Henry Botsford [my ninth great grandfather] was born 412 years ago, 15 June 1608, in Sundon, Bedfordshire, England to Edward and Alice Prior Botsford.  He was baptized there in 1608.  By 1640, he was in the colony of Connecticut as he married Elizabeth Woolhead, daughter of Thomas and Alice Labert Woolhead.  The couple were the parents of six children: Elnathan (1641) [my 8th great grandfather], Elizabeth (1643), Mary (1643) [twins], Hannah (1645), Esther (1647), and Ruth (1649).

From the Botsford Genealogy, The Line of Samuel, 1.1.3, Vol 1:

p 39 –

“Henry was a Connecticut planter in 1639.   Henry Botsford joined the church 25 July 1644.  He was a corporal in the Army against he Dutch 1654.  His will was drawn 1 February 1685/6.  Inventory was taken 15 April.  Elizabeth died 1692.

“Henry was undoubtedly an individualist but he believed in conforming to the accepted standards.  He did join the church after a few years because church membership was considered almost essential in the new settlement [Milford, Connecticut].

“Although he may have avoided payment of the detested ship’s money as “taxation without representation”, he seems to have been a strict observer of all the self imposed laws and restrictions of the community.  His sound judgement and integrity were quickly recognized by his neighbors as show by the long list of offices which he filled. He was called upon to settle boundary disputes and similar problems.  He was a keen student of human nature.  His will, carefully protecting the rights of his faithful wife, Elizabeth, and the claims of his children, is a remarkable document.  He distributed his very considerable land estate with great thoughtfulness and justice.”