Elizabeth Deming

  General Notes:

Elizabeth (Deming) Foote
(Source (in part) - Article in Footeprints - Spring 1999 Issue -
The Foote Family Association Of America)

Elizabeth Deming was born in England in the last part of the 16th Century. About 1615 she married Nathaniel Foote who had a grocery business in Colchester, England. After the birth of their six children, Nathaniel decided to sell his grocery business and emigrate to the new world. By some he is considered to be the first settler of Wethersfield. Whether this is true or not we do not know. We do know he was one of the first ten men who settled along the bank of the Connecticut River and eventually named their settlement Wethersfield (see above). They are now known as the Ten
Adventurers.
Nathaniel Foote was one of those named in the charter ofpatentees of Wethersfield. Between 1641 and 1644, he served as a Deputy to theGeneral Assembly, as well as a member of the colony Grand Jury. The Foote family became one of the leading families of the little Connecticut Colony. He became a magistrate, a leading land owner, eventually owning more than 500 acres ofland in Wethersfield, some of the great meadow, and his home on the south end of the green, next to the present Broad Street.
The family was saddened by Nathaniel's death at age 61. Elizabeth was so respected that she was allowed to beexecutor of his estate. Elizabeth was left a wealthy widow, but did not remainin that status for long. In 1646 she married Thomas Welles who was a widower with several children from his
first marriage. Thomas Welles served as Governorof Connecticut Colony for two terms, 1655-1658. When he was not serving as governor he was a Deputy Governor. He died during his last years of being deputy governor, 14 January 1659/1660.
Elizabeth was again a widow, having two families instead of one. She was in control of a large estate from both husbands. Elizabeth Welles was a tenacious and feisty old woman. She had not only survived aperilous voyage from England but while tending to six exuberant children and ahusband, she had made a new life for herself and her family in a world they knew nothing about. This world was inhabited by Indians who were not always friendly with those pale face people. The rigors of life and managing a household did not daunt her. Things went quite well through the intervening years since arriving on shores of the newly discovered continent, until she reached old age. In 1676 as she approched the age of 80 years, she ran into trouble with one of her step-grand children.
This was Robert Welles, a favorite of grandfather, Governor Thomas Welles when the governor was alive. Robert had arrived at the Governor's home, there to be taken care of and educated.
But now his grandfather was dead and Robert and his step-grandmother disagreed. Maybe she did not thinkhim old enough to be married at age 24. Never-the-less it was 1676 when Elizabeth brought Robert Welles to court, because he "...hath dammyfield her Barne byParting with the other part of the Barne that did adjoin to it."
Exactly whathe did to her barn is not clear. The court's decision was clear. He was ordered to repair the barn and also to pay his step-grandmother rent for it. Elizabeth made sure the barn incedent was not here last word.
Two years later, in 1678, she made sure all of the Welles were taken care of when she made her will. She left them nothing. She stated someone outside the family would be executor of her will. Everything she had she left to her own family. That is the family she and Nathaniel has raised and
nurtured. The Welles family got nothing.
Elizabeth died in 1683, at the age of 88. The estate was divided among the Footes.One of the documents in the Probates Court was that of the final disposition, that during that same year Robert Welles won a lawsuit against his step-grandmother's will that he would have to be paid by those
who had been named in the will.
John Deming, the brother of Nathaniel's wife

Elizabeth married in 1615 in Colchester, Essex, England.

Elizabeth next married.