Origin of Early Settlers,
Before and in 1670
those in the latter year being householders
and acknowledged as Proprietors
Centennial Address
David D. Field, D.D.
Middletown, Conn., 1853 pp 143 - 149

While it is very evident that the early settlers or their parents were from the British Isle, and that they were nearly all of English extraction, there is not a little difficulty in ascentaining who came directly to this place, or almost immediately on landing this side of the Atlantic and respecting others where they lived in Massachusetts and Connecticut before settling here. Dr. Trumbull in his History of Connecticut says, "that the principal planters were from England, Hartford andWethersfield -- that the greatest number were from Hartford, and that there was a considerable accession from Rowley, Chelmsford and Woburn in Massachusetts." There were also some planters from Windsor, andfrom some of the towms in Massachusetts, besides those which he names. Some had lived in several places. Various circumstances may have induced individuals to dwell here and there for a time with relatives, connections and acquaintances, and to have engaged in one employment and anohter, even when they did not themselves becme possessors of houses and lands.

With respect to the settlers whose names do not appear among the householders and proprietors in 1670, William BLOOMFIELD was from Hartford, and it is said he returned thither: if he did, he afterwards removed to Long Island. Nathaniel BROWN was from Hartford. He had five children born to him in Middletown, from 1661 to 1669, and it is probably that he died in the last mentioned year. His son, Nathaniel BROWN, 2d, lived in this place after him. George GRAVES was from Hartford and returned to that place: while here he was elected twice a Representative to the General Court. William MARKHAM removed to Hadley, Mass., and died there. What became of John MARTIN is not known. William SMITH, who was from Wethersfield, removed to Farmington. Matthias TREAT was also from Wethersfield and died before 1663, leaving a family which removed from this place. A man by the name of Joseph SMITH died in Rocky Hill in Wethersfield in 1673, who may have been the same person who dwelt a while in the Upper Houses. Robert WEBSTER was from Hartford, son of Gov. John WEBSTER of Hartford, afterward, of Hadley, he was an ancestor of the late Noah WEBSTER, L.L. D. While here he represented the town almost continually in the General Court.

Inquires concerning the previous residences or residences, of Thomas ALLEN, have not been pursued to a satisfactory result.

Obadiah ALLEN, was recommended by the elders of the church in Windsor, which renders it probably that he at least resided in that town for a time. This name is not always spelt with an e, ALLEN; in a town record book it has been seen spelt, ALYN and ALLYN; on the old Church Records it is ALLIN.

Nathaniel BACON, probably came directly from England. He was nephew of Andrew BACON of Hartford. The family were from Stretton in England, county of Rutland.

William BRIGGS, was from Wethersfield.

From wence Alexander BOW and William CHENEY came, it is not ascertained. The latter was a representative to the General Court in several instances.

Jasper CLEMENTS, was born in England about 1614. He died here in 1678, aged 64, leaving property for support of the schools in the town.

Henry COLE married in Hartford in 1646. He was not a landholder there, but may have been a resident. He moved from Middletown to Wallingford soon after 1670; Edward HIGBY purchased part of his property.

Nathaniel COLLINS, the first settled pastor in Middletown, and his brother Samuel COLLINS, were from Cambridge, Mass., sons of Dea. ___ COLLINS.

William CORNWALL, was an early settler in Hartford and had five sons; three of whom, John, Samuel, and William, jr., accompanied him to Middletown. It is said that he died in 1677, an old man.

George DURANT had lived in Malden, Mass., and probably came from that town to this place.

Samuel EGGLESTON, was from Windsor.

Edward FOSTER; of his previous history I have no information.

John HALL had been in a family state, many years before he left England, and was an early settler both in Hartford and Middletown. His three sons, Richard, Samuel and John HALL, jr., probably came to Middletown when he did. He died May 26, 1673, in the 80th year of his age. John HALL, jr., was the good deacon mentioned in the Address.

Giles HAMLIN is generally considered as coming here immediately from England. He was born about 1612. He was in the habit of crossing the Atlantic, and was engaged in foreign commerce, "partly by himself and partly with John PYNCHON of Springfield, his brother-in-law John CROW, jr., who dwelt in Fairfield, and eled GOODWIN of Hartfore, afterwards of Farmington." He died in 1689.

William and Daniel HARRIS came to Middletown from Rowley, Mass.

George HUBBARD was an early settler in Hartford, and had six sons, Joseph, Daniel, Samuel, George, Nathaniel, and Richard. The two oldest sons settled in Middletown. This George HUBBARD was a distinct person from the George HUBBARD who resided in Wethersfield, Milford and Guilford. The genealogies of their families show this.

Thomas HUBBARD, who became a settler and proprietor in Middletown, is supposed t have come from Wethersfield, as there was an inhabitant early there of that name. He died in 1671, and whether he was related or not to either of the George HUBBARDS just mentioned is not known.

John HURLBURT was from Wethersfield, son of Thomas HURLBURT of that town.

Isaac JOHNSON was from Roxbury and recommended from the church there to the church in Middletown.

John KIRBY, one correspondent states, settled first in Boston, and it may be that he landed there and remained for a short time. Another correspondent says that his first child was born in Hartford, and a third tha he had a child born or baptized in Hartford in 1646, but adds "that he lived in Wethersfield, and had children born there in 1649 and 1641. From this town he removed to Middletown. In 1654 he owned a house and land in Rowington, Warwickshire, Eng., and the presumption is that he emigrated first from that place.

Isaac LANE, I know not from what place he came.

William LUCAS. There was a William LUCAS at Marblehead in 1648, who may have been the same person that came here. He died in 1690.

Anthony MARTIN. There was an early settler in Wethersfield by the name of Samuel MARTIN, but the point has not been investigate whether Anthony was from that town.

Thomas MILLER was recommended to the church in Middletown from the church in Rowley.

Thomas RANNEY is said to have been from Scotland. He was married to Mary HUBBARD, the eldest child of George HUBBARD of Middletown in 1659 and had five children, Thomas, John, Joseph, Mary and Elizabeth. He died Jan. 25th, 1713, and was the first person buried in the oldest grave yard in the Upper Houses.

David SAGE, is said to have been from Wales.

John SAVAGE married in Hartford in 1653 and may have resided there, though not a proprietor in that place.

Samuel STOCKING was from Hartford and a son of George STOCKING.

Samuel STOW, who preached to the people of Middletown some years as a candidate for the ministry, I have very lately been informed by a friend, was not born in Concord, Mass., as represented on p. 48, but in Rosbury, and that he did not live in Concord until after he became a candidate. The probability therefore is that his brother Thomas STOW, if not his nephew, John STOW, wre also born in Roxbury, Mass. Samuel STOW died May 8, 1704.

James TAPPIN. There was a man named James TAPPIN married at Guilford to Hannah GARRETT, March 5, 1656. But it is doubtful whether this was the same person who settled in Middletown.

Edward TURNER was from Milford and had two or three children baptized there. His wife was recommended to the church in Middletown from the church in that place.

John and William WARD are supposed to have been both from Rowley. The former was recommended from the church in that town.

Andrew, Robert and John WARNER, were sons of Andrew WARNER, who emigrated from Hatfield, England, about 1630, who was at Cambridge in 1632, and at Hartford among the early settlers. He was a deacon in the Rev. Mr. HOOKER's church and an influential man in that town. He removed to Hadley in 1659, where he died in 1684, at an advanced age. The three sons in Middletown were farmers. Andrew WARNER died Jan. 26th, 1582 [sic]. Robert repeatedly represented the town in the General Court; he died April 10th, 1690. John died in 1700. The WARNERs in Chester and Lyme are descendants of Daniel WARNER, one of their brothers.

Thomas WETMORE is said to have been from Wales. He married a daughter of John HALL in Hartford, in 1645 and had two or three children baptized there. He died in 1681, aged 66.

Nathaniel WHITE was from Hartford, a son of John WHITE of Hartford and Hadley.

John WILCOX was from Hartford.

Further investigation may show that some of those settlers whose origin we have not stated were from Chelmsford and Woburn.