Father: ***** Thompson
Mother: *****
Spouse-1: *****
m: England
Child-1: John
2: Anthony
- b: Dec/1634 - England
d: 29/Dec/1654 - Milford, New Haven Col.
3: Bridget
- b: ~1637
d: 19/May/1720 - Derby, New Haven Co., CT
m: John Bowers - ~1660 - Derby, New Haven Col.
Spouse-2: Katherine *****
m: New Haven Col.
Child-1: Hannah or Anna - b: May-Jun/1645 - New
Haven Col. - bp: 8/Jun/1645
d: 3/Oct/1713 - Stonington, New London Co., CT
m: John Stanton - 1664 - Stonington, CT
2: Lydia
- b: 16/Jul/1647 - New Haven Col.. - bp: 24/Jul/1647
d: Dec/1729 - Guilford, New Haven Co., CT
m: Isaac Crittenden - 20/Sep/1665 - Guilford, CT - m: - John
Meigs
3: Ebenezer
- b: Sep-Oct/1648 - New Haven Col. - bp: 15/Oct/1648
d: 1676
m: Deborah Dudley - Jun/1671 - New London Co., CT
Biographical Details:
Anthony Thompson, immigrant, is reported to be one of three brothers that founded the "New Haven Branch" of the American Thompson family. It is believed that he, his wife, two children, and his two brothers, John and William, landed at Boston either on June or July 26, 1637, having traveled in the ship "Hector", which had embarked at London probably in April under master William Fernes.1,2 Although, Cutter asserted that the three Thompson brothers originally came from the midlands, perhaps, Warwickshire or the City of Coventry, it is more probable that Anthony Thompson was a native of London or its close environs as Reynolds has suggested. In any case, they were religious dissenters from the Church of England (commonly called Puritans) and came to America among a group of like minded individuals to escape the persecution that was then prevalent under Archbishop Laud during the reign of Charles I. It is believed that the members of the immigrant party were generally men of wealth and energy who followed their pastor, Rev. John Davenport, in his choice of location for settlement at Quinnipiac, later called New Haven, where the company arrived on April 24, 1638. It has been reported by Reynolds, Cutter, and Dodd as well as others, that Anthony Thompson signed the original "Colony Constitution", but this does not seem to be factual since his name is not included in modern published lists of the fifty-four free planters who assented to the Fundamental Agreement of the Colony of New Haven on June 4, 1639.3 Even so, Dodd further reports that there were sixty-three original signers, rather than fifty-four, and furthermore, that fifty more names were added soon after the originals. Therefore, it is possible that Anthony's signature was included among these. Of course, there were many more colonists than just these "founders", and such circumstances suggest that Anthony was, perhaps, considerably younger or of more humble origin than the leaders of the party. Nevertheless, he received property in the first and second divisions of the land in 1640 and his name was included on the map of the "original nine squares" which appears as the frontispiece of Atwater's History of the Colony of New Haven.4 (If the map is considered accurate, then Anthony owned a small lot (not included in the nine squares) which at present would lie within the modern city of New Haven somewhere along South Church Street just north of its intersection with Columbus Avenue.) Subsequently, it has been reported that he took the oath of allegiance to the colony in 1644. Accordingly, it appears that Anthony's status in the colony may then have become significantly higher. Indeed, Atwater's history records that at a general court (i.e., town meeting) held on March 10, 1646 (1647 N. S.), Anthony Thompson was assigned a place in the center of the meetinghouse in the sixth seat (probably a bench or pew) directly behind the governor and magistrate. Likewise, his brother, William, was assigned a place in the seventh seat and "Sister Thompson", probably Anthony's wife, was assigned a place in the seventh of the women's seats. (Nine years later, "Goody Thompson" was, again, assigned to the seventh seat, however, this individual cannot have been Anthony's widow because she had remarried by this time.) It is further thought that during his lifetime he was called Brother Anthony Thompson and was a devout member of the church.Source Notes and Citations:The name of the first wife of Anthony Thompson is not known. However, it is known that she came with him from England and that their two oldest surviving children were born in England. It is a plausible inference that their daughter, Bridget, was born in Massachusetts before the immigrant company moved on to New Haven. Alternatively, she may have been born in New Haven as Savage seems to indicate.5 Even so, it would appear that Anthony Thompson's first wife died sometime about 1640. Subsequently, he then married a Katherine or Kathern, whose maiden name remains unknown.6 Their first child, Hannah or Anna, was probably born in the spring of 1645 since she was christened June 8, 1645. Anthony made his will on March 23, 1647 (1648 N. S.) and probably died the following September. The will was proved May 27, 1650. This chronology supports Savage's conclusion that Anthony's youngest son, Ebenezer, was born posthumously, since his birth did not occur until October of 1648. Moreover, after Anthony's death, his widow remarried to Nicholas Camp of Milford on July 14, 1652, and Katherine and her second husband seem to have continued to provide support for the six children of Anthony Thompson.
A number of researchers propose additional wives for Anthony Thompson among which were Mary Welby or Welbe, Mirable Fitch, and, perhaps, Ruth Curtis. However, the chronology of these hypothesized marriages is very confused at best. Although, it is possible that one of these women was the unnamed first wife of Anthony Thompson (the most likely candidate would seem to be Mary Welby), it is more probable that they are due to conflation of identities and, hence, entirely spurious.
1a. Cuyler Reynolds (ed.), Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs - Vol. I, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, NY, 1911: pgs. 94-100.
"The Thompson family of Troy, New York, whose ancestry is herein recorded, descended from Anthony Thompson, of England, who came to America in 1637 and is the founder of the American family of Thompson known as the New Haven branch. It is not known from what part of England he came, but as Rev. Davenport (with whom he came) had been a minister in London and Eaton, Hopkins and others had been merchants in that city, the inference is that he was a native of or near London. The name has long been known in England, Scotland and Ireland under different spellings - Tompson, Tomson, Thomson and Thompson. In a later generation the line crossed another Thompson family, not known to be related, beginning with John Thompson, of England and Stratford, Connecticut. Through this line descent is gained from Elder William Brewster of the 'Mayflower,' Sir Richard Saltonstall, Lion Gardiner and other famous colonial and revolutionary families. The Thompson arms: Or, on a fesse dancettee az, three etoiles ar. on a canton of the second, the sun in glory ppr. Crest: An arm erect, vested gu. cuff ar. holding in the hand ppr. five ears of wheat or. Motto: In lumine luce.
(I) Anthony Thompson with his wife (name unknown), two children, and brothers, John and William Thompson, embarked at London, England, on the ship 'Hector,' for America, where they arrived June 26, 1637, according to Winthrop's Journal, but according to Cotton Mather, the date was July 26, 1637. They landed at Boston. They were a part of the company which came with Governor Eaton and Rev. Davenport, dissenters from the Church of England, who left their homes to take up a residence in the new world, where they could be free from the constant persecutions which characterized the reign of Charles I. The company was composed of men of wealth and energy, and after careful selection, they decided to follow their pastor, Rev. Davenport, in his choice of location, which was Quinnipiack or New Haven, Connecticut. The Thompson brothers were allotted lands and became leading citizens. John lived at East Haven, where he died December 11, 1674. The farm he owned is said to be yet owned by descendants. He married but left no male issue. William made his will October 6, 1682, dying the same year. He resided and died in New Haven.
Anthony Thompson signed the Colonial Constitution, June 4, 1639, and appears in the original list as having shares in the first and second divisions of land. He took the oath of allegiance in 1644. His will was made March 23, 1648, shortly before his death. It was probably made 'in extremis.' It was drawn up by Rev. John Davenport, pastor, and Robert Newman, ruling elder of the church. He is called Brother Anthony Thompson, and seems to have been a devout member of the church. The name of his first wife is unknown. His second wife was Kathern. By first wife he had two sons and a daughter, and by the second wife, two daughters and a posthumous son. Children of Anthony Thompson, the emigrant:1. John, born in England, 1632, see forward;The transcriber of this account included a son, Stanton, as child number five of Anthony Thompson. However, other reputable sources indicate that the surname of the husband of Anna Thompson was Stanton. Hence, this is an obvious typographical error, which has been corrected. (Schenectady Digital History Archive, www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/thompson-1.html, 2003.)
2. Anthony, born in England, December, 1634, died at age of twenty years;
3. Bridget, born 1637, married Rev. John Bowers, of Guilford, New Haven and Derby, Connecticut;
4. Anna, baptized June 8, 1645, married --------- Stanton;
5. Lydia, baptized July 24, 1647, married, September 20, 1665, Isaac Crittenden, of Guilford;
6. Ebenezer, baptized October 15, 1648, married, June, 1671, Deborah Dudley."b. ibid.: pgs. 419-23.
"Mary Thompson, wife of Dr. Samuel Gale, of Troy, descended from Henry Thompson, of Lenham, England, and Dorothy, his wife.
(II) Anthony, son of Henry and Dorothy Thompson, was born at Lenham, Kent county, England, August 30, 1612, died March, 1684. He landed at Boston from the ship 'Hector,' July 26, 1637, and was one of the first settlers of New Haven, Connecticut, and signed the Colony Constitution, June 4, 1639. The name of his first wife is unknown. His second was Katherine ---------.
(III) John, eldest son of Anthony Thompson and his first wife, was born 1632. He is called 'Skipper' John Thompson, and John Thompson, 'the mariner,' and Mr. John Thompson. He died June 2, 1707. His wife Hellena died October 8, 1690.
(IV) Captain Samuel Thompson, son of John and Hellena Thompson, was born May 12, 1669, at New Haven, Connecticut, died March 26, 1749; married, November 14, 1695, Rebecca, daughter of Lieutenant-Governor James Bishop, of Connecticut, and his wife, Elizabeth Tompkins. Captain Thompson was a merchant, and was successively sergeant, ensign, lieutenant and captain.
(V) Samuel (2), son of Captain Samuel (1) and Rebecca (Bishop) Thompson, was born December 2, 1696, at New Haven, Connecticut. He married Sarah (or Hester) Allen (or Alling), January 20, 1719. He settled in Goshen, Connecticut, removing from there to Stanford, Dutchess county, New York, where with his brothers he bought twenty-eight hundred acres of land."
Obviously, the date March, 1684, given for the death of Anthony Thompson is incorrect. The year should have been 1648 N. S. and in all likelihood, 1684 is a simple typographical inversion of 1648. As for the month of March, it is known that Anthony Thompson made his will on March 23, 1647 (1648 N. S.). However, it is generally believed that his son Ebenezer, born or christened on October 15, 1648, was posthumous. Within this context, Savage stated that Anthony Thompson made his will some months before the birth of his son and modern researcher, Gary Boyd Roberts, states that he died in September of 1648. Taken together, both of these statements imply that Anthony Thompson died at least a few months after he made his will, but before the birth of his son the following October. In addition, as noted elswhere, the presumption that Anthony Thompson was the son of Henry and Dorothy Honywood Thompson of Lenham, County Kent, England, is almost certainly erroneous. (Schenectady Digital History Archive, www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/gale-1.html, 2003.)
back to bio.2a. William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Family History of Western New York - Vols. 1-3, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, NY, 1912: Vol. 1, pgs. 295-6.
This account of the early Thompson family is essentially identical to that given above by Reynolds and must have come from the same source. The only differences are that it has been applied to the "Thompson family of Cattaraugus county" instead of Troy, New York, and the description of arms and a few other details have been omitted.b. ibid.: Vol. 2, pg. 575.
"Anthony Thompson, with his wife, two children and two brothers, John and William, embarked at London, on board the ship 'Hector,' in company with Theophilus Eaton, Rev. Mr. Davenport, and others, from Coventry, England. They arrived in Boston, June 26, 1637. They were Dissenters from the Church of England, and left home to enjoy quietly here the principles of their faith, as well as to avoid the constant persecutions, taxes and exactions which were so frequent during the reign of Charles I. The Davenport colony finally settled in Quinnipiac (New Haven). Anthony signed the colony constitution June 4, 1639. The Thompson brothers each secured grants of land. John lived in East Haven, where he died December 11, 1674. William and Anthony resided in New Haven all their lives, and died there. Anthony died March 23, 1647, at which time he made a nuncupative will in presence of Rev. John Davenport and Robert Newman, who afterward committed his instructions to writing and appeared before the proper officer to prove it, May 27, 1650. He bequeathed the lands which were set off to him originally, and the house he had built thereon, to his second son, John, other lands to his son Anthony (2), a certain sum to Bridget, daughter of his first wife, provided she married in accordance with the wishes of the deacons of the church, and the remainder of the estate to Catherine, and to his three daughters by her, her share to continue during her widowhood only, but as she married Nicholas Camp, July 14, 1652, the property reverted to the estate."
Here, Cutter stated that Anthony Thompson died in March on the same day as he made his will. Other researchers disagree with this and believe that he lived until the late summer or early fall. However, the assertion that his will was nuncupative would suggest that the state of his health must have been very poor and that he was probably an invalid and, perhaps, incompetent.
back to bio.3. Stephen Dodd, The East-Haven Register, T. G. Woodward and Co., print., A.H. Maltby, distrib., New Haven, CT, 1824: pg. 154.
"JOHN and ANTHONY THOMPSON, brothers, signed the Colony Constitution, New-Haven, June, 1639, and in 1647, their brother WILLIAM is mentioned. ANTHONY had a son John. In ANTHONY'S Will, dated 1647, he mentions his brothers WILLIAM and JOHN. In 1654, ANTHONY, jun. by Will, gave all his lands to his brother John. One John died in 1674. In 1682, WILLIAM made his Will and names his sister Ellen, his brother ANTHONY'S son John, his cousins John and William, sons of his nephew JOHN, and other relatives. EBENEZER, who settled in Gulford, was of the New-Haven family, and had a son John, who died in 1676. The JOHN that settled at Stoney River, was also of this family, and was called Farmer JOHN, in distinction from JOHN at New-Haven, who was a seaman."
back to bio.4a. Edward E. Atwater, History of the Colony of New Haven to its absorption into Connecticut, privately published, New Haven, CT, 1881: pgs. 110, 150-1, 542-4, & 548.
"Passing now to the suburb on the west side of West Creek, we find, on the corner made by the streets now named Hill Street and Congress Avenue, the lot of William Ives. He died in 1648, leaving a wife and four children. William Basset married the widow; and the family continued to reside in the house till it was sold, in 1652, to the widow of Anthony Thompson."
"These three are all of the lots in the suburb on the west side of the West Creek that can be located. The other proprietors in this suburb were Matthew Moulthrop, Anthony Thompson, John Reeder, Robert Cogswell, Matthias Hitchcock, Francis Hall, Richard Osborne, William Potter, James Clark, Edward Patteson, and Andrew Hull."
"Anthony Thompson died about ten years after the first settlement of the town. His widow married Nicholas Camp of Milford. As one of his two brothers was childless, and the other had only daughters, he is probably the ancestor of all, or nearly all, in New Haven who, bear the name of Thompson."
footnote: "There was another Thompson at Fairfield, contemporary with Anthony of New Haven. Possibly, from that source or some other, Thompsons may have removed to New Haven, and become undistinguishably mixed with the descendants of Anthony."b. ibid.: pg. 112. The "1641 map of the original nine squares" has had an interesting history and has been believed erroneously by some researchers to actually date to the seventeenth century. However, Atwater took full responsibility for drawing it based on original land titles. (Anonymous, "History of New Haven Colony", www.quinnipiac.edu/other/ABL/etext/colony/colony.html, 2004.)
back to bio.5. 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. 283-4 & 289. (Reprint available from Genealogical Publishing Co., 1001 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD, 21202-3897)
"ANTHONY, New Haven, 1639, br. of the sec. John and first William of the same, prob. came with Gov. Eaton, with w. and two ch. John, and Anthony, had Bridget b. here, and by sec. w. Catharine had three more ch. Hannah, bapt. 8 June 1645; Lydia, 25 (not 24, as the careless ch. rec. has it) July 1647; and prob. posthum.; Ebenezer, 15 Oct. 1648; and he had some mos. bef made his will 1648. His d. Bridget m. John Bowers wh. bec. first min. at Derby; Hannah m. a Staunton; Lydia m. 20 Sept. 1665, Isaac Crittenden; and the wid. m. 14 July 1652, Nicholas Camp of Milford."
"ANTHONY, Milford, s. of the preced. had no w. or ch. and d. bef. mid. age, in his will of 26 Dec. 1654, giv. his prop. to br. John, own sis. Bridget, and three half sis. ch. of goodwife Camp. wh. had been sec. w. of his f."
"EBENEZER, Guilford, s. of the first Anthony of New Haven, m. June 1671, Deborah, d. of William Dudley of G. had s. Jabesh, b. 16 Oct. 1672, d. young; and John, 1674, wh. d. early; was propound. for freem. in 1669; but prob. d. bef. mid. age, his will of 16 Aug. 1676, recit. that he was 'a. 28 yrs. old.' It gave his prop. 1/3 to w. 2/3 to s. John; and his inv. was brot. in 6 Nov. foll. He is call. a Scotchman, but this must have regard to his f. and as the number of the name of John was unusually great, among the Thompsons, most of wh. would be Eng. yet one prob. was from the Northern kingdom."
"WILLIAM, New Haven 1647, br. of Anthony, had perhaps accomp. Gov. Eaton, had neither w. nor ch. but d. 24 Apr. 1683, and to his will of 6 Oct. preced. we owe very much of our kn. of ws. and ch. of others. He gave prop. to John, s. of his br. Anthony; to John and William, s. of his br. John; to Bridget Bowers, Ann Staunton, and Lydia Cruttenden, ds. of br. Anthony; and to ds. of br. John, viz. Mary Lines, Ann Bradley and her h. Abraham, and Elizabeth Bradley and her h. Benjamin."
It should be noted that three half-sisters were identified by Savage as heirs of Anthony Thompson, Jr. Moreover, his half-brother, Ebenezer, was not mentioned. Of course, other sources identify only two half-sisters, Hannah and Lydia. The reason of this inconsistency is not known.
back to bio.6. William Baker Thompson, Thompson Lineage with Mention of Allied Families, The Telegraph Printing Company, Harrisburg, PA, 1911.
Extract:
First wife - Name unknown - children:
1] John [the mariner], b 1632 = Ann Vicars
2] Anthony, b Dec 1634, d 29 Dec 1654
3] Bridget, b 1636 = Rev. John Bowers
Second wife - Catherine [Unknown] - children:
4] Hannah, bapt. 8 June 1645 = John Stanton [Also referred to as "Anna"]
5] Lydia, bapt. 24 July 1647 = Isaac Crittendon [She m. 2ndly John Meigs]
6] Ebenezer, bapt. 15 Oct 1648 = Deborah Dudley
After his death, Catherine m. 14 July 1652 Nicholas Camp of Milford. (Keith Thompson, "Thompson ka.ged", www.gencircles.com/users/katman01/1/data/7014, 2003.)
back to bio.
Additional Citations:
7. Asa A. Thompson, History of the Thompson Family from 1637 to 1860, Poughkeepsie Telegraph Stem Press, Poughkeepsie, NY, 1865: pgs. 5-7. (reprinted Goodspeed's Bookshop, Boston, MA, 1927.)8. Elizabeth M. Leach Rixford, Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service, pub. by The Tuttle Co., Rutland, VT, 1934: pgs. 303-4.
9. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven - Vols. 1-9, Printed by Clarence D. Smith, Rome, NY, 1923 & 1929; 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)
10. Kate Banning, Genealogical and Biographical Records of the Banning and Allied Families, The American Historical Society, Inc., New York, NY, 1925.
11. Ancestral File: 94L0-GT, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, UT, continuously updated.
12. K. Blake Tyner, "Founders of the New Haven Colony", www.bbtyner.com/NEWHAVEN.HTM, 2004.