William Sydenham1

M, #2093
Last Edited: 13 Dec 2010

Family:

Frances (?)

Child:

Notes

  • Note*: "The parentage of John Sydenham [of Newark, N. J.], who was probably born ca. 1680-1690, is unknown. He may have been the son of William and Ann who had a daughter Sarah born 10 March 1682 at Boston ('9th Report of Records Comm.', Boston, p. 158). On 29 March 1697 an Ann Sydenham was made a freeman of New York ('Burghers and Freemen of New York' [Coll. NYHS], p. 60). This William Sydenham is assumed to be son of William Sydenham and Frances, the father being first recorded at New York, 24 Nov. 1675, when he took the oath of allegiance ('Minutes of the Common Council 1675-1696', 1:12). He appeared as attorney for John Robinson at a court of sessions at Jamaica on 14 June 1676, and was in Albany on 13 April 1678 when he was sued for 20 beavers by Johannes de Peyster (A.J.F. Van Laer, 'Minutes of the Court of Albany, etc.' 2:312-4). William Sydenham 'pere' was made Sheriff of Fairfield County under Andros on 2 Nov. 1687 ('Col. Rec. Conn.' 15:472f.) and is on record as residing in Fairfield, Conn., 1684-9 and his wife Frances 'on behalf of her husband' until 1691. (D. L. Jacobus, 'Fam. of Old Fairfield'). After Andros was removed from power, they may have fled to that 'island off the coast of Long Island,' as no further records have been uncovered in Connecticut, Massachusetts or New York. Published records of Block Island and Fisher's Island have been searched without success. Possibly, William Sydenham and Frances returned to England or took ship for another British colony."1
  • Note: "Sedenham, William. Sheriff, Fairfield County, under Andros, 1687.
    With Nathan Gold, Jr., William Sydenham witnessed a deed given by Nathan Gold, Sr., 17 Mar. 1684/5. William 'Sedenam' entered land at Fairfield, 7 Mar. 1689/90, previously purchased from Joseph Rowland. On 29 June 1688, Dr. Peter Bulkley mortgaged his Fairfield property to Francis Foxcraft of Boston, the deed being witnessed by Thomas Hill and 'frances' Sedenham; and on 31 Mar. 1691, Mistress Sedenham of Fairfield as attorney for Mr. Foxcraft entered caveat against house and land of Mr. Peter Bulkley, foreclosure proceedings being contemplated.
    We suppose that the wife of William was Frances; but as Mr. Foxcraft's name was also spelled 'frances' in the same document, hesitate to affirm it positively."2

Citations

  1. [S501] Wachter, Evelyn Sidman, "The Sydenham-Sidman Family of Newark, N.J.", The American Genealogist Vol. 50, No. 4 (October 1974) :193.   Wachter--Sydenham-of-Newark-NJ.pdf
  2. [S232] Jacobus, Donald Lines, History and genealogy of the families of old Fairfield (Baltimore: reprinted Genealogical Pub. Co., 1976), p. 524.