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

Winchell, Robert, Windsor — a juror in 1644. In '37 was appoint- ed with Mr. Ludlow and William Phelps as agents for the purchase of corn, &c. He came early to Windsor. His children were, Phebe born in 1639, Mary in 1641 — David, Joseph, Martha, Benjamin. — Robert died in 1657. Nathaniel, son of Robert, married Sarah Porter, and had Nathaniel, Thomas and Sarah, born 1674, and Joseph 1677. Jonathan Winchell married Abigail Brunson, and had a son Jonathan, 1663. David married Elizabeth Filly, 1669, and had Joseph and two daughters, Nathaniel Winchell, 1664— probably the same who was at Westfield in 1686. Winthrop, Gov. John, -who first came to Saybrook, in 1635 — was the son of John Winthrop, the Governor of Massachusetts. Ho arrived at Bos- ton in the autumn of 1635, with a commission from Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook and others, who were interested in a Patent of a large tract of land ad- joining the Connecticut River, as agent of the Company — to erect houses and build a Fort at the mouth of the river, not only for self-protection against the Bavagcs, but to command the navigation and prevent the Dutch from taking possession of the lands. Mr. Winthrop brought with him from England, men, ammunition, ordnance and money, furnished by the Company, to carry out their design. He was directed by the Company, on his arrival at Boston, to repair at once to Connecticut, with 50 men, to erect fortifications and build houses for the garrison, and the houses for the men of quality within the Fort. He was also directed that such as should locate there in the beginning, should plant themselves either at the harbor or near the mouth of the river, for their own safety, and that they should set down in bodies together, that they could be better entrenched ; also to reserve to the Fort 1000 or 1500 acres at least of good ground as near to the Fort as could be obtained. The Company also, be- fore Mr. Winthrop left England, appointed him Governor of the Connecticut River, in New England, and of the harbors and places adjoining, for the space of one year after his arrival there. Gov. Winthrop soon learned that the Dutch at Now Netherlands intended to seize upon the mouth of the river, and he im- 101 mediately despatched 20 men trom Boston to his place of destination, (now Say- brook) to get command of the river, and repel the Dutch if they should appear. Soon after the arrival of Mr. Winthrop's men at the mouth of the Connecticut, the Dutch who had been sent from New Netherlands arrived to take possession, but Gov. Winthrop's men had in season planted two of their cannon in so favor- able a position that the Dutch troops were prevented from landing. Mr. Win- throp soon went to Saybrook and fulfilled his commission as agent for the Com- pany. He and Mr. Fenwick did not consider either themselves or the lands within their grant, as strictly under the government or within the jurisdiction of Connecticut, until after the colony of Connecticut had purchased the land upon the river, and the Fort of Mr. Fenwick, in 1644 ; for which reason Gov. Win- Ihrop is not found very frequently upon the records of the colony for some of the first years of its settlement. Even Mr. Fenwick was not a magistrate in the colony until 1644. Gov. Winihrop the younger apphed to the General As- sembly of Connecticut, in 1640, for a grant to him of Fisher's Island. The Court decided that so far as it would not hinder the public good, either in forti- fying it for defence, or fishing, or making salt, that he had liberty to proceed therein. He therefore took possession of it, and his heirs hold it to this day. Gov. Winthrop did not become a member of the House of Assistants in the colony until after 1650 ; after which time he became the favorite of the colony and received apparently any appointment he desired. He was elected Governor in 1657, 9 and 1660, to 1675. He was the first Governor of the colony who was ever elected previous to 1660, two years in succession — the old law upon this subject, owing to the universal popularity of Mr. Winthrop as Governor, was repealed. In 1662 he procured the Charter for the colony, for which he was agent, which greatly added to his popularity in Connecticut, but gave much offence to the colonists at New Haven ; yet at the Union of the two Colonies, in 1665, Mr. Winthrop was continued as Governor of the colony, and Major Mason, Deputy Governor. To give the honors and incidents of the life of so valuable a man as Gov. Winthrop would require volumes, it therefore will not be expected even an outline can be detailed in this small pamphlet. In September, 1647, the General Court " thought meet ' to give Mr. Win- throp a commission to execute justice, at Pequot, according " to their laws, and the rule of rigiiteousness." Previous to 1660 no person was eligible by law, two years in succession to the office of Governor. But the people had now become so much enamored with the good management of the affairs of the government by Mr. Winthrop, that the General Court, at the April term, pro- posed repealing the law, that Gov. Winthrop should be eligible the second year to the office of Governor. To do which it was propounded to the freemen, and inserted in the warrants for the choice of deputies, which was effected, and Gov. Winthrop triumphantly elected, not only two years in succession, but many years after. This was a year full of great and happy events in the colony. Mr. Winthrop had been elected Governor, and Gen. Mason, Deputy Governor ; two of the most popular, deserving and able men in the colony, and better ac- quainted with the affairs of the country than any others. Gov. Winthrop was deemed by the people as a learned, safe and judicious statesman, while it ap- peared to be a conceded point by all, that no man could be as familiar with the condition of the various tribes of Indians as Maj. Mason — and in this respect 102 was viewed as peculiarly fitted for his new and responsible oft'ice of Deputy Governor. In the repeal of the law, the freemen had wisely discovered that the first year of holding an office was wasted more in learning its duties than in performing them acceptably to the public. I here for brevity, skip over that part of the record which appointed Gov. Winthrop agent to procure the Charter for the colony, and much of their distress in meeting the expense of his mission. In July, 1662, it was discovered that the £500 which had been appropriated for the expenses of Gov. Winthrop, had proved altogether insufficient for the object, and a part of that even then, unpaid, and the expenses had far exceeded their expectation. All was now consternation and excitement — a new and unexpect- ed debt had been added to their misfortunes, while they were ignorant of the progress or success of their petition to the Kin|f — yet never daunted, the General Court at once appointed committees to notify those persons who were yet owing Mr. Cullick any part of tlic i^SOO, . to pay it at once, and the collectors for the country to prepare for payment without delay, to discharge the sums required by the Worshipful Governor, The General Court, in case those indebted as aforesaid, failed to pay as directed, appointed a committee to procure corn or other provisions, and compel such as were indebted towards the £500 so appro- priated, to pay for it. The distress continued through the summer. But when the General Court convened at Hartford on the 9th day of October, 1662, all was hilarity and excitement in-doors and out, such as had never before been witnessed in the colony, and probably never since, when the people were notified that Gov. Winthrop had succeeded in the object of his mission to England, and that the Charter had arrived full of liberty for the people, confirming their titles to their lands, extending their territory, with the confidence of the King in the loyalty of his new subjects. They were publicly notified that it was then in the possession of the Court. It v\'as then publicly read to both Houses of the General Court, with an immense concourse of the freemen and people present — when one of the Court, (probably Major Mason) held it out in his hand, and declared it to be thtirs and their successors .' It was viewed by all as a full con- firmation, not only of all the titles in the colony, but of the colon)' itself. Gov Winthrop at this time had not arrived, but remained in England for some time after he forwarded the Charter. The question in the House at once arose, who should take charge of and hold an instrument that was the Palladium of every man's Liberty in the Colony, and the safeguard to the title of every foot of soil in the jurisdiction of Connecticut. The Court selected Mr. Wyllys, John Allen and John Talcott to take the Charter into their custody and keeping, in behalf of the Colony. An oath was then administered to them in open Court, for a faithful discharge of so important a trust. It now became necessary for the General Court to prepare to legislate in conformity to and under the provisions of the Charter. The General Court, therefore, established and confirmed all civil and military appointments in the colony — all orders and laws not at variance with the provisions of the Charter were also confirmed. The Colony Seal was declared to be continued in the hands of the Secretary as the seal of the colony under the Charter. The town of Hartford was decreed by the freemen as the settled location for the convoca- tion of the General Assembly for all future time, (except when visited by epi- demic diseases.) Tlie people throughout the country at once saw the advanta- 103