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The Redfield Family -- Kansas Pioneers
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The Redfield surname in the United States can trace its lineage back to the immigrant from England, William Redfyn, in 1639. The family was researched in depth, first by Manning Redfield in 1819. That study was expanded by William C. Redfield in 1839, and again by his son, John Howard Redfield, in 1860. The 1860 book, "Genealogical History of the Redfield Family in the United States" is available in reprint at the Higginson Book Company. William Redfyn (the name changed to Redfield in the next generation) arrived in Boston, but soon removed to Connecticut, where the later generations inhabited Middlesex county for many years.
William had one Son, James (1646-1723?). James had two sons, Theophilus (1682-1759) and James (1696-1743). James removed to Fairfield, CT, and Theophilus to Killingworth, CT. Theophilus had thirteen children. These children all lived to be married, and all had families, and from this stock are descended nine-tenths of those bearing the surname.
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A brief historical note is most proper here. Theophilus married Priscilla Grinnell in 1706. Priscilla was the great granddaughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins of the Mayflower. Thus, the descendents of Theophilus and Priscilla Redfield may all lay claim to being Mayflower descendants, for which that landing at Plymouth, MA, in 1620, holds special meaning.
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Signature of Theophilus Redfield, 1738
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To bring us to our Kansas Redfields, we must follow three subsequent generations first. Theophilus' eleventh son was Josiah Redfield (1730-1802). Josiah had one son living to adulthood, Orrin Redfield (1769-1841). Orrin, in turn, had seven sons, the first of which was Sylvanus Graves Redfield (1798-1859). It is the family of Sylvanus to whom we now turn.
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Children of Sylvanus Graves Redfield and Esther Clark:
Adeline Redfield, born in Twinsburg, Ohio, March 16, 1829
Josiah Clark Redfield, born in Twinsburg, April 27, 1831
Richard Randolph Redfield, born in Twinsburg, June 17, 1833
Orrin Sylvanus Redfield, born in Twinsburg, May 8, 1839
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Sylvanus Graves Redfield was born in Killingworth, CT, where he married Esther Clark, daughter of Zelotes and Elizabeth (Harris) Clark. Zelotes was a Revolutionary war veteran, and is listed in the DAR index. Sometime in the early 1800's, Sylvanus and Esther removed from the old family compound in Killingworth to Connecticut's "Western Reserve" in Twinsburg, Ohio, where they farmed and raised their four children. When his oldest son, Josiah Clark Redfield, returned from claiming land in Geneva, Allen county, Kansas to marry his wife (Hannah Augusta Nichols), Sylvanus accompanied them on their return to Kansas to help in building a home. On the long trip there by wagon, Sylvanus became ill, and died on their arrival in Geneva on November 5, 1859. His wife, Esther, died in 1899, four months short of her 100th birthday.
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Josiah Clark Redfield, Hannah Nichols Redfield, and their grave marker, Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita, Kansas
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Josiah C. Redfield, or "J.C." as he called himself, after settling first with Hannah in Geneva, Allen county, Kansas, served a number of public offices. He was the sheriff of Allen county from 1860 to 1865, a most difficult time for Kansas during the Civil War. He removed to the new county seat, Humboldt, which suffered numerous rebel and Indian raids. At one time, the town was burned, save for a few structures. He operated a hardware store in Humboldt after the war, and was elected to the Kansas State Legislature for the 1869-70 term. In 1872 he was appointed Receiver of Land Grants for Kansas, causing his removal to Wichita, Sedgwick county. He also served as Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner for Sedgwick county. He died April 27, 1904, the day of his 73rd birthday. Hannah died in 1907. They had six children: Flora Gratia (1860-1940); Carrie Effie (1862-1877); Frank (1867-1940); Kate (1869-1911); Belle Gladys (1874-aft 1954); and Pearl (1878-1966).
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Richard Randolph Redfield, second son of Sylvanus, was raised on the Twinsburg, Ohio, farm. As a young man, he removed first to Coldwater, MI, where he was employed in a photographic gallery, and then to Hillsdale, MI. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he returned to Ohio and enlisted as a Musician in the 177th Ohio Volunteers. At war's end, he joined his brother, J.C., in Humboldt, Kansas, to clerk in his brother's hardware store. Soon after his arrival, he decided to organize a band, and thus was born the Humboldt Town Band. The band consisted of Richard on E flat cornet; Nick Plat, E flat cornet; Dr. H. L. Dornberg, B flat cornet; Martin Henrich, B flat cornet; H. Holcomb, lto; Nick Kemmerer, tenor; J.C. Redfield, baritone; Judge John Goodin, tuba; James Blythe; bass drum; and Severpool, snare drum. Music was Richard's life, and he later opened a musical goods store and taught singing and instruments for the rest of his life. He married Ida Parsell (1853-1935), daughter of Aaron and Emily (Emerson) Parsell in 1884. They had two sons: Carl Redfield, who died in infancy in 1885, and Gail Aaron "Dick" Redfield, (1886-1947).
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Richard Randolph Redfield and Ida Parsell Redfield, with their son, Gail Aaron Redfield, between them.
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The third brother, Orrin Sylvanus Redfield, also enlisted as a Musician late in the Civil War with the 21st Ohio Volunteers. Like Richard, he removed from Ohio to Humboldt, Kansas, at war's end. He was engaged in the dry goods business for himself and for others the remainder of his life. He was a member of the G.A.R. Vicksburg Post 72 of Humboldt until his death. He married Sarah Victoria Hentz, daughter of Peter Hentz, in 1871. They had five children: John Clark, 1872-1919; Daisy R., 1874-1928; Roy E., 1876-1904; Orlin Scott, 1879-1930; and Josephine, 1885-aft 1933.
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Grave markers of Orrin Sylvanus Redfield (with GAR marker) and Sarah Hentz Redfield, located in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Humboldt, Allen county, Kansas. This is a family plot, with a huge marker inscribed "REDFIELD" at the center of the plot.
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The only daughter of Sylvanus Graves Redfield was Adeline Redfield, the oldest child. Little has been learned of her life, but much about her husband, William Henry Andrews (1829-1902), has. They married in Twinsburg, Ohio, in 1854. He served as a Sergeant with the 19th Ohio Volunteers during the entire war, and saw battle at Shiloh, Chicamauga, and Missionary Ridge, among others. At war's end, he and Adeline left Ohio and joined her three brothers J.C., Richard, and Orrin, in Humboldt, where they lived out their lives. William Andrews served public offices in Allen county as Justice of the Peace, Township Trustee, and Police Judge. They had two sons, James Henry, 1856-1935; and Orrin Sylvanus, 1859-1957. Interestingly, son James Henry Andrews served as associate editor and feature writer for the Humboldt Union, the local newspaper, for decades. William Andrews was also a lifetime member of G.A.R. Vicksburg Post #72 in Humboldt, as were his two brothers-in-law.
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This page was created by Ray Downing, great-grandson of Josiah Clark Redfield in August, 2000. Redfield descendants are welcomed to e-mail me by clicking on my name to share information on all the lines of William Redfyn, the immigrant from England, 1639. Also, please visit a great website on the Redfield surname, Redfield Families All Across America
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