HISTORY of
THE COLONY OF NEW HAVEN
To its absorption into
CONNECTICUT

by Edward E. Atwater
with Supplementary History and Personnel of the
Towns of Branford, Guilford, Milford,
Stratford, Norwalk, Southold, etc.

compiled by Robert Atwater Smith
assisted by Bessie E. Beach and Lucy M. Hewitt

Meriden, Conn.
The Journal Publishing Company
1902

STAMFORD (Rippowams) & NEW LONDON (or Pequot)- PERSONAL SKETCHES

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

STAMFORD (Rippowams) ROBERT BATES (16__-1675) was in Wethersfield in 1640, and removed to Rippowams (or Stamford) during or soon after that year. He was one of the first purchasers at Stamford Oct. 30, 1640. He died at Stamford June 11, 1675, leaving a son John, daughter Mary, wife of Abraham Ambler (d. 1699) and a daughter (name not stated) who had married John Cross. They are mentioned in his will of June 11, 1675. He bequeathes "certain negroes who are to be made free at 40 years of age." Lieut. FRANCIS BELL (16__-1690) had been at Wethersfield before settling in Stamford; was admitted as freeman in New Haven Colony in 1641. His wife Reecca (d. 1684) had several children. His will was made May 24, 1689, and he died Jan. 8, 1690. In the will are mentioned: a son, Capt. Jonathan Bell (1641-1699) daughter Mary Hoyt, wife of Joshua Hoyt Rebecca Tuttle (b. Aug. 1643; d. May 2, 1676), wife of Jonathan Tuttle (1637-1705) of New Haven. SAMUEL CLARK in Wethersfield before 1640, is probably the same person who was early at Stamford. He was in Milford in 1669; went from there to Hempstead, L.I. He married Hannah Fordham, daughter of Rev. Robert Fordham (d. 1674) of Hempstead and Southampton, L. I. He is possibly the Samuel Clark who was in New Haven in 1685. ROBERT COE (Cooe) (1596-1672) was in Watertown in 1634. In that year he came on the ship Francis, aged 38, with wife Ann, aged 43, and children: John, 8 years. Robert, 7 years. Benjamin, 5 years. He was made freeman Sept. 3, 1634. He removed to Wethersfield in 1636 and then to Stamford about 1640. From there in 1644, along with Rev. Mr. Denton and others, he removed to Hempstead, L. I.; was made a sheriff there in 1669. His son Robert (1627-165_) married Susannah Mitchell, daughter of Maj. Matthew Mitchell (1590-1645) and lived and died at Stratford. RICHARD CRABB was a Representative from Wethersfield 1639-41. In 1643 he sold his land in that town and went to Stamford; in 1654 he was in Greenwich. He had a leaning toward the Quakers, harbored them and possessed Quaker books, and was disciplined and fined 30 pounds by the church and town authorities. Rev. RICHARD DENTON (1586-1662) was in Wethersifield in 1640; removed from that town to Stamford; about 1644, with several of his friends, he went to Hempstead, L. I., where he died. He was "bred at the University of Cambridge where he had his A.B. 1623, being of Catherine Hall." He had a son Daniel, married April 24, 1676, Hannah Leonard, daughter of John Leonard (d. 1676), and probably ahd other children. JEFFREY FERRIS (16__-1666) in Watertown in 1635 or before, was a freeman May 6, 1635; one of the first settlers of Wethersfield, from which town he removed to Stamford. In his will, dated Jan. 6, 1664, are mentioned James, Peter, Joseph and Mary Lockwood (possibly a step-daughter) and his wife Judy Bowers. He had married in 1661 Mrs. Susannah (_____) Lockwood, the widow of Robert Lockwood. ROBERT FISKE (or Fisher) was among the first settlers of Stamford. He had land assigned to him by the town, as appears from the trestimony of Thomas Morehouse (d. 1658) March 17, 1649, in which he says that John Whitmore sold his son John the land which was Robert Fisher's by gift of the town. DANIEL FINCH (16__-1667) was in Watertown (perhaps he came with Winthrop) May 18, 1630. He removed to Wethersfield; was a constable in 1636 in that town. From there he removed to Stamford where he was one of the original proprietors, and in 1653 went to Fairfield, where he made Dec. 25, 1657, a contract of marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth (_____) Thompson, widow of John Thompson, and he died March, 1667. In his will are mentioned a son Nathaniel and three daughters. RICHARD GILDERSLEEVE in Stamford in 1641, had previously lived about five years in Wethersfield, and possibly before that was in Watertown. He was a Representative in 1643. About 1646 he removed to Hempstead, L. I.; was living there in 1663; probably had a son Richard. JEREMY JAGGER (16__-1658) came from Wethersfield to Stamford in 1641; he may have lived also in Watertown. He was a master of a trading vessel and went to the West Indies about 1654. He died abroad Aug. 14, 1658; inventory of estate taken Dec. 11, 1658. He served in the Pequot War of 1637, and grants of land for his services in that was were made to his sons John, Jeremiah and Jonathan in 1671. His widow Elizabeth married May 12, 1659, Robert Usher (d. 1669) of _____. JOSEPH or JOHN JESSOP an early settler at Wethersfield, united with others in 1640 to go and settle in Stamford; removed from that town to Greenwich; was a Representative from Greenwich in 1664; in 1673 he was living in Southampton, L. I. RICHARD LAW in Wethersfield in 1638; he may have come from Watertown to Connecticut Colony. He removed to Stamford; was a Representative from Stamford to New Haven Colony and after (1665) to Connecticut Colony. He mararied Margaret Kilbourne, daughter of Thomas Kilbourne (1580-1639), and had Abigail, Jonathan, Sarah (d. 1732), and probably other children. Abigail married Maj. Jonathan Sellick (1641-1713), and Sarah married a brother, John Sellick, a mariner, who was lost at sea. Major MATTHEW MITCHELL (1590-1645) came to New England in 1633 on the ship Francis, from Bristol, bringing with him his wife Susan Butterfield and children David (b. 1619), Sarah (b. 1621), Jonathan (1624-1668), Susan (b. 1627), and Hannah (1631-1702). He settled at Charlestown; removed from there to Concord, and again to Springfield, where he signed a contract in May, 1636; was for a time in Saybrook and took part in the Pequot War. In 1639 he was at Wethersfield; from there went to Stamford. He heads the list of the twenty-eight men who settled at Stamford; he is mentioned first in several lists; paid "nearly three times as much towards the purchase and survey of the land as the next largest purchaser;" was a Representatiave and a very prominent man. THOMAS MOREHOUSE removed to Fairfield; very little more has been learned concerning him. A slight sketch of his son, Lieut. Samuel, is to be found in the pages devoted to Fairfield. JOHN NORTHEND was one of the first settlers of Wethersfield; from there he removed to Stamford. THURSTON RAINOR (Rayner) (1694-1667) of Watertown, came in the ship Elizabeth, 1634, from Ipswich, England, aged 40, with wife Elizabeth, aged 36; Thurston, 13; Joseph, 11; Elizabeth. 9, Sarah, 7, and Lydia, 1. He removed to Wethersfield and was a Representative from that town in 1638, '39 and '40; in 1641 he went to Stamford, but in a few years removed to Southampton, L. I. There under the Connecticut Colony he was an Assistant in 1661 and '63; made his will July 6, 1667, and it was probated the same year. In the will he names his wife Martha (a second wife), two sons, John (b. 1623) and Jonathan, who was not of age in 1667. Four other chldren alluded to but no names are given. JOHN REYNOLDS was in Watertown in 1634; made a freeman May 6, 1635; he removed to Wethersfield about 1636, and from there to Stamford in 1644. He may be the father of Jonathan and John Reynolds who were freemen in 1669 in Greenwich. His wife Sarah died at Stamford in 1657. JOHN SEAMAN was in Wethersfield before 1641; in that year he went to Stamford, and in later years he removed from Stamford. SAMUEL SHERMAN (1618-1710) was born in Dedham, England; was baptized July 12, 1618; he came to New England about 1636; settled first at Wethersfield and from there he went to Stamford. He married, probably in 1640, Sarah Mitchell (b. 1621), a daughter of Matthew Mitchell (1590-1645), and had nine or more children. In 1654, or before, he had removed to Stratford, where he died. VINCENT SIMKINS (or Simpkins) was in Stamford in 1641; he married Mary Ackerly, a daughter of Henry Ackerly (d. 1658) and Ann (1687-166_) of Stamford. He had sons John and Daniel (d. 1699) and probably other children, and died before 1671. Daniel lived in the adjoining town of Bedford and died there in 1699. John soon after the death of his father sold his estate and removed from Stamford; his widow Mary married William Olliver. HENRY SMITH (16__-1687) went from Wethersfield to Stamford in 1641; was one of the first settlers. In his will he names only a son Joseph, but he had a daughter Rebecca, who married July 2, 1672, Edward Wilkinson (d. 1698) of Milford, and Hannah who married a Lawrence, and perhaps other children. ANDREW WARD (15__-1659) was a freeman May 14, 1634, at Watertown; he removed in 1635 to Wethersfield; was a Representative in 1636 and '37; in 1641 he went to Stamford. He died in Fairfield in 1639; his will was dated June 8, 1659. By wife Esther (d. 1665) he had Edmund, William, Mary, Andrew (1647-1691), Samuel, Abigail, John and Sarah. Mary married Lieut. Jehu Burr (1623-1692); Ann married Caleb Nicholls, and Sarah married Nathaniel Burr (d. 1712) all of Fairfield. THOMAS WEEKS (or Weekes) (15__-1671) an original settler of 1641; before 1654 removed to Oyster Bay, Long Island, and died in 1671, leaving a widow Rebecca (?), and children - Thomas, John, Rebecca, Martha, Elizabeth, Mary and Sarah. In 1664 he was in Huntington, L. I. The names has been changed to Wicks. JOHN WHITMORE (15__-1648) was in Wethersfield in 1639; he brought from England five children - Thomas, b. about 1615. Ann, b. 1621. Mary, b. 1623. Frances, b. 1625. John, b. 1627. At Stamford he married Mrs. ____ Jessup, widow of ____ Jessup. He was chosen a Representative to New Haven Colony Assembly in 1647, and was killed by Indians in 1648. EDWARD WOOD was in Springfield in 1636; he removed that year to Wethersfield, and in 1641 went from Wethersfield to Stamford. In 1644 he removed to Hempstead, L. I. JEREMIAH WOOD went to Hempstead from Stamford. He was possibly a brother of Edward; he was accepted as a freeman of Connecticut Colony at Hempstead in 1664. JONAS WOOD at Springfield in 1636, removed soon after to Wethersfield; settled at Stamford in 1641, and in a few years after went to Hempstead, L. I., probably under the patent of 1644; before 1654 he was in Southampton, L.I., and a few years later was a Commissioner under the jurisdiction of Connecticut Colony. NEW LONDON (or Pequot) Captain JAMES AVERY (1620-169_) was born in England about 1620, and was a son of Christopher Avery, a weaver, who came from Salisbury in County Hants. He married Nov. 10, 1643, Jane Greenstack of Boston. Had: Hannah, b. Oct. 12, 1644. James, Dec. 16, 1646. Mary, Feb. 19, 1648. Removed that year to New London and there had: Thomas, b. May 6, 1651. John, Feb. 10, 1654. Rebecca, b. Oct. 6, 1656. Jonathan, b. Jan. 5, 1657. Christopher, b. April 30, 1661. Samuel, b. Aug. 14, 1664. Joanna, b. 1669. He was a Representative in 1659; served in King Phillip's war, when he commanded the Pequot allied forces; he was living in 1694. WILLIAM BARTLETT (16__-1657) was in New London in 1647; he died about 1657, leaving a widow Susannah but no children. PETER BLATCHFORD (16__-1671) had served in 1637 in the Pequot war when very young, for which he had a grant of land; was a constable, and in 1669 he removed to Haddam, from which town he was a Representative in 1669 and 1670. He left a diwod Hannah (b. 1642), daughter of Isaac Wiley (b. 1685), who married after 1671, Samuel Spencer, son of Ensign Jared Spencer (d. 1685) of Haddam. Rev. RICHARD BLINMAN at Gloucester in 1641, came from Chipstow, in County Monmouth, on the river Wye, in England. He was made a freeman at Gloucester Oct. 7, 1641. By wife Mary he had: Jeremiah, b. July 20, 1642. Ezekiel, b. Nov. 11, 1645. Azrikam, b. Jan. 2, 164_. He removed Oct. 1650 to New London "and drew thither many of his Gloucester friends." From New London he removed to New Haven "whence after a short residence and selling some of his library to the Colony in May, 1659, he went home, carrying all of his children except Jeremiah, who was at New London as late as 1663." His wife is thought to have been a sister of Deacon W. Parke (d. 1685) of Roxbury. He died at Bristol, England "in a good old age." JONATHAN BREWSTER. ROBERT BROOKS OBADIAH BRUEN (1606-168_) was the youngest son of John Bruen, of Bruen Stapleford, Cheshire, England. He was baptized Dec. 25, 1606, at Taves, near Chester; became a draper at Shrewsbury in the adjoining county of Shalop; had a wife Sarah and daughter Mary, and had here Rebecca; Hannah, b. Jan. 9, 1644, and John, b. June 2, 1646. He came over in 1640, probably with Rev. Richard Blinman. He was made freeman May 19, 1642, at Gloucester; selectman in 1642, and Representative in 1647, '48, '49, and in 1651. In 1651 he removed to New London in company with his pastor, Rev. Mr. Blinman; was a town clerk there for 15 years. In 1667, having purchased land at Newark, N.J., in company with several others he removed there. On Oct. 11, 1679, he wrote a letter to his daughter (probably Hannah) and her husband at New London and signed himself Ob. Brewen, while his wife signed herself Sarah Bruen. His daugher Mary married in 1653 John Baldwin, of Milford, as his second wife. Rebecca married Sept. 2, 1663, Thomas Post (d. 1701) of New London and Norwich, as his second wife. Hannah (b. 1644) married John Baldwin of Milford, a son of the husband of her sister Mary. All descendants of this settler can trace their ancestry through a line of English lords and kings to William the Conqueror. HENRY CAUKIN probably Hugh Calkins (1600-1690), was possibly a Welshman. He was in Gloucester in 1640; was made a freeman at Gloucester Dec. 27, 1642; was a selectman 1643-'48, a Representative 1650-'52, and removed to New London after 1650; was a selectman and Representative of that town; was also a town clerk for many years. He removed in 1662 to Norwich and was the first deacon of the Norwich church; also a Representative in 1663-'64, and died in 1690, aged ninety years. From England he came with wife Ann, children John, Sarah, Mary and possibly others. He had at Gloucester: David. Deborah, b. March 18, 1645. Rebecca, who died March 14, 1651. Sarah (162_), married Oct. 28, 1645, Deacon William Hough (d. 1683). Mary married Nov. 8, 1649, Hugh Roberts, and removed to Newark, N. J. Deborah (b. 1645) married June 1660, Jonathan Royce. JOHN COITE (16__-1659) a shipwright, was at Salem in 1638 with wife Mary (1596-1676); he removed in 1644 to Gloucester; was a selectman there in 1648, and removed to New London in 1650. He died August 25, 1659, leaving a widow and children John, Joseph, Mary and Martha; a son and two daughters are referred to in his will but no names are given. Mary married John Stevens, who with four children removed to New Haven in 1676. Martha (1644-1737) married Hugh Mould (d. 1692), a shipbuilder, and in 1693(?) she married Capt. Nathaniel White (1629-1711) of Middletown. JOHN ELDERKIN (1616-1687) was in Lynn in 1657; in Dedham in 1641; in Reading 1646. In 1648 he was in Providence and in New london in 1650, where he built the first church and the first mill. In 1664 he settled in Norwich where he also built the first church and the first mill, and there he died June 23, 1687, aged 71 years. He had by his first wife a daughter Abigail, born Sept. 13, 1641, and probably also Pelatiah, who married Daniel Comstock (1630-1683) of New London. He married about 1669 for a second wife Mrs. Elizabeth (Drake) Gaylord (1621-1716), widow of William Gaylord (d. 1653), and had Ann, b. Jan. 1661; John, b. April 1664; Bathshea, Nov., 1665; James, March, 1671; Joseph, Dec., 1672. His widow died June 18, 1716, aged 95 years. JOHN GAGER (16__-1703) son of Surgeon William Gager (d. 1630), came with his father in the fleet with Winthrop in 1630. He was in New London in 1650, and in 1660 went to Norwich. He had: John, b. Sept., 1647. Elizabeth, 1649. Sarah, 1651. Hannah, 1653, died young. Samuel, 1654. Bethia. William, 1662, died young. Lydia, 1663. Hannah, 1666. Mary, 1671. He died Dec. 10, 1703. The will mentions widow Elizabeth (she may have been a second wife and not the motehr of the children), Samuel and "my six sons that married my daughters," none of the daughters' names being given. These "sons" were John Allyn, huband of Elizabeth; Daniel Brewster, Jeremiah Ripley, Simon Huntington, Joshua Abel and Caleb Forbes. ROBERT HEMPSTEAD (16__-1655) was in New London in 1645, "one of the four who assisted Winthrop in settling that place." By his wife Ann he had: Mary, b. March 26, 1647, the first child born at New London. Joshua, b. June 16, 1649. Hannah, b. April 11, 1652. He died June 1655, and his widow married soon after Andrew Lister (d. 1669), whose first wife Barbara had died Feb. 2, 1654. The daugher Mary married in 1665 Robert Douglass and Hannah married Abel Moore. ROBERT ISBELL had a son Isaac (16__-1677) whose record is given in Savage; his children in 1677 were given to the care of their grandmother, possibly meaning his mother, the wife of Robert Isbell, or it may have been the grandmother on the mother's side of the family. Nothing further concerning Robert is found in Savage. ANDREW LESTER (or Lister) (16__-1669) was an early settler in Gloucester; made a freeman in 1643. By wife Barbara (d. 1654) he had Daniel, Andrew, Mary and Ann. He removed to New London where his wife died Feb. 2, 1653-'54. He married after 1655, Mrs. Ann Hempstead, widow of Robert Hempstead (d. 1655), and had Timothy, born July 4, 1662; Joseph, July 15, 1664, and Benjamin. He died after Oct. 14, 1669. JOHN LEWIS (16__-1676) was in New London in 1648; he had a son John and probably other children, and died Dec. 8, 1676. SAMUEL LOTHROP (1620-1700) son of Rev. John Lothrop (d. 1653), of Scituate and Barnstable, was born in England and came with his father in 1634. He married at Barnstable Nov. 28, 1644, Elizabeth Scudder and had John, b. Dec. 9, 1645, and eight more children: Samuel, Israel, Joseph and daughters Elizabeth, Ann and three daughters whose names are not found in Savage. He removed to Norwich in 1668; died Feb. 29, 1700, leaving a widow Abigail Doane (1631-1735) whom he had married in 1692 and hwo lived to be 104 years old. An engraving on her tombstone is to be found in the History of Norwich. WILLIAM MORTON (16__-1668) one of the first settlers of New London, was a constable in 1658 and after that year. No children are recorded surviving him. WILLIAM NICHOLS (16__-1673) was in Salem in 1638. He removed to New London and married after 1655 Mrs. Ann (_____) Isbell (d. 1689) the widow of Robert Isbell (d. 1655). He was a prominent business man in the town. He died Sept. 4, 1673, leaving no children, and his widow died Sept. 15, 1689. Mr. ROBERT PARKE (15__-1665) was in Wethersfield in 1639, and may have come to New England in 1630 and returned to England, for Savage claimed to have in his possession "what may be the first bill of exchange drawn on our side of the water," which was made here by Robert Parke in 1630. His oldest son William came in the Lion to Boston February, 1631, with Roger Williams. It is presumed that he was sent over by his father to select a home and he would follow later on. He was a Representative from Wethersfield in 1642; in 1649 he removed to New London, where his barn was the first place of worship. He was a selectman in 1651; a Representative in 1652; was called an aged man in 1662. He made his will May 14, 1660, which was probated in March, 1665. The will only names William, Samuel and Thomas, but possibly a daughter Ann had accompanied her brother William to Roxbury and there married Aug. 20, 1640, Edward Payson of Roxbury, and died Sept. 10, 1641. A curious order of May 30, 1644, is recorded in which Robert Parke might "proceed in marriage with Alice Tompson, without further publishment." This Mrs. Alice Tomspson was the widow of John Tompson, of Little Compton, Northumberland, England, and possibly the mother or step-mother of Anthony, John and William Tompson of New Haven Colony. ROBERT PARKER (16__-1683) was living in Gloucester in 1647; he removed to New London in 1651; had a daughter Mary by his first wife. By his second wife, Susannah Keeny, daughter of William Keeny, he had Susannah, Jonathan, Ralph (b. Aug. 29, 1670), Thomas, Hannah, Mehitable and Rebecca. He was a "master mariner" and merchant and died in 1688. His eldest daughter Mary, married about 1663 William Condy. Susannah married March 27, 1666, Thomas Forster. Hannah married Richard Wyatt. Mehitable married William Pendall. Rebecca married in 1685 John Prentiss (d. 1691) as his second wife. HIGH ROBERTS was first at Gloucester. He married Nov. 1, 1649, Mary Calkins, daughter of Hugh Calkins (1600-1690) at Gloucester. He was a tanner and removed to New London soon after his marriage, where he had: Mary, b. Dec. 9, 1652. Samuel, b. April 25, 1656. Mehitable, b. April 15, 1658. In 1667, with several other of the oldest settlers, he went to Newark, N. J. THOMAS STANTON (1615-1678) came in 1633 from London to Virginia, but was soon after in Hartford as one of the original proprietors; he resided there many years and probably his nine or more children were born there. About 1658 he went to New London or Stonington. He had learned the Indian language and became on that account a very valuable man to the colonists; he was employed in that capacity in the Pequot war of 1637. he died in the spring of 1678; his will was probated in June, 1678. His widow Ann Lord (1621-1688), daughter of Thomas Lord (1585-1667 [last two digits written in pen], of Hartford, survived him for ten years and died in 1688. WILLIAM WELLMAN (16__-1671) was in Gloucester in 1649. He married, 1649, Elizabeth Spencer (162_-1718), daughter of William Spencer (d. 1640) of Hartford. He had some eight or more children, several of whom died young. His eldest child Mary (1650-1700) married Jan., 1667, Thomas Howard (d. 1676) of Norwich; in August, 1677, she married William Moore (d. 1729) of Westerly. Martha, b. 1652; d. July 5, 1681; she married after 1672 Clement Minor (1640-1700) of New London. Elizabeth, b. 1657; d. Feb. 4, 1718; she married Jan. 9, 1679, John Shethar of Killingworth. He died at Killingworth Aug. 9, 16__; his widow married May 23, 16__, Jacob Joy of Killingworth. Governor JOHN WINTHROP (1606-1676) son of Gov. John Winthrop (1588-1649) and Mary Forth (15__-1615) came over to New England in the ship Lion with his wife Marth Fines (d. 1634) and bringing also his step-mother and the rest of the family who had not come over at an earlier period with his father, the first Gov. Winthrop of Massachusetts Colony. His first wife died leaving no children. He married a second wife in England in 1635 and had: Fitz-John, b. March 1, 1638. Lucy, b. Jan. 28, 1640. Mehitable, b. Feb. 27, 1642. Mary, bap. Sept. 15, 1644. All at Boston. He went to New London in 1645, and in 1646 brough his family (according to Savage) to the shore of Long Island Sound where he had: Martha, b. 1649. Margaret, b. 165_. Ann, b. 165_. He was chosen as Governor of Connecticut Colony in 1657 and continued in office until his death.