set forth I have preused. In answer to your scruples & dissatisfaction about my late order I have thought good to explain it to you. … no means to pay debts but collection public rates. To answer ye other particulars, I shall address at more proper times & places.
Flushing, Jamaica, New Towne & Oyster Bay, yr. loving friend, Fran. Lovelace.
Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - - [1, 2, 3, 4]
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1601 - 1681 (80 years)