Josiah STARR

Notes:

Name:
Burgis Pratt Starr in "A History of the Starr Family of New England", identified a daughter of Josiah Starr of Danbury, Connecticut, named Hannah, as the wife of ? Dibble and mother of Weakfield Dibble, who died in September 1759. Although Burgis Starr did not indicate the first name of the Dibble husband, the probate record of Ezra Dibble of Danbury names his son Wakefield Dibble.

Buris Starr claimed from Josiah Starr's probate documents that he had children Thomas, Benjamin, John, Hannah ? married to ? Dibble, Rachel married to John Benedict, Josiah, Samuel, and comfort. Even though he commented that Hannah's name was somewhat uncertain, Hannah Starr has been shown as the name of Ezra Dibble's wife since the publication of "History of the Starr Family" in 1879.

A reading of Josiah's probate documents revealed that no daughter Hannah was named. Capt. Josiah Starr of Danbury died intestate and his inventory was taken 2 February 1715/16. The Relict Rebeckah Starr and son Thomas were named administrators. John Gregory and John Cornell took the inventory and were directed by the court to distribute the estate. The inventory was valued at L980:18:1 and distributed to the widow, six sons, and two daughters.

Rebeckah, the widow, was given her thirds L328.2.6
Benjamin Starr received the double portion L145.2s, as the eldest son.
John Starr received L72.11s.
Thomas Starr received L72.11s.
Rachel Benydick and john Bennydick received L72.11s
Josiah Starr received L72.11s.
Rebecca Starr received L72.11s.
Samuel Starr received L72.11s.
Comfort Starr received L72.11s.

The first page of the distribution begins with the widow's thirds. On the second page, the first paragraph is part of the widow's thirds. It begins with a scribble that doesn't look like Hannah, but Burgis Starr probably interpreted the name as Hannah. He assumed the distribution for the daughter Rebeckah was for the widow. he should have done the math, to see the section was for the daughter, not the widow. The author made a second error, naming Thomas, who served as executor, as the eldest son, but the double portion distributed to Benjamin indicates he was the eldest.

Did Burgis Starr have another reason for calling the Dibble wife "Hannah"? The Danbury records were destroyed, so there is no marriage record, nor birth records for children, and a different wife was named in Ezra Dibble's will. Ezra Dib ble married Elizabeth (Burr) Wheeler, in Stratford, 3 April 1733, but several of the children named in his probate documents were born before their marriage, evidently to a first wife. Guardians were chosen or appointed on 5 December 1739 for Ezra's minor children. Rebecca chose John Benedict of Danbury. Wakefield chose Josiah Starr of Danbury. Comfort Starr of Danbury was appointed for Freelove, and Sammel Starr of Danbury was appointed for Elisha.

The Starrs were all sons of Josiah Starr, and john Benedict was Josiah's son-in-law. Wakefield Dibble, Ezra's son, called Comfort Starr his uncle in Wakefield's 1758 will, making it clear that the mother of Ezra Dibble's children was a daughter of Josiah Starr. There is no Hannah Starr, Rachel Starr was married to John Benedict, and therefore Rebecca Starr, daughter of Josiah, must have married Ezra Dibble.

Family/Spouse: Rebeckah ?. Rebeckah was born about 1665; died on 15 Jul 1739. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Josiah STARR was born about 1694; died in Dec 1778.
2. Benjamin STARR was born about 1684; died on 29 Nov 1754.
3. John STARR was born about 1684; died on 27 Jul 1739.
4. Thomas STARR died before 7 Mar 1733/4.
5. Rachel STARR was born about 1700; died on 7 Feb 1775.
6. Rebecca STARR
7. Samuel STARR was born about 1697; died on 29 Dec 1744.
8. Comfort STARR was born about 20 Oct 1706 in Danbury, Connecticut; died on 11 May 1763.