M. 4 Mar 1635 in Roxbury, Massachusetts2
Husband: Thomas Woodford
D. before 27 May 1662 in (probably) Hartford, Connecticut3
During the Great Migration of the 1630s, thousands of Puritans left England to make a new life in the Massachusetts colony. Most of these people came as families, or were men traveling alone. But a few were single women, and such was the case with Mary Blott.
Mary came from the heart of England, baptized in the village of Harrold in Bedfordshire on December 24, 1609.1 Her parents were Robert Blott and Susanna Selbee, and she was the oldest of their ten known children. The three who were boys all died young,4 so it was a female-dominated household. Mary’s youngest sister was still a baby when she left home.
Mary belonged to a Puritan family during a time when many were migrating to America. Most traveled over together, but Mary preceded her parents by a couple of years.3 We know this because her name turned up in the early records of Roxbury, Massachusetts as the “63rd member” of the church.3 She was described as “a maid servant,”3 which means she must have signed a contract committing to a length of service in the colony. Typically these contracts were for three years, which perfectly fits the timeline for when she arrived until she got married. While male servants would often receive land at the end of their service, women were only given food, clothing and lodging for the time they were servants.
Working as a servant. (AI-generated image)
Mary’s new husband was Thomas Woodford, and their marriage took place on March 4, 1635 in Roxbury.2 Thomas had also come over from England in 1632,4 and perhaps they were on the same ship. Mary’s parents and siblings migrated to the colony in about 1634,3 but while they stayed in the Boston area, Mary and her husband moved away to Hartford, Connecticut sometime before 1639.3 Mary gave birth to three known children, all daughters.
The Woodford family moved up the Connecticut River to Northampton, Massachusetts in about 1656,3 but it isn’t certain that Mary was still living. She was never mentioned in Northampton records or her husband’s will dated May 27, 1662,3 and it’s thought that she died in Hartford during the 1650s. Mary had some very notable descendants, including Princess Diana, Prince William, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan, Bess Truman, Humphrey Bogart, John Lithgow, Glenn Close, Katharine Hepburn, Helen Hunt, Matt Damon, Ethan Allen, Nathan Hale and J.P Morgan.5
Children:
1. Mary Woodford — B. about 1636, Roxbury, Massachusetts;4 D. 17 Apr 1684, Northampton, Massachusetts;6 M. Isaac Sheldon (1629-1708), about 1653, Hartford, Connecticut7
2. Hannah Woodford — B. about 1642, Hartford, Connecticut;4 M. Samuel Allen (1634-1719), 29 Nov 1659, Northampton, Massachusetts4
3. Sarah Woodford — B. before 2 Sep 1649, Hartford, Connecticut;4 M.(1) Nehemiah Allen (~1636-1684), 21 Sept 1664, Northampton, Massachusetts;4 (2) Richard Burke (1649-1689), 1 Sep 1687, Northampton, Massachusetts;8 (3) Judah Wright (1642-1725), 11 Jul 1706, Northampton, Massachusetts9
Sources:
1 Christening record of Mary Blott, England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Thomas Woodford and Mary Blott, U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Ancestry.com
3 Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995
4 The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999
5 FamousKin.com listing of Thomas Woodford
6 Sheldons in America (website)
7 “Isaac Sheldon of Windsor, Conn.,” NEHGR, V. 117, Charlotte Alling Hunt, Apr 1963
8 Marriage record of Richard Burke and Sarah Allen, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
9 Marriage record of Judah Wright and Sarah Burke, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
