USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > History of New London, Connecticut, From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1852 > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
John Packer, died in 1689.
With this early settler in Groton, only a slight acquaintance has been obtained. He fixed his habitation, about the year 1655, in close proximity to the Pequot Indians, who had congregated at Naiwayonk, (Noank.) His children can only be gathered incidentally. He had John, Samuel and Richard, probably by his first wife, Elizabeth. He married for his second wife, June 24th, 1676, Rebecca, widow of Thomas Latham, and had a son James, baptized September 11th, 1681. Two other sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and a daughter named Re- becca, may also be assigned to this wife, who survived him, and after- ward married a Watson, of Kingston, Rhode Island.
John Packer, 2d, married Lydia, daughter of Cary Latham. He died in 1701. Benjamin Packer, in 1709, " having been impressed into the army to fight the French," made his will, bequeathing his
1 The son was that Capt. Obadiah Smith, of Norwich, who died in 1727, and whose grave-stone bears the quaint, but touching epitaph:
" And now beneath these carved stones,
Rich treasure lies-dear Smith, his bones."
325
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
patrimony of sixty acres of land, to his brothers, James and Joseph, and sister Rebecca. He probably never returned from the frontier.
Capt. James Packer inherited from his father a controversy re- specting the extent of his lands at Nawayonk, which commenced with the Indians before their removal, and was continued with the town of Groton. In 1735, a compromise was effected by commissioners ap- pointed by the General Assembly. This was an occasion of great local interest, and on the 5th of August, when the commissioners, " Major Timothy Pierce, Mr. West, of Lebanon, and Sheriff Hunting- ton, of Windham," left New London, on their way to view the con- tested premises, they were accompanied by forty mounted men from the town, and found their train continually increasing as they pro- ceeded. On the ground a large assembly had convened. The neigh- boring farm-houses, Smith's, Niles', &c., were filled to overflowing with guests.1 This is mentioned as exhibiting a characteristic of the times. Our early local history is every where besprinkled with such gatherings. Capt. James Packer died in 1764, aged eighty-four.
William Chapell, died in 1689 or 1690.
This name is often in the confused orthography of the old records confounded with Chappell, but they appear to have been from the first, distinct names. Some clerks were very careful to note the distinc- tion, putting an accent over the a, or writing it double, Chaapel. William Chapell, in 1659, bought a house-lot in New Street, in part- nership with Richard Waring, (Warren ?) In 1667, he was asso- ciated with William Peake, in the purchase of various lots of rugged, uncleared land, hill, ledge and swamp, on the west side of the town plot, which they divided between them.2 William Peake settled on what has since been called the Rockdale farm, now James Brown's, and William Chapell, on the Cohanzie road, upon what is at present known as the Cavarly farm. A considerable part of the Chapell land was afterward purchased by the Latimer family.
Children of William Chapell and his wife Christian.
1. Mary, born February 14th, 1668-9 ; married John Wood.
2. John, born Feb. 28th, 1671-2; married Sarah Lewis, August 26th, 1698.
1 Hempstead's Diary.
2 A considerable part of the Peake and Chapell land was sold by them to Mrs. Ann Latimer. On this Latimer purchase, which lay on the south-eastern slope of Wolf- pit Hill, (now Prospect Hill,) the Cedar Grove Cemetery was laid out in 1851.
28
326
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
3. William, " born nigh the end of Sept. 1677."
4. Christian, " "end of Feb. 1680-1 ;" married a Fairbanks.
5. William.
6. Joseph, married Bethiah Dart.
Edward Stallion married Christian Chapell, relict of William, in 1693.
In February, 1695, William Chapell, aged eight years and a half, was delivered " to Jonathan Prentis, mariner, to be instructed in the mariner's art and navigation, by said Prentis, or in case of his death, by his Dame." This lad died in 1704. The descendants of John and Joseph Chapell, the oldest and youngest sons of William and Christian, are numerous. There was a John Chapell, of Lyme, in 1678, and onward, probably brother of William, senior, of New London.
Thomas Minor,1 died October 23d, 1690.
Mrs. Grace Minor deceased the same month. A long stone of rough granite in the burial ground at Wickutequack, almost imbedded in the turf, bears the following rudely cut inscription : " Here lyeth the body of Lieutenant Thomas Minor, aged eighty-three years. De- parted 1690." It is said that Mr. Minor had selected this stone from his own fields, and had often pointed it out to his family, with the request-Lay this stone on my grave.
Mr. Minor bore a conspicuous part in the settlement, both of New London and Stonington. His personal history belongs more particu- larly to the latter place. 'His wife was Grace, daughter of Walter Palmer, and his children recorded in New London, are Manasseh, born April 28th, 1647, to whom we must accord the distinction of being the first born male after the settlement of the town ; two daugh- ters who died in infancy ; Samuel, born March 4th, 1652, and Han- nah, born September 15th, 1655. He had several sons older than Manasseh, viz., John, Joseph, Thomas, Clement and Ephraim.
John Minor was for a short period under instruction at the expense of the commissioners of the New England colonies, who wished to prepare him for an interpreter and teacher of the gospel to the In- dians. The education of John Stanton was also provided for in the same way. The proficiency of these youths in the Indian language, probably led to the selection. Neither of them followed out the plan of their patrons, though both became useful men, turning their edu-
1 This name is now commonly written Miner. We use in this work, the original autograph authority.
327
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
cation to good account, as recorders, justices, &c. John Minor is supposed to have emigrated to Stratford, in 1657 or 1658, and from thence removed to Woodbury, where he served as town-clerk for many years.1 The only son of Thomas Minor that settled perma- nently in New London, was Clement.
Clement Minor married in 1662, Frances, relict of Isaac Willey, Jr.
Children of Clement and Frances Minor.
Mary, born Jan. 19th, 1664-5.
William, born Nov. 6th, 1670.
Joseph, " Aug. 6th, 1666. Ann, Nov. 30th, 1672.
Clement, born Oct. 6th, 1668.
Frances, wife of Clement Minor, died Jan. 6th, 1672-3.
He married second, Martha, daughter of William Wellman, formerly of New London, but then of Killingworth.
Phebe, daughter of Clement and Frances Minor, was born April 13th, 1679. (This is so recorded, but Frances is a palpable mistake for Martha.)
Martha, wife of Clement Minor, died July 5th, 1681.
Mr. Minor usually appears on the records either as Ensign Clem- ent, or Deacon Clement Minor. He married a third wife-Joanna- whose death occurred very near his own, in October, 1700.
" William Mynar, married Lydia, daughter of John Richards, Nov. 15. 1678." This was not a descendant of Thomas Minor, but the person better known as William Mynard or Maynard.
George Miller, died in 1690.
This person had been a resident, east of the river, (in Groton,) from the year 1679, and perhaps longer. He left four daughters, Mary, wife of Stephen Loomer; Elizabeth, second wife of Edward Stallion ; Sarah, second wife of the second John Packer, and Priscil- la, then unmarried.
Robert Miller settled in the Nahantick district, upon the border of Lyme, about 1687. He died May 14th, 1711, leaving sons Rob- ert and John. No connection has been ascertained between George of Groton, and Robert of Nahantick.
John Lamb.
This name is found on the New London Rate List of 1664, and on the list of freemen in 1669. In December, 1663, he is styled
1 Capt. John Minor was deputy from Stratford to the General Court, in October' 1676. Conn. Col. Rec., vol. 2, p. 286.
328
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
"John Lamb, now of Pockatuck, alias Southerton." He purchased land of Edward and Ann Culver "at a place called in Indian Wontobish, near the house of the said Lamb." This land was in 1695, confirmed to Thomas, " oldest son of John Lamb, deceased," by John, son of Edward Culver; and Thomas Lamb assigns a part of it to his brother Samuel.1
Another John Lamb of Stonington died Jan. 10th, 1703-4, leav- ing a wife Lydia-sons John, Joseph and David-and seven daugh- ters.
Isaac Lamb was an inhabitant of Groton in 1696. He died in 1723-leaving six daughters, No other residents of this name have been traced before 1700.
John Bennet, died September 22d, 1691.
This person was at Mystic as early as 1658. He had sons-Wil- liam (born 1660;) John and Joseph.
James Bennet, shipwright, died in New London May 7th, 1690.
Thomas Bennet was a resident of New London from 1692 to 1710. He removed to Groton and there died Feb. 4th, 1722. His wife was Sarah, the only surviving child of Lawrence Codner.
Henry Bennet of Lyme died in 1726, leaving three sons and four married daughters. It is probable that all these had a common ancestor, whose name does not appear on our records.
-
John Prentis.
No account of the death of this early member of the community has been found, but the probate proceedings show that it took place in 1691.
Valentine Prentis or Prentice came to New England in 1631, with wife Alice and son John, having buried one child at sea. He settled in Roxbury, where he soon died, and his relict married (April 3d, 1634) John Watson.2
John Prentis, the son of Valentine and Alice, became an inhabit- ant of New London in 1652, and probably brought his wife, Hester, with him from Roxbury. Though living in New London he con-
1 The names are similar to those found in the family of John Lamb of Springfield, but a connection with that family has not been ascertained.
2 Genealogy of the Prentis family, by C. J. F. Binney.
329
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
nected himself with the Roxbury church in September, 1665, and thither he carried most of his children to be baptized.
Children of John and Hester Prentis, recorded in New London.
John, born Aug. 6th, 1652.
Stephen, Dec. 26th, 1666.
Joseph, born Apr. 2d, 1655, died 1676. Mercy, " 1668, died 1689.
Jonathan, born July 15th, 1657.
Hannah, born June, 1672.
Esther, born July 20th, 1660.
Thomas,
Peter, born July 31st, 1663, died 1670.
Elizabeth, twins, Nov. 6th, 1675.
In 1685, John Prentis married Rebecca, daughter of Ralph Parker, by whom he had a son Ralph, who was infirm from his birth, and maintained until death from the estate of his parents. These are all the children that appear on record, but in the final settlement of the estate of Prentis in 1706, a Valentine Prentis of Woodbury comes in for a share, and gives a quitclaim deed to the executor, whom he calls "my loving brother, Capt. John Prentis." Again, on the death of Capt. Thomas Prentis, youngest son of John, who died without issue in 1741, his estate was distributed to seven brothers and sisters, one of whom was Valentine Prentis of Woodbury. These facts justify us in assigning to Valentine a place among the sons of John Prentis, and probably he was the youngest child of the first marriage, and born before 1680.
Esther Prentis married Benadam Gallop of Stonington.
Hannah Prentis married Lieut. John Frink of Stonington.
Elizabeth Prentis lived unmarried to the age of ninety-five. She died December 13th, 1770.
It has been mentioned that John Prentis was by trade a black- smith. He pursued his craft in New London for six or seven years and then removed to a farm in the neighborhood of Robin Hood's Bay (Jordan Cove) near the Rentworth farm; but in a few years once more changed his main pursuit and entered upon a seafaring life. His sons also, one after another (according to the usual custom of New London) began the business of life upon the sea. In 1675, John Prentis, Jr., commanded the barque Adventure, in the Bar- badoes trade. In 1680, the elder John and his son Jonathan owned and navigated a vessel, bearing the family name of "John and Hes- ter." Thomas Prentis also became a noted sea-captain, making a constant succession of voyages to Newfoundland and the West In- dies, from 1695 to 1720.
John Prentis the second, married Sarah Jones, daughter of Mrs. Ann Latimer, by her first husband Matthew Jones of Boston. They had a family of five daughters, who were connected in marriage as 28*
330
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
follows : Ann with Capt. Thomas Hosmer; Sarah with Thomas Mig- hill, both of Hartford: Patience, with Rev. John Bulkley of Col- chester; Elizabeth, with Samuel Green, (son of Jonas Green,) and Irene with Naboth Graves-the two last of New London. Among these children, the father, in 1711, distributed the Indian servants of his household-Rachel and her children-in this order :
" To my son-in-law Thomas Hosmer of Hartford, one black girl named Si- mone, till she is 30-then she is to be free. To my son-in-law John Bulkley, Bilhah,-to be free at 32. To my daughter Sarah, Zilpha-to be free at 32 -- To my daughter Elizabeth, a black boy named Hannibal-to be free at 35. To my daughter Irene, a boy named York, free at 35. To Scipio I have prom- ised freedom at 30. Rachel the mother, I give to Irene-also the little girl with · her, named Dido, who is to be free at 32." To this bequest is added to the three youngest daughters, then unmarried, each -- " a feather bed and its fur- niture."ı
Stephen Prentis, son of John the elder, inherited the farm of his father, near Niantic ferry, where he died in 1758, aged ninety-two. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of John Rogers and granddaughter of Matthew Griswold.
John Wheeler, died December 16th, 1691.
No connection has been traced between John Wheeler of New London, and Thomas and Isaac Wheeler, cotemporary inhabitants of Stonington. John is first presented to us, as part owner of a vessel called the Zebulon, in 1667. He entered largely into mercantile concerns, traded with the West Indies, and had a vessel built under his own superintendence, which at the period of his death had just returned from an English voyage.
He left a son, Zaccheus, sixteen years of age, who died, without issue in 1703 ; also sons Joshua, eleven years of age, and William, eight. These lived to old age, and left descendants. Elizabeth, relict of John Wheeler, married Richard Steer-a person of whom very little is known, except in connection with the Wheeler family. He appears to have had a good business education, and to have been esteemed for capacity and intelligence, but his native place and parentage are unknown, and he stands disconnected with posterity.
1 A high bedstead, with a large feather-bed beat up full and round, with long cur- tains and an elaborately quilted spread, was an article of housekeeping highly prized by our ancestral dames.
331
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Avery.
Christopher Avery was one of the selectmen of Gloucester, Mass., between 1646 and 1654.1 On the 8th of August, 1665, he is at New London purchasing the house, orchard and lot of Robert Bur_ rows, in the town plot. In June, 1667, he was released from watch- ing and training. In October, 1669, made freeman of the colony. Charles Hill, the town-clerk, makes this memorandum of his decease. " Christopher Avery's death, vide, near the death of mother Brewster."
The reference is to Lucretia, relict of Jonathan Brewster, (moth- er-in-law to Mr. Hill,) but no record of her death is to be found. James Avery in 1685 gives a deed to his four sons, of the house, orchard and land, "which belonged, (he says) to my deceased father Christopher Avery."
No other son but James, has been traced. It may be conjectured that this family came from Salisbury, England, as a Christopher Avery of that place, had wife Mary buried in 1591.2
X James Avery and Joanna Greenslade were married, Nov. 10th, 1643. This is recorded in Gloucester. The records of Boston church have the following entry.
" 17 of 1 mo. 1644. Our sister Joan Greenslade, now the wife of one James Averill had granted her by the church's silence, letters of recommendation to the Ch. at Gloster."3
The births of three children are recorded at Gloucester; these are repeated at New London, and the others registered from time to time. The whole list is as follows.
Hannah, born Oct. 12th, 1644.
Rebecca, born Oct. 6th, 1656.
James, Dec. 16th, 1646. Jonathan, " Jan. 5th, 1658-9.
Mary, 66 Feb. 19th, 1643. Christopher," Ap. 30th, 1661.
Thomas, May 6th, 1651.
Samuel, " Aug. 14th, 1664.
John, Feb. 10th, 1653-4.
Joanna, 1669.
James Avery was sixty-two years old in 1682; of course born on the other side of the ocean about 1620. At New London he took an important part in the affairs of the plantation. He was chosen townsmen in 1660 and held the office twenty-three years, ending with 1680. He was successively, ensign, lieutenant and captain of the
1 Babson of Gloucester.
2 Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d series, vol. 10, p. 139.
3 Savage (MS.)
332
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
only company of train-bands in the town, and was in active service through Philip's War. He was twelve times deputy to the General Court, between 1658 and 1680, was in the commission of the peace, and sat as assistant judge in the county court.
He removed to Pequonuck, east of the river, between 1660 and 1670, where both he and his wife were living in 1693. Deeds of lands to his sons, including the homestead farm, in Feb., 1693-4, prob ably indicate the near approach of death. His sons Jonathan and Christopher died young, and probably without issue. The descend- ants of James, Jr., Thomas, John, and Samuel, are very numerous, and may be regarded as four distinct streams of life. Groton is the principal hive of the family.
Capt. George Denison, died Oct. 23d, 1694.
This event took place at Hartford during the session of the Gen- eral Court. His grave-stone at that place is extant, and the age given, seventy-six, shows that the date of 1621, which has been as- signed for his birth, is too late, and that 1619 should be substituted. This diminishes the difference of age between him and his second wife Ann, who, according to the memorial tablet erected by her de- scendants at Mystic, deceased Sept. 26th, 1712, aged ninety-seven.
The history of George Denison will not be fully attempted here, but a few data gathered with care may be offered, as contributions toward the task of liberating the facts from the webs which ingen- ious fancy and exaggerative tradition, have thrown around them.
William Denison is accounted a fellow-passenger with the Rev. John Elliot, of Roxbury, in "the Lyon," which brought emigrants to America in 1631. His name is the third on the list of church members of Roxbury, in the record made by Elliot. He is known to have brought with him three sons, Daniel, Edward and George. The latter married in 1640, Bridget Thompson, who is supposed to have been a sister of the Rev. William Thompson, of Braintree, Mass. They had two children, Sarah, born March 20th, 1641, and Hannah, born May 20th, 1643. His wife died in August, 1643. Mr. Denison the same year visited his native country, and engaged in the civil conflict with which the kingdom was convulsed. He was absent a couple of years, and on his return brought with him a second wife1-a lady of Irish parentage, viz., Ann, daughter of
1 It is one of the many traditions respecting Capt. George Denison, that he started for England to obtain a second wife, from the funeral of the first, only waiting to see the remains deposited in the grave, but not returning to his house, before he set out.
333
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
John Borrowdale or Borrodil. It is a probable conjecture that he brought also an infant son with him. He is known to have had a son George, of whose birth or baptism no record is found on this side of the ocean. The elder Winthrop at this period calls him " a young soldier lately come out of the wars in England," whom the young men of Roxbury wished to choose for their captain; but " the ancient and chief men of the town," gathered together, out-voted them and prevented them from carrying their point.1 Two chil- dren of George and Ann Denison are recorded in Roxbury, John, born June 14th, 1646; Ann, May 20th, 1649.2
In 1651, we find George Denison among the planters at Pequot, where he took up a house lot, built a house and engaged in public affairs. In 1654 he removed to a farm, on the east side of Mystic River, then within the bounds of the same plantation, but afterward included in Stonington. In 1670 he had three children baptized by Mr. Brad- street, William, Margaret and Borradil, which makes his number eight. On the old town book of Stonington is recorded the death of Mary, daughter of George Denison, Nov. 10th, 1670-1. This, we suppose to have been a ninth child, who died an infant.
Our early history presents no character of bolder and more active spirit than Capt. Denison. He reminds us of the border men of Scotland. Though he failed in attaining the rank of captain, at Roxbury, yet in our colony, he was at his first coming greeted with the title, and was very soon employed in various offices of trust and honor-such as commissioner, and deputy to the General Court. When the plantation of Mystic and Pawkatuck, was severed from New London and placed under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts with the name of Southerton, the chief management of affairs was intrusted to him.
Yet notwithstanding Capt Denison's position as a magistrate and legislator, we do not always find him in the strict path of law and order. He had frequent disputes and lawsuits ; he brought actions
1 Savage's Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 307.
2 These dates from the Roxbury records were communicated by James Savage, Esq., of Boston, who observes that Margaret, the third wife of Rev. Thomas Shepard of Cambridge, and after his death the wife of his successor, Rev. Jonathan Mitchell, bore the family name of Borrowdale, and was probably sister to Mrs. Ann Denison. As these two females are the only persons known in the new world of the name, their consanguinity can scarcely be doubted.
334
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
for slander and defamation against several of his neighbors, and was himself arraigned for violations of existing laws.
He was, however, encompassed with difficulties. The young town of which he was one of the conspicuous founders was convulsed by territorial and jurisdictional claims and he could not be loyal to two governments at once. If he obeyed one, he must of course be stig- matized as a rebel to the other.
As a magistrate of Massachusetts he performed the marriage rite for William Measure and Alice Tinker, and was immediately prose- cuted by Connecticut for an illegal act, and heavily. fined. As a friend to the Indians and an agent of the commissioners of the Uni- ted Colonies, he was in favor of allowing them to remain in their customary hamlets by the sea, and haunts upon the neighboring hills ; but the other authorities of the town and colony, were bent upon driving them back, to settle among the primeval forests. This of course, led to contention.
The will of George Denison dated Nov. 20th, 1693, was exhibited and proved in the county court, in June, 1695.' The children named in its provisions were three sons-George, John and William, and five daughters-Sarah Stanton, Hannah Saxton, Ann Palmer, Mar- garet Brown, and Borradil Stanton.
George Denison the second, became an inhabitant of Westerly, a town comprising the tract so long in debate between the king's province and Connecticut colony. He had three sons, George, Ed- ward and Joseph.
John Denison married Phebe Lay, of Saybrook. The parental contract between Capt. George and Mrs. Ann Denison on the one part, and Mr. Robert Lay on the other, for the marriage of their children, John Denison and Phebe Lay, is recorded at Saybrook, but bears no date.
William the third son of Capt. George, inherited the paternal homestead in Stonington.
George Denison, son of John, of Stonington, and grandson of Capt. . George, (born March 28th, 1671,) graduated at Harvard College, in 1693, and settled as an attorney in New London, where he married (1694) Mary, daughter of Daniel Wetherell, and relict of Thomas Harris. The family of this George Denison belongs to New Lon- don, but it can not be here displayed in detail. He had two sons, Daniel and Wetherell, and six daughters. The latter, as they grew
1 The original will is not on file in the probate office, but is supposed to be extant.
335
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
up, were esteemed the flower of the young society of the place. They married Edward Hallam, Gibson Harris, John Hough, Jona- than Latimer, Samuel Richards, and William Douglas.
In 1698, George Denison was chosen clerk of the county court, and at the time of his death, January 20th, 1719-20, was recorder of the town and clerk of probate. His signature so often recurring on the files and books of the town, may appropriately be represented here.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.