ANDREW MESSENGER 1613-1680

[Ancestral Link: Lura Minnie Parker (Stagge), daughter of Minnie May Elmer (Parker), daughter of Mark Alfred Elmer, son of Hannah Polina Child (Elmer), daughter of Alfred Bosworth Child, son of Hannah Benedict (Child), daughter of Hannah Carter (Benedict), daughter of Hannah Benedict (Carter), daughter of Thomas Benedict, son of Thomas Benedict, son of Mary Messenger (Benedict), daughter of Andrew Messenger.]

Birth: 1615, Yorkshire, England
Death: 1680, Jamaica, Queens County, New York, USA

The surname Messenger, also spelled Massinger, Messinger, Messager, and Messanger can be found be found in various counties in England as early as 1273.

Andrew Messenger is often said to have come to American on the Hector, but there is no proof of this. He signed the Fundamental Agreement in New Haven in the New Haven Settlement on June 4, 1639. In 1640, he was one of the New Haven settlers who had land in Greenwich in the Colony of Connecticut and was considered a founder of that settlement, selling land there in 1648 to Robert Husted. He was an original settler of Jamaica, Long Island, New York and magistrate in 1661-2. In 1661 he was one of ten men to inform the Governor and Council against Quakers, and in 1662 he and his grand son-in-law, Richard Darling entered into a contract with the Town of "Rustdorp", later named Jamaica, to erect a minister's house. The price of the building, which was completed in August of 1662 was 23 pounds, one half to be paid in wheat, and the other half in Indian corn. The contract was signed by Richard Darling (who was the town clerk) and Andrew Messenger made his mark. On February 11, 1656, he was granted land in Jamaica.

Andrew Messenger was a carpenter and was referred to as "Goodman Messenger" in the records. He married Rachel (possibly Manning or Seeley) probably in New Haven prior to 1640, and they were the parents of six known children:
1. Daniel born about 1640
2. Mary (Messenger) Benedict
3. Sarah (Messenger) Palmer Gregory
4. Samuel Messenger (1645-1685)
5. Abigail (Messenger) Mills, married Zachariah Mills
6. Andrew Messenger, Jr. born 1650 in Jamaica, Long Island, married Rebecca Pickett.
Burial:Unknown
Find A Grave Memorial# 44302706
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Andrew Messinger Jr.
Andrew Messinger arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, from England on the ship, Hector, on June 26, 1637, according to Governor. Withrop's records and the list of passengers of the Hector. He came with his parents Andrew Messinger Sr. and Sarah Messinger, and two brothers, Simeon and Henry. The dates and places listed below come from the records for Henry Messinger. Most of them could apply to either Andrew Messinger, Sr. or Jr. I am listing them under Andrew Jr. as I have no way of knowing which belong to who or to both for that matter.

Andrew Messinger appears in Boston "Book of Possessions," on page 41 as an owner of land, but the book isn't dated. He was an original signer of the Fundamental Agreement at New Haven, on June 4, 1639. He and Sarah were in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1639, But he was in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1640 when, with Robert Heusted, he was witness to the purchase of the land between the Asamuck and Patomuck Rivers from the Indians. He was one of the group that endured the hardships of the subsequent founding of the town of Greenwich.

By February 1656, he was in Jamaica, Long Island. He was part of the group that was granted land by the Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant. There area was then known as Canarsie, now the south west part of Queens County, New York. The settlers also obtained a deed from the Rockaway Indians, with the restriction that they do not cut down the tall trees where the eagles nest. Andrew Messenger was allotted a house lot in the north quarter of the new town, now known as Rusdorp. In 1662, he was hired along with his son-in-law to build a house for the minister. They were paid 23 pounds in wheat and Indian corn. Andrew made several purchases of land and sold land. He and his son-in-law, Richard Darling, were asked to build a house for the minister at a meeting at Jamaica on April 11, 1662. Andrew was a carpenter. He signed with his mark and was referred to often as "Goodman Messenger" in the Jamaica records. He was Named as a Patentee of Jamaica in Govenor Nicolls' Patent on February 5, 1665.

Andrew Messinger's name was on the rate list in Jamaica in August and December of 1673. However, Andrew Messinger is recorded as being in Norwalk and buying land there in 1672. In 1673 his estate at Norwalk was valued at F25. I think Andrew Messinger, Sr. must have stayed at Jamaica and Andrew Messinger, Jr. went to Norwalk, as Andrew Jr. wrote his will and died at Norwalk. On January 3, 1678, his estate in Norwalk was valued at F225. He was a surveyor at Norwalk.

Andrew Messinger, Jr. probably married a Manning or a Seeley. He died before April 1681, when we find mention of the Widow Messenger at Norwalk.

Some of the children of Andrew Messinger, Jr were:

Abigail, married (1) in 1662, Richard Darling of New Haven; divorced July 7, 1674; married (2) Zachariah Mills.

Sarah, married (1) in 1668, Ephraim Palmer of Greenwich Connecticut, he died August 1684; married (2) before October 15, 1699, John Gregory.

Mary, married January 1665, Thomas Benedict, son of Thomas and Mary Bridgham Benedict; married (2) 1689-1693, Dr. John Hull of Wallingford, Connecticut

Samuel, born about 1649; died about 1751 in Harwinton, Connecticut; married 20 April 1669 Susannah Mills.

Andrew, born about 1650, probably at New Haven; married (1) in 1685, Rebecca Pickett St. John, widow or James St. John; married (2). Rachel Hayes; died before November 9, 1730.

Sources:
"One branch of the Miner family: with extensive notes on the Wood, Lounsberry, Rogers and fifty other allied families of Connecticut and Long Island"; New Haven: D.L. Jacobus, 1928; pg. 127.
"The Hickok genealogy: descendants of Willliam Hickoks of Farmington, Connecticut: with ancestry of Charles Nelson Hickok"; Rutland, Vermont; Tuttle Publishing Company; 1938, pg. 386.
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found on ancestry.com