1. FRANCIS BUSHNELL II (#1) (1580-1646) (son of Francis I #019)
Francis Bushnell, yeoman of Thatcham, Berkshire England, was the son of Francis Bushnell (#019) and his wife Margory (Unknown) (Bushnell). He lived in Thacham until 1639 when he emigrated to America, settling in Guilford, Connecticut, where he died in 1646.
Only a few facts are known concerning his residence in Horsham, aside from records of baptisms, marriages, and burials, which relate to his family, but these seem to indicate a continuous residence there up to the times of their emigrations.
It would appear that he was an artisan, perhaps a painter and decorator, for in 1610/11, "Frauncis Bushnell" we paid vs. (five shillings) for "cullering the funt" (of the church or altar); (From transcript of the Horsham Church Register for the Sussex Record Society, Vol. 21, 1915), also his sons were artisans, for his son Francis was a millwright, his son William a carpenter, and his son John a glazier and later a barber, while his eldest son Edmund was evidently an artisan as well as a farmer (vide).
If, as has been stated they were independents in their religious beliefs, they at least subscribed to the Church at Horsham, for by a seating list of this church dated 1626, William, Henry, John, and Mathew Grombridge had the first "Seate" for which they "paid vs. a peece" and in the "fift Seate" was John Bushnell "who hath paid xs" In the "sixt Seate" is placed Edmond Bushnell and William Bushnell who have paid for their "roome xjs," "and a Seate under the new gallery stayers for Pharis Bushnell, the wife of Frauncis Bushnell, to belong to him and his heirs for ever." In 1626/7 he was a church warden, and on 25 Mar. 1636 and 29 Sep. 1637, "Fra Bushnell" made do-nations for the "reparation of St. Pauls in London." (Transcript of the Horsham Church Register for the Sussex Society Record, Vol. 21, 1915). It is not probable that this family emigrated because of religious persecutions.
In 1635, his four living sons (William, John, Francis and Richard) left their native shore bound for America, and four years later he followed with his two daughters, Sarah and Rebecca in the company of Rev. Henry Whitfield, aboard the St. John. After they had been at sea about ten days, the company formulated a covenant, sometimes called the "Guilford Covenant" or "The Plantation Covenant," upon which his name appears third, while that of the Rev. John Hoadley, who married his daughter Sarah, appears ninth.
The company landed at Fair Haven, Connecticut between the 10th and 15th of July 1639 and two months later the deed was signed for their new settlement at Menunkatuck, purchased of the Quinipiac Indians, which they named Guilford after the shire town in Surrey from which some of the emigrants came.
He does not seem to have been very active in the affairs of the colony, although his home lot of about three and one half acres, on the N.E. corner of the roads now known as Fair and Broad Streets, was one of the choice locations. When his son Francis, Jr., came to Guilford, he acquired the lot next north of the northwest corner lot, on Fair Street while the Rev. John Hoadley had a lot on the south side of Broad Street between Fair and River Streets.
Here he resided until his death in 1646, and his will, attestted to by Mr. Henry Whitfield, the first minister and William Leete, the first Governor, at a session of the Plantation Court, held October 13,1646, was the first document of its kind to be pro-bated there. Both Mr. Whitfield and Mr. Leete as well as the Rev. John Hoadley, were "Pillars" of the First Church of Guilford.
No evidence has been presented that he had either a brother, a wife, or any other relative in America, other than his four sons and two daughters.
He signed The Guillford Compact or Convenant June 1, 1639 at Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut. It was actually signed on shipboard on the way to New England:
“We, whose names are hereunder written, intending by God's gracious permission to plant ourselves in New England, and, if it may be, in the southerly part, about Quinnipiack. We do faithfull promise each to each, for ourselves and families, and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves togeth in one intire plantation; and to be helpful each to the other in every common work, according to every man's ability and as need shall require; and we promise not to desert or leave each other or the plantation but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of.the.company.who.have.entered.into.this.engagement.
“As for our gathering together in a church way, and the choice of officers and members to be jointed together in that way, we do refer ourselves until such time as it shall please Godtto.settle.us.in.our.plantation.
“In witness whereof we subscribe our hands, the first day of June 1639.
Signed by:
Robert Richell, John Bishop, Francis Bushnell, William Crittenden, William Leete, Thomas Jones, John Jurden, William Stone, John Hoadley, John Stone, William Plane, Richard Sutridge, John Housinger, Williom Dudley, John Parmelee, John Mepham, Thomas Norton, Abraham Crittenden, Francis Chatfield, William Noble, Thomas Neish, Henry Kingston, Henry Doude, Thomas Cooke, Henry Whitfield.
Francis married Ferris Quenell, daughter of Henry Quenell and Beatrice Carter, on May 13, 1605 in Horsham, Sussex, England. (Ferris Quenell was born on April 17,1587 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died in child birth (daughter Elizabeth) on March 10, 1626/27 in Horsham, Sussex, England.)
Children from this marriage were:
2.
EDMOND BUSHNELL was born on April 27,1606 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on March 28, 1636 in Ten Hills Farm, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.
3. DEACON FRANCIS BUSHNELL III was born on January 8, 1608/09 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on December 4,1681 in Saybrook, Middlesex Co., Connecticut.
4. LT. WILLIAM BUSHNELL was born on February 3,1610/11 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on November 12, 1683 in Saybrook, Middlesex Co., Connecticut.
5. STEPHEN BUSHNELL was born on January 31, 1612/13 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on March 12, 1644/45 in Horsham, Sussex, England.
6. JOHN BUSHNELL was born on April 23, 1615 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on August 5,1667 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.
7. THOMAS BUSHNELL was born on August 30, 1617 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on September 16, 1617 in Horsham, Sussex, England.
8. MARY BUSHNELL was born on December 25, 1618 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on March 2,1628/29 in Horsham, Sussex, England.
9. REBECCA BUSHNELL was born on April 15, 1621 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on February 1, 1645/46 in Horsham, Sussex, England.
10. RICHARD BUSHNELL was born on April 20,1623 in Horsham, Sussex, England and died on July 17,1660 in Norwalk, Fairfield Co., CT.
11. SARAH BUSHNELL was born in 1625 in Horsham, Sussex, England
12. ELIZABETH BUSHNELL Was born in 1627 and died at birth in 1627
Taken from The Bushnell Genealogy Book by George E. Bushnell 1945
