Spouse-1: Eleanor *****
d: ~1648 - New Haven Col.
Child-1: Hannah
2: John,
Jr. - b: ~1641
d: 13/Feb/1692(1693) - New Haven Co., CT
m: Priscilla Powel - 29/Mar or 22/May/1666 - New Haven Co.,
CT
3: Joseph
- b: ~1643
d: ~1703 - New Haven Co., CT
m: Elizabeth Lathrop Royce - ~1683 - Wallingford, New Haven Co., CT
m: Mercy Barnes Jacobs - 22/Nov/1694 - Wallingford, New Haven Co.,
CT
4: Mary
- b: ~1645
d: Nov/1714
m: John Cooper, Jr. - 27/Dec/1666 - New Haven Co., CT
Spouse-2: Dorothy *****
d: ~1667 - New Haven Col.
1: Rebeckah
- b: 26/Jan/1651(1652) - New Haven Col.
m: Daniel Thomas - 3/Feb/1669(1670) - New Haven Co., CT - m:
John
Perkins
2: Abigail
- b: 26/Jan/1651(1652) - New Haven Col. - d: 1731
m: Joseph Alsop, Jr. - 25/Nov/1672 - New Haven Co., CT - m:
John Miles, Jr.
or Jonathan Curtis, Nicholas Huse, Samuel Sherman
3: Sarah
- b: 30/Apr/1654 - New Haven Col.
d: 23/Oct/1716 - New Haven Co., CT
m: Alling Ball, Jr. - 24/Nov/1678 - New Haven Co., CT
Biographical Details:
According to Savage, John Thompson was born in England and arrived in New Haven with several children and probably a wife whose name remains unknown, although it may have been Eleanor according to Dodd.1,2 The identities of these older children cannot be determined with any certainty and, moreover, it is probable that several of them died young. Similarly, it appears that John's wife, i.e., the putative Eleanor, died in the later 1640's. Subsequently, he seemingly remarried and had at least three more daughters. Nevertheless, of the seven surviving children mentioned in John Thompson's will, four of them, viz., John, Joseph, Hannah, and Mary, were likely children of his first wife. Within this context, some researchers believe that these four were born in England, however, if Savage's assertion that John Thompson was a "contract settler" and arrived in the colony in 1639 is taken as factual, then it is likely that John, Jr., Joseph, and Mary were born in America. In support of this, Dodd indicates that John Thompson assented to the Colony Constitution shortly after it was first signed. Moreover, a birthdate of September 6, 1641, has been asserted for John, Jr., by various secondary sources. Although, the authority for this date is not clear, no other researcher has proposed that he was born before 1640. Therefore, according to the custom of primogenture John was identified as the oldest son; hence, it is clear that his brother Joseph was born later. Likewise, it is probable that his sister, Mary, was also younger. Even so, it is possible that Hannah was an older sister and, thus, born in England, however, this is not at all certain. Within this context, Savage further suggests that the younger three daughters, viz., Rebeckah, Abigail, and Sarah, were from a second wife. Moreover, she seems to have been the Dorothy Thompson that married Thomas Harrison as identified by Torrey, probably in February or March of 1655 (1656 N. S.).3 Naturally, this is a clear indication that John Thompson had already died, most likely in 1655, but possibly earlier. The exact relationship between this John Thompson and the three brothers, William, Anthony, and John Thompson, is not clear. Jacobus does not make a connection between them, but Dodd asserts that they were of the same family.4 In any case, it seems probable that they were relatives, perhaps, first cousins. Although not conclusive by any means, such a relationship is suggested because Thomas Harrison, who married the widow of John Thompson, i.e., Dorothy as noted above, is thought to have been the brother of Ellen Harrison, the wife of John Thompson, brother of Anthony.Source Notes and Citations:Jacobus further identifies John Thompson as an early settler of East Haven and accordingly he is mentioned in the works of Dodd and Hughes.5 However, Hughes stated that John Thompson "died December 11, 1674, twelve years after coming to East Haven". However, probate records clearly indicate that he died before 1656.6 Thus, it is probable that this author, as well as others, has confused him with John Thompson of New Haven, brother of Anthony and William. However, Hughes further stated that "he was succeeded by his son John". This would seem to be accurate since the "other John" had no sons. In support of this, it appears that the younger John Thompson was often associated with his brother-in-law, Matthew Moulthrop, Jr., both being active in the affairs of the community. In addition, John Thompson of East Haven has also been identified by the distinguishing appellation "farmer" by Jacobus, although Savage applies this designation to his son, John, Jr. In any case, it is probable that this "cognomen" was not applied to either of them during their lifetimes and is an invention of later genealogists.
1a. James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England - Vols. 1-4, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, MA, 1860-1862: Vol. 4, pgs. 285-7. (Reprint available from Genealogical Publishing Co., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD, 21202-3897)
"JOHN, New Haven, first of many of the name there, call. sen. brot. sev. ch. prob. with w. from Eng. here, perhaps, by ano. w. had Rebecca, and Abigail, tw. 26 Jan. 1652; and Sarah, 30 Apr. 1654, was one of the contract sett. in 1639, and d. a. 1656. His wid. m. that yr. Thomas Harrison; but the est. was not sett. for sev. yrs. aft. her d. Of seven ch. entit. to shares, John, Joseph, Hannah, Mary, Rebecca, Abigail, and Sarah, the first, as eldest, hav. double sh. only the three last are ment. in the rec. of b. His d. Abigail m. first, Jonathan Curtis, next, Nicholas Huse, and d. 1731, wid. of Samuel Sherman."
"JOHN, New Haven, 1659, call. for distinct. the farmer, m. at Branford, perhaps 29 Mar. or 22 May 1666, Priscilla, d. of Thomas Powell, had John, b. 6 Aug. 1667; Priscilla, 7 Aug. 1671; Samuel, 29 Jan. 1674, d. soon; Samuel, again, 1 May 1677; Abigail, 24 Feb. 1680; and Ann, 20 Mar. 1683, wh. prob. d. young; and he d. 13 Feb. 1694. This John is prob. s. of the first John of the same, liv. at East Haven, and made his will the same day he d. nam. four ch. only, the two s. and two ds. Priscilla Chidsy, or Chedsey, w. of Ebenezer, and Abigail, then unm."b. ibid.: Vol. 2, pg. 366.
"HARRISON ... THOMAS, New Haven 1654, m. a. 1656 the wid. of the first John Thompson of the same, had Thomas, b. 1 Mar. 1657, and Nathaniel, 13 Dec. 1658; Elizabeth Jan. 1667, when her mo. d.; was prob. of Branford, 1667, had m. 29 Mar. 1667, as sec. w. Elizabeth Stent or Stint of B."
back to bio.2a. Stephen Dodd, The East-Haven Register, T. G. Woodward and Co., print., A.H. Maltby, distrib., New Haven, CT, 1824: pgs. 10-1 & 154. (It should be noted that in this work, with few exceptions, the author intentionally treats all years uniformly as beginning on January 1, irrespective of whether the dates are Julian or Gregorian, i.e., he uses the so-called Scottish dating convention.)
"On the 4th June 1639, all the free planters of Quinipiack convened in a large barn of Mr. Newman's, and formed their Constitution. Sixty-three names were subscribed to it on that day, and about fifty more were added soon after. Among the subscribers who settled in East-Haven, or were concerned in that settlement, were William Andrews, Jasper Crayne, Thomas Gregson, William Touttle or Tuttle, Garvis Boykim, John Potter, Matthew Moulthrop, Matthias Hitchcock, and Edward Patterson. To these were added Thomas Morris and John Thompson."b. "JOHN, married Eleanor. They had John; Mary, who married John Cooper, jun.; Hannah, who married Matthew Moulthrop, jun. 1662; Rebekah; Sarah, who married Alling Ball, jun. 1678.
JOHN, JUN. married Priscilla Powel, March 29, 1666. They had John, Aug. 6, 1667; Priscilla, Aug. 7, 1671, who married Ebenezer Chedsey, 1689; Samuel, Jan. 1673#; Samuel, May 1, 1677; Abigail, Feb. 24, 1679, who married Daniel Collins; Anna, March 20, 1683."
"Note.--This mark [#] added to the names, signifies that the persons died young."
back to bio.3. Clarence Almon Torrey, "New England Marriages Prior to 1700", manuscript. (Republished by Genealogical Publishing Co., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD, 21202-3897, 1985 & 1992: pg. 737.)
"John Thompson (-1655) & 1/wf Dorothy (___), m/2 Thomas Harrison 1656; b 1646; New Haven/Milford?"
back to bio.4. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven - Vols. 1-9, Printed by Clarence D. Smith, Rome, NY, 1923 & 1929: Vol. 7, pgs. 1749-51, etc.; also appeared as "New Haven Genealogical Magazine", Vols. I-VIII, 1922-1932. (Reprint available from Genealogical Publishing Co., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD, 21202-3897)
"John Thompson, Farmer, of East Haven, apparently was not related to the three brothers who founded the New Haven family. According to Dodd's East Haven Register, the name of his wife was Ellen, and this has been followed by every succeeding account, including that in the Tuttle Genealogy (1883). She is referred to merely as 'the widow' in the County Court Records, where many of the early Probate entries are to be found; but in the unindexed second volume of Proprietors' Records is a passage (p. 185) which distinctly calls her Dorothy. There is no reason for disputing the correctness of this record, especially as two of her children, Rebecca (Thompson) Thomas and Nathaniel Harrison, named a daughter Dorothy. John Thompson's estate was inventoried in 1655 (New Haven Probate Records, vol. 1, p. 58), and he probably died in that year."
"Children: Hannah m. 26 June 1662 Matthew Moulthrop (d. 1691), d. 1681; John, farmer of East Haven, m. 22 May 1666 Pricilla Powell, dau. Thomas, d. 13 Feb 1693; Mary m. 27 Dec 1666 John Cooper, bapt. 28 May 1642; d. Nov 1714; Joseph removed to Wallingford CT where he married (1) abt 1683 Mrs. Elizabeth (Lathrop) Royce, widow of Isaac (she was born 1648, and in 1669 m. Isaac Royce, who d. in 1682, she d. before 1690, when Joseph Thompson is referred to as father-in-law of the Royce children.) He m. (2) 22 Nov 1694 Mercy Jacob. Administration on his estate granted Feb 1704; Abigail (twin) b. 26 Jan 1651; m. (1) 25 Nov 1672 Joseph Alsop jr, m. (2) Capt John Miles Jr., d. 1727; Rebecca (twin) b. 26 Jan 1651, m. (1) 3 Feb 1669 Daniel Thomas of West Haven, who d. 1694, m. (2) abt 1703 John Perkins (b. 18 Aug 1651, d. after 1727) d. after 1730; Sarah b. 30 Apr 1654, m. 24 Nov 1678, Alling Ball (b. 27 June 1656, d. 1710) d. 1716"
"On 27 Jan 1671 the children of John Thompson, farmer, deceased, made application for distribution of their father's estate, mentioning their 'father-in-law' Thomas Harrison as its custodian. Their names are given as John the eldest son, Joseph, Hannah, Mary, Rebeckah, Abigaile and Sarah; and Mathew Moulthrop and John Cooper Jr. acknowledge the receipt of their wives' portions (New Haven County Court Records, vol. 1, p. 36)."
Dodd clearly identified John Thompson's wife as "Eleanor", not "Ellen", as Jacobus asserted. Such an error is perhaps understandable since names are notoriously variable in early civil records. Of course, this situtation is further confused because the wife of the other John Thompson, brother of Anthony, was indeed Ellen Harrison. (Evelyn Beran; database - sanford-shulsen; worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com, 2004.)
back to bio.5. Sarah E. Hughes, History of East Haven, The Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Press, New Haven, CT, 1908: pg. 28.
"The first settler, John Thompson, father of the East Haven Thompsons, died December 11, 1674, twelve years after coming to East Haven. He was succeeded by his son John, whom we find active in settling boundary questions, in the division of land, revising village records, as selectman, collector of rates, and various other duties, up to the time of his death, February 13, 1693. The Thompson family has, in all its different branches, held offices of trust and confidence down to the present time."
back to bio.6. Donald Lines Jacobus, "Notes of Thompson Families of Connecticut", in Gary Boyd Roberts and Judith McGhan (index), Genealogies of Connecticut families: from the New England historical and genealogical register, Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore, MD, 1983: pg. 471.
"His widow was unremarried in February 1656(1655 O. S.) (Proprietor Records, vol 2, p. 185) but shortly thereafter, married Thomas Harrison of Branford."
back to bio.
Additional Citations:
7. New England Genealogical and Historical Register, Vol. 66, pgs. 179 & 199-200, 1912.