Middlesex County CT

Middlesex County CT. This county is bounded North by Hartford county, East by Hartford and New London counties, South by Long Island Sound, and West by New Haven county. The general surface of the county is uneven. The soil is generally good, particularly adjacent to Connecticut river. There are many small streams which afford mill privileges, fertilizing the soil and living beauty to the county. The waters of the Connecticut afford it an important business in navigation, especially in the coasting trade. There are numerous manufacturing establishments in the county; large quantities of freestone are quarried and carried to market, and the shad fishery gives employment to many of its people. Middlesex county contains an area of 342 square miles. Capitals — Middletown and Haddam.

Biographical Sketch of John Collins

John Collins (2), born around 1644 in Boston, was a shoemaker who relocated to Middletown, Connecticut, in 1663, later settling in Saybrook, Branford, and Guilford. He had three marriages: first to Mary Trowbridge, who died in 1668; second to Mary Hingnoth; and third to Dorcas Taintor. Collins passed away in Branford around 1704 and had three children, including John, born in 1665, and Robert born in 1667, along with a daughter Mary who married a man named Chapman.

Biographical Sketch of Moses Rowley

Moses Rowley, born circa 1630, was the son of Henry Rowley and married Elizabeth Fuller in 1652. He resided in East Haddam, Connecticut, where he acted as a freeman, constable, and deputy to the general court. Mentioned favorably in William Palmer’s will, Moses likely lived with his grandfather. He purchased land in Haddam in the early 1690s but faced domestic strife as his wife refused to endorse a deed, citing financial dependence on their children. Moses passed away in 1705, leaving behind eight children.

Biographical Sketch of Moses Rowley

Moses Rowley (2), born November 10, 1654, in Barnstable, was a prominent citizen of East Haddam, Connecticut, where he died on July 16, 1735. He became a freeman in 1690 and was an active member of the local church. He married twice, first to Mary Fletcher and then to Mary Corbe, who lived until 1764. His will, dated March 24, 1734-35, includes his children: Mary, Moses, Naomi, Samuel, John, Ebenezer, Mehitable, and Jonathan.

Biographical Sketch of Ensign John Rowley

Ensign John Rowley, born circa 1690 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, passed away in January 1763 in Colchester, Connecticut. He married Deborah Fuller on September 11, 1716, who died in 1752. Rowley relocated to East Haddam around 1722 and later to Colchester, where he attended the Westchester parish church. He had eight children with Deborah, including Patience, Content, and Joseph, among others. Rowley eventually remarried after his first wife’s death.

Biography of Austin, Moses

Moses Austin, born in 1767 in Connecticut, was a pivotal figure in the early American colonization of Texas. After a series of business failures, he turned to Texas as a means to rebuild his fortunes. He traveled to San Antonio in 1820, initially facing legal challenges but eventually gaining support from local officials for his plan to settle American families in Texas. Upon returning home, he fell ill and died in June 1821, entrusting his son Stephen with the execution of his vision for colonization.