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

was a brollier of Oliver, who was also General in the same service. Erastus was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Connecticut for some years. This wor- thy band of a single line, were the descendants of Henry Wolcott, of Windsor Of the same line of ancestry was the Hon. Frederick, late of Litchfield — a broth- er of the last Gov. Oliver — who was a gentleman no less talented and worthy than any of his ancestors. There are at this day no public men by this name in the high public stations of our country. It was well for the Wolcotts that they lived when integrity and talents were the only qualifications for preferment and high places of public trust. There are two of the sons of Hon. Frederick — one in Boston, the other in New York — who are merchants of distinction. A grandson of the last Governor Oliver, and a son of the late Col. Gibbs, of Long Island, is fast rising into notice and favor as a gentleman of literature by his valuable productions. One other of the descendants in Hartford, not of the name, but of the blood, is also by his talents, industry and acquirements, mak- ing rapid progress to public favor and preferment. Hon. Henry Wolcott died in 1680. He gave in his will his seal ring to Henry, jr. He had land at Tolland, in England, at his decease, which was in the possession of John Wolcott and John Dart, which he gave to his youngest son Josiah, after the expiration of the estate given by his (Henry's) uncle Christopher to John Wol- cott, sen'r., then deceased. He also held land at Willington, called Longforth, in England, in the possession of Hugh Wolcott at his decease. He at the close of his will changed his views, and gave his lands in England to Henry, jr., for life, and to the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, and to their heirs for- ever, by Henry, jr.'s paying annually for six years, £50 to his other three youngest sons. He was a gentleman of great wealth ; his land at Wethersfield alone was appraised at £ 1234. His other property in this country at £2743, exclusive of his property in England. Wolcott, Henry, jr., received many appointments from the General Court. George, 1640 — a brother of Henry, jr., and son of Henry, sen'r. Hannah, had a sister who married James Russell, who had a daughter, Mary Russell — she also had a sister Price, who shared in her estate. She died unmarried in 1G83-4. Sarah, died unmarried, or without children, in July, 1684. Simon, of Windsor — moved to Simsbury, and owned land there in 1667. Simon, son of Simon, brother of Henry, John, William Pitkin, Christopher, William and Roger. Treat, an assistant in 1663. Woodford, Thomas, Hartford, 1639 — fence viewer in '39 — collector of funds for the students of Cambridge College in 1645 — sexton to dig graves and ring the bell for funerals, with orders that Thomas Woodford ehould " attend making graves for any corpses deceased ; and that no corpse shall be laid less than four feet deep ; none that be above four years old shall be laid less than five feet deep ; none that be above ten, shall be laid less than six feet deep. He was not an original proprietor of Hartford, but had 14 acres of land there, with the right of pasture on the common, to fetch wood, &;c. He was appointed to cry all lost property at public meetings, at 2 pence paid in advance, in 1640. Joseph, made free in 1663. 107 WoodhuU, Richard, and Thomas Pierce, were appointed officers under Connecticut, on the admission of Setauk, L. I., into the jurisdic tion of Connecticut. Woodruff, Matthew, came early to Hartford among the first sut- lers. After remaining awhile at Hartford, he removed with his family to Far- mington ; since which the Woodruffs have emanated from Farmington. Na- thaniel, after 1717, moved from Farmington to Litchfield, which makes Matthew the ancestor of the name there. Matthew died at an advanced age, in 1691. His children were, Matthew, aged 23, John 19, Samuel 14, Nathaniel 5, Joseph 2, Mary 21, Sarah 17, Elizabeth 12, Hannah 10. Widow Sarah Woodruff died in 1690. John died at Farmington in 1692, and left Joseph, aged 13, John 23^ Mary 25, Hannah 21, Phebe 16, Margaret 10, and Abigail 8. The family have uniformly supported the good reputation of their ancestor. Gen. Morris Wood- ruff was as prominent as any of the name. The Woodruffs of Connecticut are the descendants of Matthew, and not of WilHani. Woodward, Rev. John — was scribe, in 1708, for the Convention who formed the Saybrook Platform. Woodward, Hartford, 1640. It was voted by the town that he should employ his whole time in killing wolves, for which he was to have 4s. 6d. per week for his board in case he killed neither wolves or deers in the course of the week, but if he killed either, to pay for his board. This name was frequent in the early settlement of Massa- chusettss. Woolfe, Edward, New London, 1671. Peter was at Salem as early as 1634. — Farmer. Wolterton, Gregory, Hartford — died in 1674 or in '74. He had a nephew James, son of his brother Matthew, in New London. He left no children. He was a useful citizen. Worstall, John — juror in 1644. Wright, Thomas — deputy from Wethersfield in 1643 — died in '70, and left Margaret, his widow, and children, Samuel, Joseph, Thomas and others. A daughter of his son Thomas married Job Hillyer, and they had a son William, and daughters, Margaret and Sarah. His widow died in '71. Wright, Thomas, Wethersfield — died in August, 1683. His chil- dren were, Thomas, aged 23 years, Mary 18, Hannah 13, Lydia 11. His estate was £673. Anthony Wright married Mary, the widow of Matthias Treat, by whom she had children. Anthony died in '79. Wrisly, Richard — one of the first settlers. Wrotham, Simon, Farmington — died in 1694-5. His daughter House's children were, William, Susannah and Samuel — sons Samuel, and Simon, and daughter Newel. Wyard or Wire, Robert, Wethersfield — died in 1682. 108 Wyatt, Jolin, IGKJ — died in '68. His children were, Mary, Hep- zibah, Dorcas, Sarah, Joanna, Elizabeth and Israel. Wyllys, Gov. George, was the son of Richard, of Fenny-Compton, in Warwickshire, in England. He was the first of the family who came to New England. He held an estate there of £500 per annum, in possession of George, his eldest son, who he left in England. In 1636, being a Puritan in principle and feeling, he became anxious to remove to Connecticut with his family, he tlierefore to prepare a comfortable situation in the new country for himself and family, at Hartford, during the year 1636, sent his steward, (William Gibbins) with 20 men, to Hartford, to purchase and prepare for him a farm, and erect such buildings as should be needed for liis reception. Mr. Gibbins therefore came to New England, and purchased that elevated and delightful plat of ground, at this day celebrated not only by the location of the Charter Oak upon it, but as the Wyllys Place, at the south part of the city. He erected the neces- sary buildingf, and prepared the grounds for a garden, where the family have uniformly resided. In 1638 Mr. Wyllys removed with his family direct to Hart- ford. His reputation in England had been of that high character, that in the following year he was made a magistrate, and in 1641 was elected Deputy Gov- ernor of the colony, and in 1642 was made Governor. He was once elected Commissioner to the United Congress of the Colonies. Dr. Trumbull says, " he was a Puritan of the strictest kind, and lived in all the exactness of the most pious Puritans of the day." His death, which took place March 21, 1644, was deeply realised throughout the colony. He left a son Samuel, who was born in England, about 12 years of age at the decease of his father, who at the age of 22, was made a magistrate, and became a prominent man in the colony. Gov. Wyllys, as early as 1639, was appointed with Gov. Welles to revise the laws of Connecticut. Among the many important offices which have been held by the different members of the Wyllys family, it is worthy of remark, in this day of shifting and change, that three of the descendants of Gov. Wyllys, (viz. Heze- kiah, George and Samuel) held in succession, the office of Seretary of State of the Colony and State of Connecticut 98- years. Gov. Wyllys had brothers, William and Richard. This family, so long and so favorably known in Hart- ford, are now all deceased, and the name become extinct in the State ; — and that beautiful seat occupied by them nearly 200 years, has passed, for want of Wyllys heirs, into the hands of a gentleman no less talented than its original proprietors — a regular descendant of the Hon. Henry Wolcott the first, of Wind- sor. He left a wife, Mary, and children, George, Samuel, Hester and Amy. His son George remained in England, and was there, as appears by the will of Gov. Wyllys, in 1644 ; property was given to his son George in Connecticut^ provided George should move with his family to Hartford, &c., otherwise given to his son Samuel. — Records, Trumbull, and Farmer. Wyllys, Hon. Samuel, son of Governor Wyllys, of Connecticut, was born in Warwickshire, in England, in 1632, and came to, Hartford with his father in 1638. When only 22 years of ago he was made a magistrate, (in 1654) which he held for many years. He married a daughter of Governor Haynes, and died aged about 77 years, in 1709. His son Hezekiah held the office of Sec- retary for the colony from 1712 to 1734, when he died. George, his grandson. 109 was Secretary from 1735 until he died in 1796, when Samuel the son of the 2d George succeeded his father in the same office, and held it until 1809, when Hon. Thomas Day was appointed, and held it 24 years. In 1659 Mr. Wyllys was appointed by the General Court to go to Saybrook and assist Major Mason in examining the suspicions there about witchery. In 1660 ho was auditor of public accounts with Capt. Lord. He was a member of the Congress of the United Colonies in 1661, 2, 4 and 7.