Daughter of Rev. Edward Sheaffe, of Cranbrooke, Kent, England.
with a
company of Puritan refugees, led by Rev. Henry Whitfield, in the first vessel
that anchored in the harbor of Quinnipiac, now New Haven, Connecticut. While yet
on ship board themselves in a "Plantation Covenant" to "sit down and join
themselves together in one certain plantation;" and they soon after settled at
Guilford, choosing the would be out of the jurisdiction of the Connecticut
Colony. From the firs they suspected that Colony of serious defection from
Puritan principles and practice, and sought to maintain their purity and
independence by putting this safe distance between them and the
heresy.
Robert Kitchel was a leader in his community. His name
stands first among the signatures to the "Plantation Covenant," his designation
" Mr." being equivalent in English usaged of the time to Gentleman
Commoner, or some such rank of sub-noble dignity. There is evidence that
he was a man of considerable estate. The Guilford settlers were generally men of
character, culture and substance. Several of them were of University training,
and he held a large place among them in all trusts and dignities.
But their hope of security failed them; and in 1666(?)*, he and his son Samuel, with others of like spirit from Guilford, Branford, Milford and New Haven, broke up and removed to New Jersey, where they were among the leading settlers at Newark.
*original text states 1866 an obvious error.
If this story sounds
interesting or even familiar to you and you would like to know more about the
Kitchell Family may I suggest that you try the following:
Links Below: