JOHN CHAFFEE, second child of Joseph and Annis (Martin) Chaffe, was born Dec. 16, 1673 in Swansea, MA (Plymouth Colony Records); and died in Woodstock, CT, Dec. 2, 1757. He married (1) in Swansea, July 17, 1700, Sarah, daughter of Gershom and Elizabeth (Chadwick) Hills of Malden, M, and sister of his brother Joseph's wife. She was of Malden and died, probably in Woodstock, April 7, 1735. John Chaffee married (2) Nov. 4, 1735 in Ashford, CT, Elizabeth Hayward of that place, who died in Woodstock, Feb. 5, 1760, aged eighty-seven.

October 28, 1694, just before John Chaffe's twenty-first birthday, his father died and he, together with his mother and younger brother, was made an executor of the estate. During the next few years he is mentioned as holding several public offices and in 1711 was one of a number of petitioners who requested the formation of a new town from that western part of Swansea called New Meadow Neck and Phebe's Neck. Their petition was denied by the council of the Masschusetts Bay Colony upon the protest of the other inhabitants of Swansea. The question of the division of the town, however, continued to occupy the minds of the people and the third petition to the General Court, in 1717, was heard and answered by the formation of a new town by the name of Barrington on November 18, 1717. John Chaffe is also mentioned as an office holder of the new town, the last entry regarding him in the Barrington Town Records being 1728 when he was Grand Juror and Fence Viewer, for soon after this he moved to Woodstock. Here he bought several different pieces of land.

August 29, 1754, John Chaffe made his will, and the same day, doubtless in accordance with the customs of the day, he gave to his heirs part of their inheritance. The deeds state that the property was "sold" for stated sums, but no money passed between grantor and grantee, the sum being named and the value of the property fixed so that no dispute might afterwards arise regarding each heir having had his or her equal share. The eldest son, Joseph, received nothing at this time, but on his father's death, in 1757, became his residuary legatee.

Children by first wife, all but the second known to have been born in Swansea:

i. Joseph, b. Jan. 17, 1701; m. Hannah May

ii. JOEL, b. 1702; m. Elizabeth Bicknell

iii. Ebenezer, b. Sept. 22, 1704; m. (1)Mary Scarbaorough; (2) Mary Bacon; (3) Mrs. Sarah (Adams) Durand

iv. Hezekiah, b. Apr. 19, 1706; m. Mary Toogood

v. John, Jr., b.Feb 10, 1706; m. Mehitabel Mascraft

From 1909 CHAFFEE GENEALOGY, p. 38; compiled by H.L.Chaffee, Jan. 11, 1928