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An American Family History

The Rix Family

Doctors in Colonial America:
Surgeons
in colonial America were often barbers who used their cutting tools to perform surgery.
Physicians were university trained.
Midwives assisted women in childbirth.

Thomas Rix was born about 1622 in England He was the son of Robert Rix

He was in Salem as early as 1649. He was a barber surgeon.

His first wife was Margaret, the widow of Miles Ward.

Remember Rix (1650, died at birth),
Sarah Rix (1651, died as a baby)
Esther Rix (1653, died as a baby)
Thomas Rix (1655, married Abigail Intersoll)
James Rix (1657)

Margaret died on May 24, 1660.

He married Bridget Musket Fiske on September 3, 1661.

Theophelus Rix (1655)

Thomas spent his last days with his son James in Old Preston, Connecticut, where he died October 30, 1718. He was buried in the "Rixtown Cemetery" in Old Preston.

It was common for bequests in Colonial America to include wearing apparel.
 
 

Wenham, Essex County, Massachusetts was settled in 1636. The first settlers called it Enon or Salem Village. It was officially set off from the Town of Salem on May 10, 1643.

Theophilus Rix was baptized on August 20, 1665 at the First Church in Salem, Massachusetts. His parents were Thomas Rix and Bridget Muskett.

He married Hannah Foster on May 11, 1709/10. Hannah was born November 22, 1673. Her father was William Foster.

Theophilus and Hannah lived in Wenham.

Their children included:
Samuel Rix (April 7, 1711) and
Hannah Rix (May 4, 1717).

Theophilus died on July 5, 1726.

Children of William Fiske (Fisk)
and Bridget Muskett

Bridget Muskett and Thomas Rix

  • Theophilus Rix
  • Check out some Puritan Devotional Readings.
     

     

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    .from Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago

    Thomas [Rix], son of Robert Rix, was born 1622, at Canninghall, and was in Salem, Massachusetts, as early as 1649. He was a barber surgeon, and spent his last days with his son James in Old Preston, Connecticut, where he died October 30, 1718. He was buried in the "Rixtown Cemetery" in Old Preston.

    He was married (first) to Margaret, widow of Miles Ward, who died May 24, 1660. He was married (second) September 3, 1661, to Bridget (Musket), a native of Pelham, England, then the widow of William Fiske. She was the mother of his youngest child. His children included: Remember, Sarah, Esther, Thomas, James and Theophelus.

    Connecticut's first European settlers were Dutch.

     
     
    New London County, Connecticut was one of four original Connecticut counties and was established on May 10, 1666, by an act of the Connecticut General Court.

    Thomas Rix, brother of William, was probably born in Canninghall, England. He was in Salem before 1649. The date of his coming here is unknown. His brother, William, speaks of Theophilus, son of my brother William.

    He married, first, Margaret, widow of Miles Ward. She died May 24, 1660, and he married, second, Sept. 3, 1661, Bridget Musket, born in Pelham, England. She was the widow of Hon. William Fisk, born in England about 1613.

    She had by him five children, and Sarah Rix of Salem was called mother to them. Mr. Rix was a barber surgeon, and lived in Salem, Mass. "Thomas Rix being indebted to the town, sold his house and shop to meet the debt."

    He afterwards lived near the lower end of Elm St. He bought lands in Rockingham County, N. H., in 1670, but sold them the next year. He probably went to Old Preston, Conn., where his son James went in 1703.

    In the New London County (Conn.), Historical Society's publication, Volume I, can be found the most remarkable diary extant by Joshua Hempstead, of New London, Conn. For forty-seven years nothing hardly escaped this man's observation, and which he recorded. This remarkable man was at once a farmer, surveyor, house and ship carpenter, attorney, stone cutter, sailor and trader. Being in want of a shipwright, he goes to Preston and engages Goodman Rix. In his diary he says: "Nov. 1st, 1718, I went to the funeral of Old Ricks who died last night." This must have been Thomas, the emigrant, and being called "Old Ricks" indicates he was the oldest Rix in Preston. In a deposition he says he was born in 1622.

    Children all Baptized in Salem
    i. Remember, bapt. Oct. 13, 1650.
    ii. Sarah bapt. June 29, 1651.
    iii. Ester, bapt. June 5, 1653. This name on the records is Hester.
    iv. Thomas, bapt. Aug. 26, 1655.
    v. James, bapt. Oct. 18, 1657.

    Child by second wife
    vi. Theophilus, bapt. Aug. 20, 1665.

    Goodman was a courtesy title before the surname of a man not of noble and Goodwife or Goody was the courtesy title for a married woman not of noble birth.

     
     
     

    from History and Genealogy of the Rix family of America by Guy Scoby Rix

    Theophilus Rix2 (Thomas1), born , bapt. in First Church, Salem, Mass., Aug. 20, 1665; died July 5, 1726; married, May 11, 1709-10, Hannah Foster, born Nov. 22, 1673. He resided in Wenham, Mass.

    Children.
    i. Samuel, b. Apr. 7, 1711. He settled in Prince Edward's Island, and some of his descendants are living to-day in Salem, Mass. They report that he came from Ireland.

    ii. Hannah3, b. May 4, 1717.

    Wenham, Massachusetts was first settled by English Puritans. The church was formed in 1644 with John Fiske as pastor.
         
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    tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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