-Francis Bushnell was born on 1 January 1580 at Thatcham, Berkshire, England. He married Ferris Quenell who was born on 17 April 1587 at Horsham, West Sussex, England. They were Puritans. His 5 living sons migrated to New England in 1633, he followed in 1637, bringing his 2 daughters. He was in the company of the Reverend Henry Whitfield on board the ship “St John”. They arrived at New Haven, Connecticut in July 1639 and two months later established their settlement of Guilford. His signature is the third on the Guilford Covenant.
 
Their son Richard Bushnell married Mary Marvin, daughter of Mathew Marvin and his wife Elizabeth. In the next generation their son Joseph Bushnell married Mary Leffingwell, daughter of Lieutenant Thomas Leffingwell and Mary White. The Bushnells’ and Leffingwells’ were neighbours.