JOEL CHAFFEE, son of John and Sarah (Hills) Chaffee, was born probably in Swansea, MA, in 1702; died in Woodstock, CT, June 20, 1745; married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Bicknell of Middleboro, MA. She died before February 2, 1757, when her estate was divided.

April 24, 1725, "Joel Chaffe, cordwainer (fine shoemaker) of Barrington, MA" bought of Joseph Bosworth of Rehoboth, MA, thirteen acres of land there. Barrington was set off from the eastern part of Swansea in 1717, and Joel's father and family lived in that part. During the following years, 1725 to 1733. Joel Chaffee bought and sold several pieces of land in Rehoboth. In 1733 he moved to Woodstock, whither his father had preceded him, and there bought and sold several other tracts.

May 26, 1742, Joel Chaffe and others petitioned the General Court in Boston (Woodstock then being part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony) to be made a separate town with religious privileges, the petitioners living very distant from the First Congregational Church in Woodstock, and that church being so small that it could not accommodate all those in the parish. Joel lived four and a quarter miles from this church. His last land transaction was February 16, 1745, when he sold a piece of land to Thomas Allen, as he died the following summer. His brother Joseph, being appointed October 21, 1745 as administrator of his estate, sold the entire real estate, consisting of seventy-five acres of land, to their brother John, April 1, 1747. The children received their father's share in their grandfather's estate, August 29, 1754. The estate of their mother was divided among the children in Woodstock, February 2, 1757. Joel Chaffe is thought to have been buried in Woodstock.

Children, first two born in Rehoboth, the last five in Woodstock, CT:

i. Elizabeth, born Jan. 2, 1730; died before Aug 29, 1754; married in Thompson, CT, Mar 28, 1749, John Lee

ii. JOSHUA, born May 26, 1731; married Mary St. John, Sharon, CT

iii. Joel, Jr., born probably about 1732 or before May 6, 1733; died in Wilbraham, MA, Aug. 25, 1802 in his seventieth year; married in Springfield MA, Dec. 3, 1755 Hepzibah Green, born in Wales Springfield Township; she died Dec. 19, 1828.

iv. Abagail, born Jan 16, 1735; died June 23, 1737.

v. Abagail, born July 2, 1737; died; married in Woodstock, May 29, 1767 Nathaniel Goodell.

vi. Daniel, born Aug 4, 1739; died Dec. 23, 1740; baptized in First Cong. Church, Woodstock, Sept. 30, 1739.

vii. Lucy, born May 8, 1742; died, married in Woodstock, Jan. 1, 1761, John Call; she was baptized in First Cong. Church, Woodstock, June 20, 1742.

viii. Ruth, born Mar. 20, 1744; died Nov. 17, 1796; baptized in First Cong. Church, Woodstock, May 13, 1744; unmarried; buried in the old burying ground, South Wilbraham (now Hampden) MA.

From 1909 CHAFFEE GENEALOGY, p. 70; compiled by H. L Chaffee, Jan 10, 1928