THE A.LL\RON ST ARK FAMILY SEVEN GE~"ERATIONS OF THE DESCENDANTS OF A.ARON STARK OF GROTON, CONNECTICUT JJy CHARLES R. STARK HISTORIAN OF THE S'.!'ARK FAMILY .ASSOCIATION llEllBER OF NEW ENGLA."'i'D IDSTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY RHODE ISLAND IDSTOBIC.U. SOCIETY NEW LONDON COU?,,"TY IDSTOBICAL SOCIETY :r-."INETEEN TWE:-.'TY -SEVEN WruGHT A.'"D Po'l'TEB Bosros. l!Ass. PRD,'TED IN U?,,'ITEI> STATES OF A)[EJ!JCA FOREWORD In presenting this history of the first seven generations of the de­ scendants of Aaron Stark we must first of all acknowledge our great indebtedness to Mr. S. Judson Stark of Pittston, Pa., who in 1875 commenced the collection of material concerning the family. Under­ taken with no a-pectation of publication, he soon became deeply interested in the subject, and the hearty and generous support and co-operation rendered by many caused the work to expand and he was enabled to gather much material which would otherwise have been irretrievably lost. The first six generations herewith submitted are almost entirely the fruit of his labor. In August, 1895, a meeting of some members of the family in an informal manner became the nucleus of an organization formed not long after under the name of "The Stark Family Association" which has for nearly thirty years met annually for social intercourse and to consider matters of histori­ cal interest pertaining to the Stark family. This Association has members in twenty-three states of the Union and in the District of Columbia. We do not claim that this work is either perfect or complete. It is needless to say that by reason of indifference on the part of some in furnishing material and help easily in their power to render, the work of the historian is made difficult. Again, family traditions and inaccurate Bible records (frequently ex 'f>Ollt facto), as well as oc­ casional errors in statement of facts which have found their way into some of our local histories, have to be practically dealt with - the wheat separated from the chaff and the truth brought out and carefully preserved. This we have to do, though it frequently happens at the expense of long-cherished family traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation, but which under the light of patient and painstaking investigation have to give way to plain statement of facts which are now as they always have been, - stubborn things to deal "ith. VVhat is here presented is only what by diligent effort we have been able to gather from the past, v.ith one object in view, '\iz., to be true to the facts as we found them, and to preserve to those of the name who shall follow us a knowledge of the Stark genealogical line, a large part of which unless so gathered and preserved must soon be lost forever. Let us hope that some younger member of the family will build on the foundation here laid a work complete to date. One branch of the Groton Starks emigrated to New Hampshire and have been inextricably confused with the family of General John Stark. So far as known no connection exists, although by tradition FOREWORD both families came from Scotland. The traditional connection is somewhat strengthened by the .(act that in the possession of the late Hon. Benjamin Stark of New London was an old ring - a family heirloom - bearing the bull's head and the motto "Fortiorum fortia facta." No connection has been established with the southem branch of the family. Apparently they are descended from James Stark. a brother of Archibald Stark of New Hampshire, who m&.,Tied Elizabeth Thornton and went to Virginia. From this marriage has come a large progeny who ha,.-e spread through Kentuck-y and the South­ west. Stark Brothers, the noted nursery men of Louisiana, are probable descendants. We would gratefully remember the service rendered by the late Hon. Benjamin Stark, who for many years made a study of the family history, the results of which were freely placed at the disposal of the family historians. Also mention should be made of the late James R. Clark of Maunie, Ill., who at the time of his death had ready for publication a history of the Stark-Fancher family. We are indebted to him for many helpful suggestions. CHARLES R. STARK. HERALDIC The origin or the "Stark" family in this country has not been definitely settled. Tradition in the Groton branch of the family makes them or Scotch ancestry. In Scotland the family name is an old one. Sir George l\Iackenzie says: Stark benreth azur a che,TOn argt. between three a.corns in chief or. and a bulls head erased of ye 2nd. in base. These of ye name are descended of one John Muirhead. 2nd. son of ye Laird of Lachop, who at hunting one day in ye forest of Cumbemauld seeing King James ye 4 in hazal'd of his life by a bull hottly w'th ye hounds, stept in betwixt ye King and ye bull and griping ye bull by ye horns, and by his strenth almost wrung ye head from him, for which he was called Stark and his posteritie after him, and bears ye rugged Bull •!I Head in theire armes. Ye old sworn of ye family has on it Stark alias Muirhead. Another account says: The family of Stark is derived from that of Muirhead of Lachop, who are derived from Muirhead of that ilk of Bothwell and can be authenticated to the 6th. century. As now prepued and authenticated. the pedigree begins in Muirhead of that ilk of Bothwell 1100 descending by Primogeniture until in the reign of Robert 2nd. of Scotland 1~7 Muirhead etc. was created Laird of Lachop. Following the same rule in 1480 John Muirhead Sro. son of the then Laird of Lachop by reason of his bravery was named John Swk. Stark in ancient Gallic meaning strength. and was given the estate of Kill=ont. The name then appears as John Swk of Kill=ont. Following down by primigenitme we find John Stark of Kill=ont in 1655 noted as a zealous Covenanter. His grandson John Stark of Kill=ont was the first one to depart from the custom by calling his eldest son Archibald. Said Archibald married Eleanor Nichols of Londonderry, Ireland, and moved to America in 1720. From this marriage came General John Stai:k or Revolutionary fame. Burke•s "General Armory" says: Starke. (Kill=ont.. Scotland, 1642) Az. a chev. betw. three a.corns in Chief or. and a bull's head erased in base of the second. Crest. A Dexter hand holding by the horns a bull ·s head erased or distilling drops of blood. Motto - Fortiorum fortia. facta. A liberal translation of the motto is "Strong Deeds of Strong Men." Stark-Scotland and America; A Bull's head. erased, a. r, (Distilling blood. p. p, r): Fortiorum fortia facta. - Boo!.: of Heraldty. CONTENTS P.\GE FIRST GE:\"ERATION. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I SECO:ll.'D GE!llERATIOS. • • • . • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 THIRD GE:\"ERATIOS'. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 8 FOURTH GE!llERATIOS. • • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 Fll'TH GE:\"ERATION. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26 St'CTB GE:\"ERATION. • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 49 SE1-"E:\"TH GE:\"ERATION. • • . • • . • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • 86 THE AARON STARK FAMILY + 1. AARON STARK, the first settler of that name, died in that part of New London that is now Groton in 1685. The place and date of his birth have never been discovered. The name of his wife is also unknown. A deposition given by him in the boundary dispute between Connecticut and Rhode Island found in the Stonington Town Rec­ ords, June 11, 1673, gives us a clue to his age: The testimony of Aaron Stark aged sixty-five years or thereabouts testi­ fieth and sayeth, that we being soldiers under Capt. John Mason with many more when we went against the Pequot Indians, we being landed in the Narragansett country when many of the Narragansetts came armed and tendered themselves to go with us in that service against the Pequots wherein they were readily accepted and marched with us through part of the Narr-a­ gansett country until they came within four or five miles of the Pawcatuck River where we made a halt when Ninicraft and Miantonomo '\\;th many others did declare unto our commander that we were come into the Pequot country and did then ad,--ise them to be very careful of themselves lest they should be destroyed. Aaron ·stark and Jacob Waterhouse appeared this eleventh day of June 1678, and made oath to what is above written before me Jom. ALLYN Jumce. Aaron Stark's first settlement was in Stonington, and frequent entries in the .. Thomas Miner Diary," between 16.53 and 1664, indi­ cate that they were near neighbors. In May, 1666, Aaron Stark was among those who were to take the freeman's oath in Stonington, and in October, 1669, he was accepted as a freeman in New London. Between these two dates he had purchased the farm of Rev. \Villiam Thompson, the Indian missionary, in that part of New London, at present Groton, situated on the summit of Stark's Hill. September SO, 1669, he sold his land in Stonington to Robert Fleming, who evidently bought it for his stepson, Thomas Rose. Aaron Stark was a volunteer in King Philip's War, and was given land in Voluntown in consideration of his service. In 1673 he claimed bounty for killing two wolves, animals which at that time abounded in Connecticut. The children of Aaron Stark were - +2. Aaron.