Godfrey Nims^[1]

1650 - 1704  (54 years)

• Name	Godfrey Nims  [2, 3]
  Birth	1650	, , , England   [4]
  Gender	Male
  Fact 1	Godefrois Nismes
  Fact 2	Huguenot?
  Fact 3	1667
  	Northampton, Massachusetts
  Fact 4	Soldier in King Phillip's War.
  Fact 5	18 May 1676
  	Engaged in the "Falls Fight".
  Residence	1679	Hatfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA   [5]
  Death	14 Mar 1704	Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA   [4]
  Burial	Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA   [4]
  Person ID	I772	Master
  Last Modified	28 Jun 2021

  
  

  Family 1	Mary Miller,   b. 24 Dec 1653, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA d. 27 Apr 1688, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 34 years)
  Marriage	26 Nov 1677	Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
  Children	1. Rebecca Nims,   b. 12 Aug 1678, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 30 Aug 1678, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 0 years) + 2. John Nims,   b. 14 Aug 1679, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Dec 1762, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 83 years) + 3. Rebecca Nims,   b. 14 Aug 1679, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Feb 1704, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 24 years)   4. Henry Nims,   b. 20 Apr 1682, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Feb 1704, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 21 years) + 5. Thankful Nims,   b. 29 Aug 1684, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 11 Jul 1746, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 61 years) + 6. Ebenezer Nims,   b. 14 Mar 1686, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Dec 1762, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 76 years)
  Family ID	F225	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Feb 2018

  
  

  Family 2	Mehitable Smead,   b. 2 Jan 1668, Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA d. 4 Mar 1704, , , Massachusetts, USA (Age 36 years)
  Marriage	27 Jun 1692	Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA   [6]
  Children	1. Thomas Nims,   b. 8 Nov 1693, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 10 Sep 1697, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 3 years)   2. Mehitable Nims,   b. 16 May 1696, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Feb 1704, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 7 years)   3. Mary Nims,   b. 28 Feb 1698, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Feb 1704, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 6 years)   4. Mercy Nims,   b. 28 Feb 1699, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 29 Feb 1704, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA (Age 5 years) + 5. Abigail Nims,   b. 27 May 1700, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA d. 19 Feb 1748, Oka, Lac des Deux Montagnes, Québec, Canada (Age 47 years)
  Family ID	F226	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	28 Jun 2021

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 1650 - , , , England Marriage - 26 Nov 1677 - Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA Residence - 1679 - Hatfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA Marriage - 27 Jun 1692 - Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA Death - 14 Mar 1704 - Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA Burial - - Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  The background of Godfrey Nims of Deerfield, Massachusetts is a mystery. One family tradition has it that he was a Huguenot, came to America as a lad, at first spelled his name Godefroi de Nismes, but changed the spelling to suit the colonial pronunciation. Others suggest he was of English birth with French ancestry. No documentary evidence has been found to verify any country of origin despite the efforts made over the years by The Nims Family Association. The first official record of Godfrey Nims appears on September 24, 1667, in a Springfield, Massachusetts, court record. The transcript follows: James Bennet, Godfrey Nims & Benoni Stebbins, young lads of Northampton being by Northampton Commissionrs bound over to the Corte to answer for diverse crimes & misdemeanors committed by them, were brought to this Corte by ye Constable of yt Towne wch 3 lads are accused by Robert Bartlett for that they gott into his house two Sabbath dayes when all the family were at the Publike Meeting: On ye first of wch tymes, the vizt. 24 shillings in silver & 7s in Wampum with the intention to run away to the French: Al which is by them confessed, wch wickedness of theirs hath also been accompanyd with frequent lying to excuse & justify themselves especially on Nims his pt, who seemes hath been a ringleader in their vilainys: ffor all wch their crimes and misdemeanors this Corte doth Judge yt the said 3 lads shalbe well whipt on their naked bodys vist, Nims & Bennet with 15 lashes apiece & Bononi Stebbins with 11 lashes. And the said Nims & Stebbins are to pay Robert Bartlett the summe of 4L being counted treble according to law for what goods he hath lost by their meanes.? History tells us Godfrey Nims was off to a rough start in America, as all of us have had occasions in our life that we had to rise above, and better ourselves. This is exactly what Godfrey Nims did over 300 years ago. The records of Massachusetts list Godfrey Nims as one of many from Northampton who signed a petition in 1668 requesting relief from taxation on goods brought into the colony?s ports. He also appears with others when taking the Oath of Fidelity to the government on March 25, 1672/3, at the County Court at Northampton. Family folklore tells us that Godfrey soon came to Deerfield, Massachusetts around 1670, possibly being one of the third to settle here. A deed dated 1679 gives the first written confirmation that Godfrey settled at Deerfield. He later shared in the holding of public offices, including constable, tax collector, selectman and a member of the school committee. In 1677 he married Mary Miller Williams a widow. Her husband Zebediah had been killed by Indians. After Mary?s death in 1688, Godfrey married Mehitable Smead Hull in 1692, another widow. Godfrey had six children with Mary and five with Mehitable, in addition to caring for two stepchildren each that the widows brought to the marriages. The records reveal, Godfrey Nims joined the Puritan society in the Connecticut Valley. He learned to make his living as a cordwainer, (shoemaker) as well as a farmer. The present day White Church, town office, town hall and Memorial Hall all stand on land formerly owned by Godfrey. J.R. Trumbull?s History of Northampton, Massachusetts describes Godfrey as ?the owner of considerable property and an honored and respected citizen.? Godfrey Nims grew up from being a young lad in trouble with the law to having a good life in Massachusetts, with a family of 15 children. Godfrey Nims bought land in Deerfield in 1674. He was among the first earlier permanent settlers here. In 1692 he bought lot No. 27 and November 21, 1694 he bought lot No. 28. These two lots united became the Nims home lot, and has never been out of the family. The present house standing is more than two hundred years old. He endured grave hardships in his life. May 19,1676 he served in the Falls Fight against the Pocumtuck Indians. Approximately 140 settlers marched into the dead of night into the wilderness to surprise the Indians at the salmon fishing falls near the mouth of Fall River. Some 400 Indians were killed, and 40 settlers were lost in this fight. Of them was James Bennett, friend of Godfrey's and Captain Turner. January 4, 1694 his home was destroyed in a fire, and four year old Jeremiah Hull died in the fire. Godfrey's son Henry, about 10 years old, accidently caused the fire, and was able to save one child from the room where Jeremiah slept. Henry tired to get Jeremiah from the room but the flames would not allow it. He worked and faced tragedies and dangers common of that time. March 3, 1701 Godfrey Nims, Sergant Allyn, and Corporal Wells were chosen to lay a road to the land on the west side of the river. This led through to the present Main street of Greenfield, and northerly through Greenfield Meadows. In 1702 Godfrey and Benoni Stebins were on the school committee. The worst tragedy was on February 29, 1704, the French & Indian 1704 massacre of Deerfield, Massachusetts. The French and Indians attacked about two hours before day break. The attackers burned most buildings and killed or took captive most of the settlers. It left him with no wife, and at the time with only a daughter, 20 year old Thankful Nims, Munn. Her home was dug into the side of a mountain, and the opening was concealed by the deep snow drifts. Godfrey?s family members were killed or taken captive in the 1704 raid on Deerfield, his second wife captured, dying on the forced march to Canada. One son killed, and one captured to be released ten years later; four daughters killed that day; one daughter captured and taken to Canada, never to return. A step-daughter, Mary Williams Brooks and a son-in-law, Phillip Mattoon, captured and killed on the march; a grandchild, infant Mattoon killed in the attack. Prior to the 1704 attack, on October 8, 1703 a son, John 24 years old and Godfrey?s stepson Zebediah Williams, age 28, were captured by Indians and taken to Canada. John escaped May 14, 1705 after his father had passed away and Zebediah died a captive in 1706. Godfrey died without knowing the fate of his these surviving children. According to the Nims Family Association, it is from the four surviving children, of Godfrey Nims, John, Ebenezer, Thankful and Abigail that members of the Nims family are descended.

  
  

• Sources

  [S761] Yates Publishing, Ancestry Family Trees, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Tree. http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=117125034&pid=4 [S32] Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.), Source number: 790.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: GCH. Birth date: 1667Birth place: [S59] Godfrey Memorial Library, comp., American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI), (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genea). Birth date: 1650Birth place: [S751] Ancestry.com, U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.) (Reliability: 3). Name: Godfrey Nims Birth Date: 1648 Birth Place: England Death Date: 1705 Death Place: Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States of America Cemetery: Old Deerfield Burying Ground Burial or Cremation Place: Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States of America Spouse: Mehitable Nims Children: Rebecca Mattoon Henry Nims Thankful Munn Ebenezer Nims Mehitable Nims Mary Nims Mercy Nims John Nims https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40659937/godfrey-nims https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16134286:60525?tid=167141933&pid=172171856848&hid=1035901253537 [S807] Ancestry.com, Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890, (Ancestry.com Operations Inc). [S338] Ancestry.com, Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.) (Reliability: 3). Name: Godfrey Nims Event Type: Marriage Marriage Date: 27 Jan 1692 Marriage Place: Deerfield, Massachusetts Spouse Name: Mehitable Hull https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5939173:2495?tid=167141933&pid=172171856848&hid=1035901253564