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

Robert married Hannah Bockly, daughter of John, Sept. 1689. Jonathan Webster married Easter Judd, daughter of Benjamin, Dec. 1704. John Bracy married Mary Webster, daughter of Jonathan, 1705. Joseph Webster married Mary Judd, 1695. Benjamin Webster, supposed the great grandson of Gov. Webster, after 1717, moved to Litchfield, where he located, and where the name yet continues. Jonathan resided on Wright's Island in 1730. Webster, Matthew, made free in 1645. Webb, Richard, Hartford, 1639 — on the first grand jury at the General Court in the colony in 1643 — also juror in '43-4 — selectman in '48 — surveyor of highways in '49. He soon after moved to Stam- ford, was made free there in '62, and he was sworn by Judge Gold, at Fairfield court. He was an original proprietor of Hartford in '39, and was a gentleman of standing in the colony. Henry Webb, '42. John, Hartford, '48 and '63. William, Hartford, in '40. Richard was the ancestor of John Webb, Esq., of Hartford. Weed, Joseph, Fairfield — made free in 1662. Jonas, Wethersfield 1636 — juror in '39. Perhaps the father of Joseph. Weeks, Thomas, John Ketchum and Mr. Ridgebell, in the recep- tion and organization of the towns of Huntington, Setauk and Oyster Bay, on Long Island, in 1662, were appointed constables of those towns under the Char- ter of Connecticut. All the towns upon Long Island were also notified by Capt. Sylvester and Lieut. Gardner, to attend the General Court of Connecticut by representatives, the next May session. Mr. Weeks appeared and took the oath with 22 others. After he returned to Long Island he revolted, and made great disturbance in Southold — to quell which the General Court appcinted M. Allyn and S. Wyllys to go to Long Island, and with the assistance of the magis- trates there, to settle the affair. Welles, Gov. Thomas, came into the colony and located himself at Hartford in the autumn of 1636, and upon the 28th day of March, 1637, he be- 94 came a member of the Court of Magistrates. la April following an importint crisis had arrived. The inhabitants of the colony had been constantly annoyed by the Indians, and particularly by the Pequots, by robberies, murders, and the abduction of two respectable young ladies from Wethersfield, who had been carried among the Indians — which outrages could no longer be submitted to by the English settlers. To redress these grievances a General Court of Magis- trates were convened, and the three towns which then formed the colony, were ordered, for the purpose of adding safety to the counsels of the court, to send a committee of three persons from each town, to set as advisers with the General Court. Gov. Welles was one of the Court of Magistrates held on the 7th day of May, 1637, who declared an offensive war against the powerful and warlike nation of Pequots, for the redress of the many grievances they had visited upon the English settlers. It was a most important meeting and decision not only to the colon}', but to all the settlers in New England. The Indians had not only murdered many of the English, but had driven away their cattle, and com- mitted other gross wrongs. After mature deliberation, war was declared, and the result saved the colony, and was of immense advantage to all the other colonies, and much credit was due to Mr. Welles for his course taken in this important step. After this time he appears to have become an important man in the colony. He was uniformly a member of the Court of Magistrates after March, 1637, until he was elected Deputy Governor, in 1654. In 1640 he was appointed secretary of the colony, which office he held until 1649, and performed the duty of both offices during the whole period. For a time he also performed the duties of treasurer for the colony in 1639. At the session of the General Court in 1653, in March and April, the Governor being absent, Mr. Welles per. formed the duties of the Governor as Moderator of the General Assembly un- der the Constitution of the Commonwealth. In 1654 he was elected Deputy Governor, in 1656, 7 and 1659. He was also elected Governor in 1655 and 8. In 1649 he vv-as a Commissioner to the Colony Congress, Gov. Welles was frequently associated with Haynes, Ludlow, Mason and other leading men upon important committees appointed by the General Court. He did much in the formation and union of the colonies in 1643, for the mutual benefit and protec- tion of each other. No one of the distinguished men of his time was more uniformly attentive to all his official duties than Gov. Welles, from his first ap- pointment in 1637, until 1659. He was a constant attendant upon the General Court, except when employed in other public duties. His whole public life being fairly examined, he was as important a prop to the new colony as any of the principal men, except Gov. Winthrop. — He died in 1668, and left a large estate to his children, viz. Thomas, Ichabod, Samuel, Jonathan, Joseph, Rebecca and Sarah. Samuel settled at Wethersfield. The descendants of Gov. Welles are numerous in Connecticut at this time. The most prominent of whom are Hon. Gideon, of Hartford — since his late appointment, at Washington — Thad- deus, Esq., of Glastonbury— Hon. Martin, of Wethersfield, and Doct. H. Welles, of Hartford. Gov. Welles came to Massachusetts in a vessel named the Susan and Ellen, E. Payne, master, in company with Richard Saltonstall, Esq. and family, Walter Thornton and others. Welles, Capt. Samuel— died in 1675. His children were, Samuel 95 10 years old, Tliomas 14, Sarah 12, Mary 10, Ann 7, and Elizabeth 5. John, son of Samuel, 1664. Edward, 1644. Thomas, son of Thomas, born 1690. Welles, Wid. Elizabeth, Wethersfield — died in 1683. Children, Robert Foot, (died before her,) Sarah Judson, deceased — ^lefl children, daughters Churchill, Goodrich, Barnard and Smith. Nathaniel Foot's eldest son Nathaniel and his brother and their children shared in her will, Daniel and Elizabeth — grandson John Stoddard — grandsons Jo- seph and Benjamin Churchill. She was a sister of John Deming, sen'r. and had a grandson Henry Buck. Welles, Samuel, moved from Wethersfield to Stratford, with three sons — Thomas, Samuel, and another, perhaps other children. He was the son of Gov. Welles. Perhaps the same Capt. Samuel who died in 1675. Weller, Richard — came early to Windsor. He married Ann Wil- son in 1639. Children, Rebecca born May, 1641 ; Sarah in '43 ; William in '45 ; Nathaniel in '48 ; Ebenezer in '50, and Thomas in '53. This name is yet known in Litchfield county. Westover, Jonah, sen'r., Simsbury, father of Jonah, jr., died in 1708. Samuel Case married his daughter. Children, Jonah, Jona- than, Margaret, Hannah, Jane, Mary and Joanna. Welton, Richard, 1656. Welton or Wilton, David — ^juror in 1644 — deputy in '46. Westley, William, Hartford, 1639 — held 14 acres of land there, with liberty to fetch wood and keep swine and cows on the common. Widow Westley signed to move to Hadley in '59. West, of Saybrook, 1669. John West, '49. Westcoat, Richard, 1639. Westwood, William — selectman of Hartford in 1636 — member of the General Court in April, June, Jul)', November and February, '36 — aided in declaring war in '37 — deputy in '42-46 — selectman in '39. He was one of the first settlers and leading men of the colony — an original proprietor of Hartford, and in the land division in '39. In '59 he signed a contract to remove his family to Massachusetts with those who settled the town of Hadley. Wakelin, Henry, Stratford, 1650. White, John — one of the early and principal settlers of Hartford, before 16^9 — was a juror in 1643-4 — orderer of the town in 1641 and '45 — fence viewer in 1649. He was an original proprietor of Hartford, and in its land division in 1639. He was one of the 60 persons, in 1659, wlio signed an agreement to remove to Massachusetts for the settlement of Hadley. He re- moved, and died there in 1683. His children were, Nathaniel, (who resided at 96 Hadley,) Daniel, Jacob, John, Sarah Gilbert, Mrs. Taylor, and a daughter who had married Mr. Hixton. Nathaniel had a daughter Sarah. Mr, White in his will gave Rev. John Whiting £5 in silver. lie had intended to have given Stephen Taylor a select tract of land, but he found himself bound for a large sum to redeem his son Taylor's house and home-lot ; he therefore ordered the land originally designed for Taylor to be sold to redeem his house and lot. He gave property to the children of his daughter Hixton — to his grandson Ste- phen Taylor, to be received at Nathaniel White's at Hadley — to his grand daughter Sarah, (a daughter o£ Nathaniel) he gave £5. The remainder of his estate he gave to his grand children, viz. Jonathan Gilbert, and to the children of his sons Nathaniel, John and Daniel, also the children of Sarah, (who had three sons) — his grandson Gilbert was the son of his daughter Mary. He owned a share in a mill at Hadley. His son Nathaniel was his executor. Mr. White was a strict Puritan in all its forms, and left the colony in consequence of a division in the church at Hartford. White, Nathaniel — confirmed an ensign at Middletown in 1664 — deputy in '63. Philip, 1646. Whaples, Ephraim, Wethersfield — wife Mindwell — died in 1712. His children were, Ephraim and three daughters. He ordered his daughters to be paid out of his estate £10 each, by his son Ephraim, and to have a share of the moveables. The will was signed in the presence of Eliphalet Whittlesey and Joseph Hurlbut. Jabez Whit, tlesey was made overseer of the will. He was a brother of Thomas. Whaples, Thomas, 1644 — died in '71, and left children, Rebecca, Hannah, Joseph, Jane, Ephraim and John — resided in Hartford in '64. Thomas, son of Thomas, of Hartford, died in 1712-13. Children, Nathan, Joseph, Abigail, Rebecca, Mary and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was learning the trade of a tailor. Wheatly, James, 1644.