GEORGE FELT SR 1601-1693

[Ancestral Link: Marvin Louis Stagge, son of Lura Minnie Parker (Stagge), daughter of Minnie May Elmer (Stagge), daughter of Mark Alfred Elmer, son of William Elmer, son of John Elmer, son of Mary Kibbe (Elmer), daughter of Mary Pratt (Kibbe), daughter of Mary Felt (Pratt), daughter of George Felt, son of George Felt.]

http://www.weymouthtech.com/Genealogy/ps28/ps28_204.htm
George Felt is found in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1633. He was born in 1601, and tradition relates that he came to America with John Endicott (who reached Salem with a small party in September, 1628.) He was not among the first settlers of Charlestown, there being a few persons there in 1628, but the following year about one hundred people came with Thomas Graves from Salem, and laid the foundation of the town, which they named in honor of Charles the First. Charlestown was incorporated June 24, 1629, and the first church was organized November 2, 1632. The original town was laid out in two-acre divisions, and each settler was granted one of them for a homestead. We have the testimony of George Felt himself that the year of his advent in this town was that already named, for in 1681 he describes himself as about 80 years of age, and testifies "that the town of Charlestown gave him an house plott of two acres of land lying in the common on the left hand as you go to Cambridge betwixt the ground that was Rice Morrisses and Goble's, which is now in the hands of Thomas Welch Senr, which plott was given him about forty-eight years since."

The wife of George Felt was Elizabeth, daughter of widow Prudence Wilkinson, whose home in Charlestown was on the south side of Mill Hill, nearly adjoining that of her son-in-law. Whether he married in Charlestown, or was already married when he came, is cause for conjecture, but is probable that they were already married and brought children with them. (Note that the Rev. Joseph B. Felt states that an Elizabeth Felt died in 1662, aged 50 years. If this was the wife of George Felt, he subsequently married another of the same baptismal name. Also, the widow Prudence Wilkinson, in her will, dated "1665, 11, Month 9, day," names her son John and her daughter Eliza. Felt.)

The town of Charlestown, although at the time of its annexation to Boston in 1873, the smallest in the State, covering only about 600 acres, originally embraced within its limits the territory now contained in Wobrun, Burlington, Stoneham, Malden, Somerville, and parts of Reading, Medford, Cambridge, and Arlington. On the 10th of January 1634, it was agreed at a meeting of the inhabitants, "Yt ye inhab. undr mentioned have planting ground laid out unto them bet. the east end of the lotts above mentioned at the Creek, having new town pale on the south." Of this division "George ffelt? received four acres. This was on the "Mistick side," or beyond the river of that name and within the confines of the present town of Everett. On this side of the river he subsequently acquired considerable land, as will appear presently.

Up to this time all public business had been transacted by a general convention of the people, but this practice having become cumbersome and unsatisfactory, it was thought best to organize a new form of town government; consequently, on the 10th of February, 1634-5, the following "town order" creating a board of selectmen was passed: ---

"An ordr made by the Inhabitants of Charlestowne At a fful meeting, for the Governmt of the Towne by Selectmen:"1634. In consideration of the great trouble and chearg of the Inhabitants of Charlestowne by reason of the Frequent meeting of the townsmen in generall, and yt by reason of many men meeting things were not so easily brought unto a ioynt Issue: It is therefore agreed by the sayde townesmen ioytly that these eleuen men whose names are written on the other syde, with the advise of Pastor and teacher desired in any case of conscience, shall entreat of all such busines as shall concerne the townsmen, The choise of officers excepted, and what they or the greater part of them shall conclude of, the rest of the towne willingly to submit Vnto as their pper act, and these 13 (sic) to contineu in imployment for one yeare next ensuing the dtae hereof, being dated this: 10th of February 1634.""In wittnes of this agreement wee whose names are vnder written haue set to or hands."There were thirty-three signers to this order, among them George Felt, and it will be observed that his signature, which may yet be seen upon the ancient records of Charlestown, is written FELCH. This, or FELTCH, is thought to have been the original name, which was easily and naturally contracted into FELT. All the descendants of George have written the name Felt.

By the year 1638 the necessity of an accurate public record of their possessions was felt by the people of Charlestown, and on the 26th of the first month (March) Abraham Palmer was "chosen by the Towne for keepeing the Towne Booke, as also ato Record all pprieties of Houses, Lands, Meadow or Pasture, as any Inhabitants of ye Towne are, or shall bee possest of accord: to an ordr of Court provided in yt behalfe."Mr. Palmer, who was the second incumbent of the town clerk's office, having acocmplished this, the following entry appears upon the records: ---"1638. On th 28th day of the X month was taken A True Record of all such houses and Lands as are possessed by the Inhabitants of Charlstown, whethr by purchase, by gift from the Towne, or by allottments as they were devided amongst them by a Joynt Consent aftr the Genll Court had setked theire Bounds, by granting eight miles from the old Meeting house into the Contry Northwest Northrly, &c. the bounds of the sd Towne Lying or being bettwixt Cambridge alias New Towne, on the West South west, and Boston Land on the East as it apprs upon Record by the severll grants of Genll Courts to all the afforesd Bounds."

George Felt was found to be the owner of the following property within the limits of the town: ---"1. One Dwelling house with a garden plott, scituate on the south west of the mill hill, butting southward upon the Charls river, northeast upon crooked lane, bounded on the norwest by Nicolas Trerrice, and on the southeast by Ben. Hubbard. This is within the limits of the present Charlestown District of Boston."

"2. One milch cow common."

"3. ffive acres of wood land by estimation, more or lesse, scituate in listicke feilde, butting south upon the high way towards the south river, north upon the woodland, bounded on the west by Pru Wilkinson, and onthe east by Rob Hayle (within the present limits of Everett.)"

"4. Haulf an acre of meaddow by estimation, more or lesse, lying in mistick marshes, butting west towards the north river, bounded on the north by Will Dade, and on the south by George Bunker (within the limits of the present town of Everett.)"

"5. ffive acres of woodland by estimation, more or lesse, scituate in mistick feilde, butting northeast upon Nicolas Stowers, southwest upon Ric. Palgrave, bounded on the northwest by Phillip Drinker, and on the southeast by Rice Morrice (in the Sixth Ward of the city of Malden.)"

"6. ffifteene acres of woodland, more or lesse, scituate in mistick feilde, butting northeast upon Abr. Palmer and James mathewes, southwest upon Ed Convers, bounded on the northwest by Tho Lynde, and on the southeast by James Penberton (in Malden.)"

"7. Thirtie and eight acres of land, more or lesse, scituate in waterfeilde, butting northwest upon ffrancis Norton, southeast upon Rich Palgrave and Tho Peirce, bounded on the southwest by Edward Sturges, and on the northeast by horne pond (in the town of Woburn.)"

Thus it appears that George Felt was the owner of a very respectable property, as has previously been intimated.

On the 19th of January, 1639/40, Elizabeth Felt, the wife of George, was admitted to the communion of the First Church, and a week later, January 26th, presented her three children, Elizabeth, Mary, and George, for baptism. No record has been found to show that the father was a member of the Charlestown Church. Elder John Green, in his entry of the above mentioned baptisms, calls the name Felch, although he recorded Elizabeth, the mother, at the time of her admission to the church, as Felt.

Some time during the year 1640, George Felt obtained three hundred acres of land from John Philips, a Welshman, at Broad Cove on Casco Bay, in Maine, and by 1643 had become one of the pioneer settlers of North Yarmouth. "The advent of George Felt in Broad Cove may be said to be the birthday of North Yarmouth." This locality was then called Wescustogo by the Indians. Upon this land he built a stone house, or garrison, but his title to the property not priving sufficient, he re-purchased it in 1643 of Richard Vines, the agent of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who held a patent of all the lands embraced within the territory of Maine, east of the Sagadahoc River. After a few years' residence at Wescustogo, George Felt returned to Charlestown and took up his abode on "Mistick side," and when the town of Malden was incorporated, May 2, 1649, he was found to reside within its limits. About this time he disposed of a portion of his "Mistick side" property, as witnessed by the following deeds : ---"Know all men by these presents, that I Georg Felch, Inhabitant of Charlestown, on the Mistike syde, doe by this acknowledge that I have sould, and am payd for it, unto James Barret, of the same town, three akers of Arrable land, more or lesse, which I bought of ffrancis Mills, which sayd land lyes on Mistick syde, within the rayles, bounded on the east syde bounded on the north by Edward Carrington, and on the south by A high way. And the sayd James Barret is to enjoy and to hould the sayd three akers of land for him and his heighers for ever."In witness hereof, I, Georg ffelch, have set my hand to a bill of sale of this same, the 26th day of the 3rd moneth, 1648." This land was within the present limits of Everett.had 1 house, 1 cow, 58 ares of land. 1640: Purchased 300 acres in Casco Bay, Maine 1649: Back in Charlestown where he sold 8 acres. 1664: Sold house, barn + 74 acres, closing out his Massachusetts holdings. 1670: Purch'd 2, 000 acres at Broad Cove (Casco Bay), Maine 1680: Sold 100 acres of Casco Bay land. 1685: 2, 000 acre holding confiscated to provide holdings for new settlers. Died a charity case, Malden. Married Elizabeth WILKINSON, died 1694, Malden, Massachusetts
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GEORGE FELT
ORIGIN: Unknown
MIGRATION: 1633
FIRST RESIDENCE: Charlestown
REMOVES: Malden, Casco by 1662, Malden
OCCUPATION: Mason.
EDUCATION: He made his mark to a deed [ YLR 3:76].
ESTATE: Granted four acres planting ground in Charlestown, 10 January 1634/5 [ ChTR 12]. In early 1635 (as "George Felch") surrendered part of his ground on Mystic Side [ChTR 14]. Granted hay ground in 1635, shares of and 1 [ChTR 19, 20]. Grant of five acres on Mystic Side confirmed in 1637 [ChTR 27]. Granted a proportional share of 1 in the common in 1637 [ChTR 32]. Granted land on Mystic Side, with allotments of five, twenty and five acres, 23 April 1638 [ChTR 37]. Recorded as having one cow common, 30 December 1638 [ChTR 42]. In the 1638 Charlestown Book of Possessions, George Felt held seven parcels: dwelling house with garden plot on southwest of Mill Hill; one milk cow common; five acres of woodland in Mystic Field; half an acre of meadow in Mystic Marshes; five acres of woodland in Mystic Field; fifteen acres of woodland in Mystic Field; and thirty-eight acres in Water Field [ ChBOP 58]. On 26 May 1648 "George Felch, inhabitant in Charltown," on Mystic Side, sold to James Barret of the same town "three acres of arable land ... which I bought of Francis Mills, which said land lies on Mystic Side" [ChBOP 103-04]. On 1 April 1649 "Georg[e] Felch, of Charltown," sold to Gardy James of the same town "half my ten acre lot, lying on Mystic Side, the other half of which lot my mother Wilkinson occupieth and enjoyeth" [ChBOP 104]. On 1 November 1664 "George Felt of Casco, mason, and Elizabeth his wife" sold to John Phillips of Boston, yeoman, all that his messuage, tenement and dwelling house, with the barn, outhousing and land and meadow ground" in Charlestown and Malden, "that is to say his houselot containing nine acres ..., one other parcel of land containing nine acres ..., one other parcel of land belonging to the houselot containing twenty acres ..., sixteen acres and a half of swamp ..., two acres of land in Charlestown common ..., twenty-four acres of land in Charlestown commons on Mystic Side near Spot Pond and in the second division ..., [and] fourteen acres of meadow"; the grantor made his mark, as "George Felt Sen[io]r" [ MLR 3:154-55]. On 23 June 1680 "George Felt Senior" of Casco Bay, planter, sold to "Walter Gyndall of Spurwinke, yeoman," one hundred acres of upland "on the westward side of George Felt's old house in Casco Bay ... with four acres of fresh meadow, lying about three miles from Felt's old field, and two acres of salt meadow at the head of the Great Cove" [YLR 3:76]. In an undated petition addressed to Sir Edmund Andros, Governor of the Dominion of New England [1686-9], "George Felt Senior of Maulden" complained that "having about eighteen years since purchased of one Jno. Phillips of Boston Gent. late deceased a farm or plantation at a place called the Great Cove (in Caskoe Bay) containing about two thousand acres of upland and marsh as by a firm deed under said Phillips hand and seal &c. for which I then paid him sixty pounds money, and improved said farm or plantation several years before I bought it so that the whole time of my occupying of it was about one and twenty years but some time after the late Indian war it was withheld from me by some of the inhabitants of said town of Caskoe Bay and being by said war much impoverished I could not recover it out of their hands. I also am forced to suffer for want of convenient care taken of me in my present distress being about eighty-seven years old and very crazy and weak," upon which Felt asked for "a confirmation of his said land under such moderate quitrent &c. as well as an order to the townsmen of Maulden abovesaid for something at present to relieve your petitioner in this his extreme poverty &c." [ Doc Hist ME 6:336-3 7 (placed among petitions dated in March 1687/8)]. On 20 March 1727[/8] Moses Felt of Rumney Marsh, husbandman "son of George Felt formerly of North Yarmouth in Casco Bay" yeoman, deceased, and George Felt of Salem, blockmaker "Grandson of the sd George Felt"...whereas the sd George Felt formerly bought of John Phillips of Casco Bay aforesaid a certain tract or parcel of land lying at Broad Cove in North Yarmouth, containing three hundred acres, and also three acres of salt marsh at Broad Cove and four acres of Fresh Meadow at some distance..., "which the aforenamed George Felt again purchased of the agent of Sir Ferdinando Gorges about the year 1643 and the said Felt built an house thereon and lived in it and possessed and improved the sd land and Premises above forty years without molestation and until the year 1684," excepting one hundred acres which the said George Felt sold in the year 1680 to Walter Gendal. "And the said George Felt in the year 1684 gave and granted the remaining two hundred acres ... unto the said Moses and George Felt to be equally divided between them who continued in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said house and land until drove off by the Indians in the year 1688" [YLR 12:316-17].

BIRTH: By about 1614 ("deposed 20 (11) 1654" aged about 40 [ Pope and GDMN H 228, presumably from Middlesex Court Files]; the age given in his petition of about 1688 is probably exaggerated by about a decade).

DEATH: Malden after 1692 [Pope (claiming support from the town to that date)].

MARRIAGE: By 1635 Elizabeth, daughter of widow Prudence Wilkinson [ChBOP 104]; she was admitted to Charlestown church 19 January 1639/40 [ ChChR 10]; apparently died after 1692 [Pope (claiming support from the town to that date)].

CHILDREN:
i ELIZABETH, born say 1635; baptized Charlestown 26 January 1639/40 [ChChR 48]; married Malden [blank] November 1655 William Laraby.

ii GEORGE, born say 1637; baptized Charlestown 26 January 1639/40 [ChChR 48]; married Falmouth 25 November 1662 as her first husband Philippa Andrews [ TG 3:54-56].

iii MARY, born say 1639; baptized Charlestown 26 January 1639/40 [ChChR 48]; married Malden [blank] April 1660 James Nichols.

iv MOSES, baptized Charlestown 20 December 1641 [ChChR 50 (both Savage and Pope misstate the year as 1640)]; apparently died by about 1650.

v AARON, living in 1685 [YLR 5:37]; apparently unmarried.

vi MOSES, born about 1651 ("made many dep[ositions] at ages 63 to 93, all reck[oning] to 1650 or 1651" [GDMNH 229]); married by about 1677 Lydia Mains, daughter of John Mains [GDMNH 229].

COMMENTS: "One George Felce, (Felch or Felt), son of Wm., baptized 28 February 1609-10 in Leighton-Buzzard, Bedfordshire, was noted absent at the manorial muster 29 May 1634" [GDMNH 228]. This clue, though it does not constitute proof of origin, is worth further inquiry. George Felt was admitted an inhabitant of Charlestown in December 1633, and appeared in lists of Charlestown inhabitants dated 9 January 1633/4 and January 1635/6 [ChTR 9, 10, 15]. On 10 February 1634/5 he was one of those agreeing to establish the office of selectman [ChTR 13]. The following petition falls in Lechford's notebook between records of late 1640 and early 1641: To the right wor[shipfu]l the Governor Council and AssistantsThe humble petition of James Pemberton, Prudence Wilkinson widow, Lewis [H]ulett, George Felt, George Knowe[r], John Greenland and Thomas Whittimore. The petitioners show that whereas they having been heretofore inhabitants in Charlestown and could not there have accommodation to live comfortably they were forced to crave leave of the Court to build and plant upon Mystic Side which they did by the leave of the Court aforesaid and have expended a great part of their estates therein. Some of the town endeavoring to straighten the petitioners and to hinder others from coming to them as they say, have procured diverse orders to be made in the town meeting which to the petitioners are very prejudicial.... These things your petitioners humbly desire the Court in their wisdom to consider and to order that they may have a convenient common allowed them and may have equal remedy in their said grievances ... [Lechford 365]. The petition of about 1688 and the deed of 1728 disagree on several facts, and have been the subject of controversy. The claim that the immigrant originally purchased from Sir Ferdinando Gorges in 1643 must be incorrect, but on most other particulars there is agreement. The statement has been made the John Phillips mentioned in one document is not the same as the John Phillips in the other needs special attention [GDMNH 228]. This JOHN PHILLIPS first appeared in Dorchester, then moved early to Boston and had many interests in the Casco area [GDMNH 547 (Deacon John, biscuit maker of Boston)]. In 1664 George Felt, calling himself of Casco, sold all his Charlestown and Malden lands to "John Phillips of Boston, yeoman," and four years later "John Phillips of Boston, baker," with the consent of his wife Joanna Phillips, sold these same parcels of land [MLR 3:154-55, 304-05]. Referring to Felt's petition, if we do allow the dating of early 1688 and count back twenty-one years, we arrive at about 1667; as the twenty-one years stated in the petition had ended some time before the petition itself was composed, the purchase by Felt from Phillips in Casco would have happened a little before 1667. It would appear, then, that Felt and Phillips had exchanged land, Felt getting two thousand acres in Casco Bay in return for all his holdings in Charlestown and Malden. Since George Felt Sr. was certainly in Casco by 1664, and his son of the same name was there by then as well, it is puzzling that the distinction between Sr. and Jr. does not appear in the records until some years later. Some of the public service and other appearances in Maine records during this period may apply to the father and not the son.
found on ancestry.com

The following was excerpted from a newspaper clipping recording the activities of a meeting of the Daughter's of the American Revolution, of which Charlotte Frances Wilder was elected Historian. "The Polly Ogden Chapter, D.A.R., met last Monday with the Regent Mrs. E. B. Purcell. Election of officers resulted as follows: Regent, Mrs. Purcell; Vice-Regent, Mrs. Irish; Recording Secretary, Mrs. Fox; Resgistrar, Mrs. _areham; Treasurer, Mrs. Daughters; Historian, Mrs. Wilder; Chaplain, Mrs. Fisher: Recording Secretary, Mrs. Brink. The roll call brought out, at request of the regent, a story of the ancestors. Nearly all had given, in the past, most interesting stories. Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Irish added a few bright items. Mrs. [Josephine Wilder] McCullough, from Delavan, read from her mother's [Charlotte Felt Wilder] family [history], and gave the fact that the first generation [of Felt's] came in 1628, and brought land in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1633. A "coat of arms" is recored in Berry's Heraldica:" "gu, a buckshead, a crest on a coronet, or a stag, passant, ppr." The family [of George Felt (1601-1693) and Elizabeth Wilkinson (1601-1694)] were admitted to 1st Church to communion in 1639, and three children baptized. [In 1639, the family consisted of Margaret, Elizabeth, George and Mary]. The romances and love stories were in every generation. One daughter married Jason Dunster, a descendant of President Henry Dunster, first president of Harvard college. One married a famous Indian scout. The sons served in the French and Indian Wars. In one family, there were six sons and two daughters [children of Aaron Felt (1716-1769) and Mercy Waite (1716-1769) living at Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts. Respectively, they were Mary, Aaron, Peter, Joshua, Jonathan, Samuel, Joseph, and Sarah.] Five of these sons were in the Revolutionary War. One of these sons was the grandfather [Samuel Felt (1755-1826)] of Mrs. McCullough's mother, Mrs. Charlotte Felt Wilder, a member of the local chapter D.A.R. One of these brothers, a Captain in the army, was called by Charles Endicott, on account of his bravery, "the hero of the Bristish repulse," [at Concord?]. One enlisted January 25, 1776, an officer, and had a son who was a 2nd lieutenant on a guard ship. One marched from Dedham at the Lexington alarm [probably Benjamin Felt]. Another [probably Oliver Felt] was at Lexington under Col. [William] McIntosh. One served in the Continental army in 1777, but Mrs. McCullough's direct ancestor [Samual Felt (1755-1826)], served at the Lexington alarm in Col. [Ebenezer] Bridge's regiment. He enlisted four times. Several of the sons of this family served in the war of 1812. The last record in the line is that of Mrs. McCullough's own grandfather, Col. Elijah Felt, (1799-1849), who died in Worcester, [Massachusetts], in 1848 [sic.] The dainty refreshments served before the close of the session were enjoyable, as was the Victrola music of Schumann Henke, a record that was brought by Mrs. Daughters."
found on ancestry.com

Life History of George Felt (1601-1693)
1628-1693, Massachusetts and Maine
The following is a quick summary of the facts of the life of George Felt taken from the Felt Geneology. It is suggested that George Felt immigrated from England to Salem, Massachusetts, with John Endicott, in September of 1628. He migrated to Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1633, where he testified in 1681, at the age of about 80 years, "that the town of Charlestown gave him a house plott of two acres of land lying in the commom...." George's wife was, Elizabeth Wilkinson, the daughter of widow Prudence Wilkinson, also of Charlestown. George and his family apparantly prospered, acquiring much additional land until in 1638, a town inventory of resident's property reveals that George Felt owned: a house with a garden plot, one milch cow, 25 acres of assorted woodlands, and 38 acres of wetlands, or marsh, encompassed by the town of Malden, Massachusetts. On January 26, 1639-40, Elizabeth and her three children, Elizabeth, Mary, and George were admitted to the First Church of Charlestown, and baptised. No mention of George as a member at this time. Sometime in 1640, George obtained 300 acres of land at Broad Cove on Casco Bay, in Maine, "and by 1643 had become one of the pioneer settlers of North Yarmouth, Maine." He sold part of his Charlestown holdings in 1648, and by 1664, had disposed of the rest of it, and described himself as of "Casco in New England, mason." Around 1670, he added to his estate a "purchase from John Philips, of 2,000 acres of land at Broad Cove, Maine, for which he paid the sum of sixty pounds. He had already lived upon it three years and improved it." This property was in the vicinity of North Yarmouth which was subsequently deserted by the settlers, apparantly, including George and his family, during the Narragansett Indian Wars from 1675-78. The family returned around this time and lived on their property until 1684, when by a miscarriage of justice, since there was apparantly no title recorded as to his ownership of the 2,000 acres, it was grabbed up by a land developer, a Walter Gendall of Spurwink, who had legally purchased from George, a parcel of 100 acres, but laid claim to whole of it for the laying out of the town. This was accomplished apparantly, by "claim to defect in the title, and was divided among the new comers", who repurchased the land from Gendall. Neither George, or his heirs were ever able to recover his claim to the land. George and Elizabeth continued to live at Casco Bay until 1681, when he returned to the town of Malden, Massachusetts, presumably aged and feeble, where they became recipients of town charity. In 1684, George sold what was left of his property at Casco Bay to his son and grandson. He died at Malden in 1693, at the age of 92, followed by his wife, Elizabeth, in 1694. A perfect, rags to riches to rags again story. The couple had a large family of six or seven children: Elizabeth, Mary, George, Moses, Aaron, and possibly a Peter. Another son, Moses, probably died in childhood. (p. 9-19).
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