A Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut

Fitch, Rev. James, was from the county of Essex, in England, and received the foundation of his education in England, though he came to this country in his boyhood, (about 16 years old.) He was placed in charge of Rev. Thomas Hooker and Samuel Stone, for the comple- tion of his literary and religious education, where he remained about seven years. He was soon after settled at Saybrook, and remained there about 14 years, until he removed to Norwich, in 1660, with most of his church, where he closed his pastoral life in his old age, and died in 1702, aged about 80, (at Lebanon with his children.) He had two wives. His first wile was Abigail, the daughter of Mr. Whitefield, of Guilford. His children born at Saybrook were, James in '47 — Abigail in '50 — Elizabeth in '52 — Hannah in '54 — Samuel in '55, and Dorothy in '58. His wife died in '59. After he removed to Norwich, in '64, he married Priscilla, a daughter of Major General Mason, who resided at Norwich. By this marriage, his children were, Daniel, John, Jeremiah, Jabez, Anna, Nathaniel, Josiah and Eleazer, in all fourteen children, and a majority of them sons, which was for- tunate in the early settlement ; thirteen of them married and had fam. ilies. Thomas Fitch, who was an early settler at Norwalk, and father of Gov. Fitch, was a brother of Rev. James ; also, Joseph, of Wind, sor was his brother. Mr. Fitch came to this country with 13 other 133 young men 1638, to prepare for and become ministers of the gospel - — most of whom effected their object. [Record, Tombstone <^ Miss Caulkins. Fitch, John, Windsor — died in 1G76, and gave his estate to support a school there, and appropriated it in such manner as the county court and the selectmen of Windsor should direct its application. Joseph Fitch was accepted an inhabitant of Hartford, in '59, selectman in '61. He died in Hartford. Samuel was a school teacher in Hartford for 3 years, at £15 a year, 1049. Thomas, of Norwalk, was the father of Gov. Fitch. The Fitch family did more for schools and schooling in the early settlement, than any other, except Gov. Hopkins. Fitz, Gerrald, New London, 1664. Flower, Lumrock, Hartford — had a daughter Elizabeth, born in 1714, and a son, Elijah, in 1717. Lydia Flower married Edward Dodd, in 1705. Lydia Flower was born in March, 1686 — Lumrock in March, '89 — Elizabeth in March, '92— John in Feb. '94— Mary in '97— Francis in 1700— Ann in Nov. 1703, and Joseph in 1706. Ford, Thomas, moved to Northampton. He had been a leading man at Windsor. Foote, Nathaniel, Wethersfield, appraiser of the estate of Abraham Fynch, in 1640. His children were, in '43, Nathaniel, 24 years old — Robert 17 — Francis 15 — Sarah 12 — Rebecca 10, and some daughters married. Forbes, James, Hartford — died in 1692— estate £344. Children, John, Dorothy, Robert, Mary, David, Sarah, all except Francis, (15 in number) were more than 21 years of age at the death of James. This name came first to Windsor. Forward, Samuel, sen'r. — died in 1684. His wife died in '85. His children were, Samuel and Joseph. Samuel, jr., son of Samuel, of Windsor, was born in '71 — another Samuel Forward, born in '74. These were the ancestors of the Hon. Walter Forward, late Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. Foster, Rev. Isaac, Hartford— died in 1683. £200 of his estate was given to Ann Foster, and the remainder to Mehitabel Woodbridge • — supposed the daughter of Mrs. Mehitabel Russell. Foster, Nathaniel, Wethersfield, (in No. 1.) After the conquest of the Pequot country, the General Court found it necessary to hold the country — that troops should be sent there for this purpose — according. ly 40 men were detached from the three towns, and Lieut. Robert Seely took command of them, and provision was made for their sup- port, viz. for Wethersfield, Nathaniel Foster's hog, 20 pounds of butter, and 50 pounds of cheese ; and Mr. Wells, 2 bushels of malt. Wind- sor, one ram goat, 20 pounds of butter, 50 pounds of cheese, 1 gallon of strong water, and 3 bushels of malt. Hartfoixl, 20 pounds of butter, 50 pounds of cheese, and 100 pounds of beef, from Mr. Whiting. (Other provision was matie.) Fowler, Lieut. William, with Giles Hamlin, Captain Newbury, W. Wadsworth, Captain W. Curtice and Lieut. Munson, in August, 1073, were made a grand committee to commission ofiicers, press men, •horses, arms, &c., and dispose of the militia, &;c., to march against the Dutch, who were suspected of approaching Connecticut. John 134 Talcott was made major for Hartford, Robert Treat for New Haven, and Nathan Gold for Fairfield — and other officers appointed. Fowler, Ambrose, Windsor — married Jane Alvord, May„1016, and had children, Abigail, John, Mary, Samuel, Hannah, Elizabeth and Ambrose. Fox, Richard, sen'r., Glastonbury — died in 1709. His widow, Beri- ah, was administratrix — perhaps the same who came to New England Avith Isaac and Thomas Jones. The first emigrant of the name in the colony came to Windsor. Thomas, 1GG3. Richard, with Isaac and Thomas Janes, William Payne, John Moore, Richard Graves, Francis and Christopher Foster and Robert Sharp, came from England to N. England, in the Abigail, Robert Hackwell, master. Francis, Robert, is first found on the records, at Wethcrsfield, in 1G51, and was the first of the name who settled there. He had three sons and four daughters. He died in 1711, and left a family. John, son of Robert, died also in 1711, aged 53. Estate £713 — wife Mercy — children, John, James, Thomas, Robert, Joseph, Daniel, Sybba- rance, Abigail, Hannah, Sarah, Prudence, Mercy, Mary Griswold, and one who died young. Of the three sons of Robert, John only left issue. John had 14 children. His sons John and Robert remained at Wethersfield — Daniel settled at Killingworth — Joseph at Walling- ford — James at Berlin, and Thomas at Newington. Freeman, Joseph, 1665. French, Ephraim, 1G76. Frost, Daniel, Fairfield, 1G49. Henry, '63. Fry, Michael, Richard Year, Fossaker, and Stockin, freed from training in 1660. Anthony, 1663. Fyler, Walter, Windsor. Children, John, born in 1642 — Zeruba- bel in '44 — the last married Miss E. Strong, in '69, and had a son Thomas in '69 — Jane in '71 — Zerubabel in '73, who died, and in '74 had another Zerubabel, and John born and baptized in '75. John, married Elizabeth Dolman. G. Gager, John, Saybrook, son of William, was among the earliest settlers there, and it is supposed came there firstly with Mr. Winthrop, about 1645. He removed to New London, where he continued until he united with the other proprietors and settlers of Norwich, in '60. This name is rarely, if at all, yet found in the State west of Connecti- cut river. John, of Norwich, in '73, was robbed of his goods by In- dians. They were apprehended, and tried. The court inflicted a fine of £20, and authorised Gager to sell them in service to pay it. Gaines, Samuel, Glastonbury — died in 1699 or 1700 — wife Hannah. Galpin, Philip, of Bristow, Summersetshire, England — a mariner, sou of John Galpin, of Rye, Fairfield county. Conn. Mary Avas the wife of John. In 1689 he owned land near the shore in Fairfield county, he also had a deed of land and houses there in '70, and sold his land in 1700. Gardner, David, Saybrook, (in No. I.) By the account given by Rev. Mr. Hotchkiss, it appears, he left the Fort at Saybrook as early 135 ,is 1639, and then removed to Gardner's Island and became a magis- trate there, which office he held until his death, in '03. His first son was born at the Fort. As Mr. Fenwick came to the Fort at Saybrook in '39, liieut. Gardner must have left it soon after his arrival, if Mr. Hotchkiss is correct. Gardner, Wid. Elizabeth, Hartford — died in 1G81. Before her mar- riage with Mr. Gardner, she was the widow of Samuel Stone, by whom she had a son Samuel. Her children were, Samuel and Eliza- beth. She had a grandson Samuel Sedgwick, another John Roberts ; Rebecca Nash, Mary Fitch, and Sarah Butler, daughters, to whom she gave legacies. She gave Mary Butler one acre of land. Samuel, of Hartford, agreed to move to Hadley, in '59. This name is spelt Gard- ner and Gardiner. Garding, Nathaniel, chimney viewer of Hartford, in 1664. Garrad, Daniel, 1664. Gates, Deac. Thomas, was an early settler in Haddam. In 1704 he was made a deacon at East Haddam — died 1734, aged 70 years. The Gates family were a family of deacons. Thomas in 1704 — Jer- emiah in 1741 — James in 1762 — Caleb in 1795, and Ephraim in 1806, deacons in East Haddam. This was a noble name in England. Sir Thomas Gates, Kt., was one of the grantees of the Great Patent of New England, by King James. Gates, George, a chimney viewer of Hartford, in 1661. He was located at Haddam, in '75. Robert, '64. Gaylord, Wilham,* Windsor — married Ann Porter in 1641. Wal- ter Gaylord married Mary in '48. Samuel Gaylord married Eli- zabeth Hull in '46. John Gaylord married Mary Drake in '53, and had four children. Ruth, daughter of William, born, Oct. 1704 — twins born, Aug. 1706 — William born, Nov. 1709 — Samuel and Sarah, grand children, born afterwards. Children of John were, John, born in 1656— Mary in '63— a 2d John born in '67, and Elizabeth in '70. Joseph, son of Walter, married Mary Stanley in '70 — his children were, Sarah, Joseph and John. Hezekiah, of W^indsor — died in '77. He had no family. Was a brother of John and William, Ann Phelps and Hannah Crandall, and half brother of Joseph and Nathaniel Gaylord. Geere, George, New London, 1664. Dennis and Elizabeth Geere and two daughters, came in the ship Abigail, from London to New England, (from Thessel worth.) This name is spelt on some records Geere, others Geeree and Gear. Geffers, Gabriel, Saybrook, died in 1664. Gibbs, Jacob, Windsor — married Elizabeth Andrews in 1657, and had children, Mary, Abigail, Jacob, Sarah and Elizabeth. Samuel, married Hepzibah Dibble in '64, and had Hepzibah, Paulina, Eliza- beth, Catherine and Jonathan. Many of this name came early to Massachuetts. Giles, of Windsor, died in '41— wife, Kalhcrine, and children, Samuel, Benjamin, Sarah and Jacob. Richard Wellar had lived with him at 40s. p§r annum. Giles was father of Jacob — per- haps the same who was admitted freeman in Massachusetts, mention- ed by Farmer.