Greenfield Larrabee

[This information is from Vol. II, pp. 747-748 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, edited by Cuyler Reynolds (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911). It is in the Reference collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at R 929.1 R45.

The surname Larrabee, sometimes spelled L'Arabie, D'Arabie, and Arabie, in foreign documents and books, is of undoubted French origin, or has long existed in France. Tradition states that a Count Larrabee figured conspicuously in French history, and that the Larrabees — devoted Huguenots — fought for their religious rights under the brave Coligny. The family, once numerous in France, were nearly all killed in the Huguenot wars or driven from the country. The first persons in New England bearing the name, of whom there is an authentic record, were either brothers or near relatives. A Greenfield Larrabee was before the court as "a mariner" in New London, Connecticut, for doing some work on board his vessel during a storm, on a Sunday in 1637. In 1647, ten years later, William Larrabee, "a stranger," was called to answer for the same offense. Charles H. Larrabee, in the Hathaway genealogy says: "The Rev. Charles Larrabee was a Huguenot pastor, who escaped with a portion of his flock from the South of France, during the massacre which followed the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, October 16, 1685, and landed at Baltimore, Maryland. From him have sprung all of the name in America. Some of the descendants are in Baltimore, some in Connecticut, one branch went to Maine, one to Vermont, and one to Upper Canada." But the two facts cited above show that Greenfield Larrabee was in New London in 1637 and William in 1647. There are families in Canada named Laraby and Larabe. They are genuine French Canadians and speak the language. Any tradition that makes the Rev. Charles Larrabee the American ancestor, must place his coming before and not after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, 1685, as the family was surely here in 1637. This is attested by various excellent authorities.

(I) The Amsterdam family of Larrabee are, according to the best evidence obtainable, descendants of Greenfield Larrabee, styled, "an original emigrant," who appeared in Connecticut as early as 1637, when he was brought before the court as before related. He is mentioned as a seaman, belonging to the "Phoenix," in 1647. His name often appears on the old documents at subsequent periods. He married Phoebe Brown, widow of Thomas Lee. It is conjectured that if Greenfield Larrabee was of foreign birth, he was an Englishman of French ancestry. His name Greenfield was evidently taken from the English Greenfield family, one of whom may have been his mother.

Children: Greenfield (2), John, Elizabeth, Joseph and Sarah.

Grace Cooke was not daughter of Greenfield Larrabee & Phebe Cornish. They did not have a child called Grace.

References

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 3 2018, 21:47:34 UTC
• HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, County of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900, by Richard Anson Wheeler, New London, CT, 1900, p. 251
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 28 2021, 15:53:33 UTC
• New London county was formed in May 1666 as one of Connecticut's four original counties and was named for London, England.