Christopher Huntington (1624-1691)
Christopher Huntington was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. At the young age of eleven years old he and his family sailed to the New World. Sadly, his father died of small pox during the voyage, however, his mother survived. The family first settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts and subsequently moved to Windsor, Connecticut.
In 1649 Christopher lived in Saybrook and was apparently engaged in business of trade. The record shows that he wrote a letter to his Uncle Barrett in England, asking for consignments of cloth and shot. Two years later, in 1651, he was one of five people who seized a Dutch vessel that was on the coast trading illegally with the Indians. Clearly, he was very interested in trade. The next year, he married Ruth Rockwell in Windsor Connecticut.
Christopher Huntington became one of Norwich’s original 35 proprietors in 1659. His house, shown on the left, was situated on an exposed and conspicuous corner, commanding approaches from various directions. It is said to have been one of the dwellings, which were fortified during King Philip’s War (1675-1678).
In 1678, he was appointed as the first town clerk in Norwich. This office was held by the Huntington family for one 117 years. Christopher’s term of service lasted thirteen years.
His first born son, Christopher Jr., was born on November 1, 1660, the first male born in Norwich. As an adult, Christopher Jr. served as a Deacon in the Church for forty years.
FAMILY
Christopher Huntington’s younger brother Deacon Simon Huntington Jr. was another of Norwich’s first proprietors. Christopher Huntington married Ruth Rockwell Huntington in 1652. They had seven children. Their names were :
1) Ruth Huntington Pratt (1653-1687) : Wife of Samuel Pratt
2) Deacon Christopher Huntington Jr. (November 1, 1660-1735) : First male child born in Norwich. He became the husband of Sarah Adgate Huntington the daughter of Deacon Thomas Adgate, and then later husband of Judith Stevens Huntington. He served as a Deacon to the church for more than 40 years.
3) Captain Thomas Huntington (1664-1732) : Husband of Elizabeth Backus Huntington the daughter of Lt. William Backus Jr.
4) John Huntington (1666-1727) : Husband of Abigail Lothrop Baker Huntington, the widow of Deacon Samuel Baker.
5) Susannah Huntington Griswold (1668-1727) : Wife of Captain Samuel Griswold the son of Lt. Francis Griswold.
6) Lydia Huntington (1672-1673) : Died as an infant
7) Anne Huntington Bingham (1675-1756) : Wife of Jonathan Bingham the son of Deacon Thomas Bingham
Christopher Huntington is buried in the Founders Cemetery in Norwich.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, pp 180-184, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Geni.com
Find A Grave.com
“Old Houses of the Ancient Town of Norwich, 1600-1800”, (1895), page 178, by Mary Elizabeth Perkins. Photo by Elisha Ayer
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Christopher Huntington” in the SEARCH box.
Deacon Simon Huntington Jr. (1629-1706)
Very early in Norwich’s history the title of Deacon became a familiar appendage to the name “Huntington”. Of the twenty deacons of the first church in Norwich, seven were Huntingtons. Six of them held the office over thirty years each. In the line of Simon, the deaconship descended from father to son through four successive generations, Simon Sr., Simon Jr., Simon III and then Ebenezer. The line of succession covered a period of 120 years.
Deacon Simon Huntington Jr.’s headstone, shown on the left, is the oldest headstone of all in the Old Norwichtown Cemetery.
Deacon Huntington’s home lot was located adjacent to the north end of Norwichtown green. His lot was conveniently located near the church. The exact location may be seen on the 1705 Map of Southeastern Norwich.
Simon Huntington Jr. also served as one of the two townsmen in 1672. He served as a Commissioner to the Court in Norwich in 1669. This court tried cases involving less than 40 shillings (about $500 in today’s dollars). In 1690 the honor and privilege of operating an inn in Norwich was granted to Deacon Huntington.
FAMILY
Deacon Simon Huntington Jr’s older brother Christopher Huntington, was another of Norwich’s first proprietors. Simon Huntington Jr. married Sarah Clarke Huntington in 1653. They had ten children. Their names were :
1) Lydia (aka Sarah) Huntington Tracy (1654-1683) : Wife of Dr. Soloman Tracy the son of Lt. Thomas Tracy
2) Mary Huntington Forbes (1657-1673) : Wife of Deacon Caleb Forbes
3) Simon Huntington III (1659-1736) : Husband of Lydia Gager Huntington the daughter of John Gager
4) Joseph Huntington (1661-1747) : Husband of Rebecca Adgate Huntington the daughter of Deacon Thomas Adgate
5) Elizabeth Huntington (February 1664-February 1664) : Died as an infant
6) Lt. Samuel Huntington (1665-1717) : Husband of Mary Clark Huntington
7) Elizabeth Huntington Backus (1669-1762) : Wife of Joseph Backus the son of Lt. William Backus Jr.
8) Nathaniel Huntington (1672-1673) : Died as an infant
9) Daniel Huntington (1675-1727) : Husband of Abigail Bingham Huntington the daughter of Deacon Thomas Bingham. After her death in 1734, he married Rachel Wolcott Huntington.
10) James Huntington (1680-1727) : Husband of Priscilla Miller Huntington
Deacon Simon Huntington Jr. and his wife Sarah are both buried in the Old Norwichtown Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, (pp 129, 184), by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Geni.com
Find A Grave.com
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Simon Huntington” in the SEARCH box.
Samuel Hyde (1636-1677)
Samuel Hyde was born in West Farms, known today as Franklin Connecticut. In 1660, he and his wife moved to Norwich and became one of Norwich’s 35 first proprietors.
Their daughter, Elizabeth, was the first child born of European descent in Norwich. It was written that “The home where this first child of Norwich opened her eyes to the world, stood on a declivity sloping to the town street, with higher land in the background, bristling with massive rocks and heavily shadowed with chestnut and oak”.
Their home was located near present-day 65 West Town Street. This homestead remained in the Hyde family for five generations, the last occupant, Elisha Hyde Esq., became Norwich’s third mayor in 1798.
However, soon after the birth of Elizabeth, Samuel was assigned land in West Farms where he was a farmer. The family settled there in the valley east of the Meeting House hill, and it is likely his remaining children were born there.
FAMILY
Samuel Hyde married Jane Lee Hyde (1640-1721) in June 1637. They had eight children. Their names were :
1) Elizabeth Hyde Lord (1660-1736) : She was the first child born of European descent in Norwich. She married Lt. Richard Lord in May 1647 at Saybrook.
2) Phoebe Hyde Griswold (1663-1704) : Wife of Matthew Griswold and later John Birchard
3) Samuel Hyde (1665-1742) : Husband of Elizabeth Calkins Hyde, the daughter of John Calkins
4) John Hyde Sr. (1667-1727)
5) William Hyde (1669-1759) : Husband of Ann Bushnell Hyde
6) Thomas Hyde Sr. (1672-1755) : Husband of Mary Backus Hyde, the daughter of Lt. William Backus Jr.
7) Sarah Hyde (1675-1675) : Died as an infant
8) Captain Jabez Hyde (1677-1762) : Husband of Elizabeth Bushnell Hyde
It is interesting to note that the five sons of Samuel Hyde had forty children, 23 were sons. Twenty-one of which married and reared children. This accounts for the rapidity with which the name spread. An enumeration made in 1779, showed upwards of twenty Hyde families, numbering over 150 members in the town-plot and the western part of Norwich.
Samuel Hyde is the fifth great-grandfather of the U.S. President Grover Cleveland.
Samuel Hyde was only 40 years old when he died in Lebanon, Connecticut. After his death, Samuel’s widow married John Birchard, who became the guardian of Jane’s minor children. Jane brought 7 children to the new marriage and John brought seven more. They later had two of their own. They cared for 16 children.
Samuel Hyde is buried in the Old Cemetery in Lebanon.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, pp 186-189, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
WikiTree.com
Geni.com
Miller-Anderson Histories
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Samuel Hyde” in the SEARCH box.
William Hyde (1598-1681)
William Hyde (a.k.a. Hide) was a founder and one of the original proprietors of Hartford, Saybrook and Norwich Connecticut. It is believed that in 1636 he came to Connecticut with Rev. Thomas Hooker, who is referred to as the “Father of Connecticut”. William moved to Saybrook in around 1648, and subsequently, sold his Saybrook house-lot in May 1660. It is believed that he moved to Norwich in the spring of 1660.
He was most likely the oldest of the original 35 Norwich proprietors and was referred to as “Old Goodman Hyde”. Evidently, he was well respected in Norwich because he was frequently elected as one of the townsmen (a.k.a. selectman).
FAMILY
William Hyde was married to Hester Trott Francis Hyde (1609-1680). They had two children. Their names were :
1) Hester Hyde Post (1635-1703) : Wife of John Post
2) Samuel Hyde (1636-1689) : Husband of Jane Lee Hyde. Samuel was also one of Norwich’s first proprietors.
After Hester’s death William Hyde married Joanna Abell Hyde (1610-after 1682), the widow of Robert Abell. They did not have any children of their own. Joanna was the mother of 10 children from her first husband, Robert Abell.
Upon his death in 1681 William’s house-lot was bequeathed to his grandson, also name William.
William Hyde is the 5th Great-Grandfather of Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 186, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Geni.com
Miller-Anderson Histories
WikiTree.com
Dr. John Olmstead (1617-1686)
John Olmstead was Norwich’s first physician, a shoemaker, and a leather sealer. He came to New England with his Uncle James in 1632 aboard the “Lyon” and settled near Boston, Massachusetts. Later he moved to Hartford, where he was one of the original proprietors. He later moved to Saybrook, and in 1660 he moved again to Norwich, where he became one of the first 35 proprietors.
In 1662 he was made a freeman and it was recorded that he served in King Philip’s War (1675-1678) as a surgeon. He also served on the New London County grand jury.
The Founders Monument, shown on the left, lists all of the original founders of Hartford. John Olmstead’s name is highlighted in the white box. The monument, located behind the First Congregational Church in Hartford was first erected in 1837 then replaced, with the one shown, in 1986.
FAMILY
Dr. John Olmstead was married to Elizabeth Adgate Olmstead (1622-1689, the sister of Deacon Thomas Adgate. They did not have any children.
Dr. Olmstead died in Norwich in 1686 and it is believed that he is buried in the Founders Cemetery. His wife Elizabeth died 3 years later. In her will she left £50 (about $4,800 in today’s dollars) to a charity for poor people in Norwich and most of her real estate to her niece’s (Hannah Adgate) husband, Samuel Lathrop.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, pp 192-193, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
“Dr. John Olmstead”, Geni.com
“Elizabeth Adgate Olmstead”, Geni.com
WikiTree.com
Photo by PrunePicker.BlogSpot.com