Biography of Charles Gilkey

Charles Gilkey, a prominent resident of Cornish, who was formerly engaged in the gunsmith business, is a native of Plainfield, N.H., born September 29, 1826. Charles Gilkey, his grandfather, born in Connecticut, was the first of the family to come to Plainfield. He came originally as agent of a wealthy Connecticut family, and remained in their employ for some time. After failing in an attempt to buy a farm with the Continental money in which his salary was paid, owing to the depreciated value of that currency then, he succeeded in leasing one from the State for nine hundred and … Read more

Connecticut World War 2 NMCG Casualty List

Inclusion of names in this Connecticut World War II Casualty List has been determined solely by the residence of next of kin at the time of notification of the last wartime casualty status. This listing does not necessarily represent the State of birth, legal residence, or official State credit according to service enlistment. Casualties listed represent only those on active duty in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, resulting directly from enemy action or from operational activities against the enemy in war zones from December 7, 1941, to the end of the war. Casualties in the United States … Read more

Biography of Charles Mortimer Bingham

Charles Mortimer Bingham, a former well-known merchant of Claremont, Sullivan County, N.H., was born in New London, Conn., February 22, 1804, son of Nathan Bingham. His father settled in Claremont in 1809. He was a hatter by trade, and carried on a large and successful business here. He was a musician, and played the bass-viol in the Episcopal church for years. He died at the age of seventy-eight. He had six children. His daughter Lucretia married Ralph Metcalf, who became the governor of New Hampshire. Her sister Elizabeth married Luther S. Porter, and Maria became the wife of Henry W. … Read more

Genealogy of Nicholas Baker of Scituate Massachusetts

K155 NICHOLAS BAKER: b. in England, 1610; d. in Scituate, Mass., 1678; St. John’s College, Cambridge, Eng., 1632; M.A. 1635; ordained as a minister in Scituate, and served the Puritan Church there until death; may have married his first wife in Eng.; m. (2), 1663. Samuel: 1628-1714; m. Fear Robinson; m. (2), Abigail (Lathrop) Huntington; lived in Hull, Barnstable, Norwich, Conn., Windham and Windsor, Conn. John: 1672-1763; m. Anna Annable; purchased lands in Windham County, Conn., 1643. Samuel: 1706-1791; m. Prudence Jenkins. Samuel: 1740-1812; m. Lydia Smith; m. (2), Chloe Silsby; m. (3), Sarah Farnham; established a separatist church called the “Brunswick … Read more

Genealogy of Joseph Baker of Marshfield Massachusetts

Z173. NICHOLAS BAKER: probable father of Z174 SAMUEL BAKER: made Freeman in 1657; m. Eleanor Winslow. Z175 KENELIN BAKER: b. 1657; m. Sarah Bradford. Z176. KENELIN BAKER: b. 1695; m. Patience Dolen. Z177 WILLIAM BAKER: b. Oct. 16, 1734; m. Hannah Lincoln. Z178 WILLIAM BAKER: b. Sept. 10, 1759; m. Abigail Low. Z179 JOSEPH BAKER: b. Marshfield, Mass., Sept. 24, 1794; m. Olive Cushing. Z180 JOSEPH BAKER: b. Marshfield, Mass., Feb. 27, 1827; m. Martha Jane Perrin. Sarah James: b. Thompson, Conn. a181 JAMES BAKER: b. Nov. 28, 1824; m. Lydia Ann Mentzer, b. Jan. 8, 1826; had John, James, … Read more

Genealogy of Thomas Baker of East Hampton Connecticut

Genealogy of Thomas Baker 1153 THOMAS BAKER: came from England in 1639 and was enrolled as a “Free Planter” at Milford, one of the original six towns of the New Haven Colony, on the organization of that town, 1639; in 1650 purchased property and real estate in Easthampton, a settlement that was begun in 1649; wrote his name “Backer”, and it was so written in both the Easthampton Patents and in many places in the early Easthampton records. His son Thomas appears to have written his name without the “c”, and it has been so written by the descendants of … Read more

Genealogy of Daniel Baker

Qa161 DANIEL BAKER: b. in England; m. Sarah Chase, 1740. Col. Jacob: reported to have served on General Washington’s staff, and at his death left an estate now reported to be worth about $800,000,000. Samuel: M.D.; b. 1742; m. Roda (Silliman) Weed, 1773. Isaac: M.D.; b. 1783, at Fairfield, Conn.; m. Susan Morgan Dodge (d. 1833); in 1804 Dr. Isaac surveyed, laid out and named the townsite of Bloomington, Ill.; was county surveyor, clerk of the court (held this office for fifteen years) ; served as postmaster for a great many years and was a much respected citizen; died at … Read more

Genealogy of Richard Baker

H152 RICHARD BAKER: the first American ancestor of those known distinctively as of the Dorchester family of Baker; arrived in this country from England, 1635; m. Faith Withington about 1639; made a Freeman of the colony 1649; a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company; nearly every year from 1642-85 his name is on record as exercising some office in the town administration of Dorchester; d. 1689. (1) John: 1643-1690; m. Preserver Trott; home occupied as a barrack for American troops during the siege of Boston: an efficient townsman. (A) John: 1671-1745; owned extensive farming tracts; m. Hannah Withington. … Read more

Rogers Family Records

THE Rogers Family is among the forty-nine “best families” selected by the American Historical-Genealogical Society for whom the Society has published family histories during the past few years. The Rogers family has been prominent in the British Empire and in the United States, its members having played important r“les in war and in peace. Family pride is a commendable trait and should be cultivated. All Rogerses have just cause to be proud of their family history and traditions. In references No. 7 and No. 14 we find the following regarding the origin and meaning of the name Rogers: The personal … Read more

Hubbard Genealogy

George Hubbard George1 Hubbard was first in Watertown, Mass., about 1633; m. Mary Bishop, who d. at Guilford, Conn., Sept. 14, 1675. She was dau. of John and Ann Bishop, who moved to Guilford in 1639, where he, Bishop, was one of the seven prop. of the town, and d. there, February, 1661. On May 6, 1635, permission from the General Court of Massachusetts was granted to the inhabitants of Watertown “to remove themselves to any place they shall think meet to make choice of, provided they still continue under the government.” Among these immigrators was George Hubbard and family … Read more

Biography of Marion Francis Mulkey

MARION FRANCIS MULKEY.- This gentleman, the eldest son of Johnson Mulkey, and who took up, and conducted in the spirit, and to some extent in the method, the pioneer activities of his father, was born in Johnson county, Missouri, November 14, 1836. He was therefore but a boy of ten when, in 1847, he accompanied his father across the continent to Oregon. His, however, was one of those old heads on young shoulders; and so responsible was he, and so capable of affairs, that he was intrusted with the driving of oxen, and all work adapted to his strength, with … Read more

King Philip’s War Records

Philip, King of Mount Hope

King Philip’s war was the most devastating war between the colonists and the Indians in New England. The war is named for King Philip, the son of Massasoit and chief of the Wampanoag. His Wampanoag name was Metacom, Metacomet, or Pometacom. Upon the death of his brother, Alexander (Wamsutta), whom the Indians suspected the English of murdering, Philip became sachem and maintained peace with the colonists for a number of years. Hostility developed over the steady succession of land sales forced on the Indians by their growing dependence on English goods. The Wampanoag were joined by the Nipmuck and by … Read more

Connecticut County Courthouse Addresses

Health Dept Vital Records 410 Capitol Ave., 1st Floor Hartford, CT 06134 (860) 509-7897 Fairfield County New Haven County Hartford County New London County Litchfield County Tolland County Rockville, CT Middlesex County Windham County Willimantic, CT

Connecticut Vital Records

Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, by Loretto Szucs and Sandra Luebking. Connecticut State Vital Records Office Health Dept Vital Records 410 Capitol Ave., 1st Floor Hartford, CT 06134 P.O. Box 340308 … Read more

King Philip’s War

Map of King Philips War

The events of which we shall now proceed to give a brief synopsis, were of more momentous interest, and fraught with more deadly peril to the New England colonies, than aught that had preceded them. The wild inhabitants of the forest had now become far more dangerous opponents than when they relied upon their rude flint-headed arrows, or heavy stone tomahawks, as the only efficient weapons of offense. Governor Bradford, many years before the breaking out of the hostilities which we are about to detail, had given a graphic description of the effect produced upon their deportment and self-confidence by … Read more

The Pequot Indian War

1636 Endicott Block Island

For several years the tribe had been engaged in a desultory war with the Narragansetts, arising from a quarrel, in 1632, respecting the boundary of their respective do mains. Sassacus at once perceived the necessity or policy of healing this breach, and procuring the assistance of his powerful neighbors in the anticipated struggle. He therefore sent ambassadors to Canonicus, charged with proposals of treaty, and of union against the usurping English. A grand council of the Narragansett sachems was called, and the messengers, according to Morton, “used many pernicious arguments to move them thereunto, as that the English were strangers, … Read more

The Narragansetts and Pequot Indians

Roger Williams and Narragansetts

The islands and western shores of the beautiful bay which still bears their name were, at the time of the first European settlement, in the possession of the great and powerful tribe of the Narragansetts. Their dominions extended thirty or forty miles to the westward, as far as the country of the Pequots, from whom they were separated by the Pawcatuck River. Their chief sachem was the venerable Canonicus, who governed the tribe, with the assistance and support of his nephew Miantonimo. The, celebrated Roger Williams, the founder of the Rhode Island and Providence plantations, always noted for his kindness, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Smith

William Smith, a native of Hartford, Conn., immigrated to Williston, Vt., at an early date, where he married Anna Blanchard, and a few years later, about 1806, came to this town and located upon the farm now occupied by his grandsons, where he resided until his death, at the age of fifty-nine years. He had a family of six children, three of whom, Charity, widow of Roswell Town, Lemuel B., and Abel P., now reside here.

Biograhy of Dennis Heartt

If history consists of the lives of great men, whose names are “wrought into the verbs of language, their works and effigies in our houses,” North Carolina should contribute many pages to the epitome of civilization; for her institutions, public and private, have been established by men of superior abilities, who have spared neither time nor resources in the founding of a great State. In journalism, as in economic and political growth, the pioneer work has been done by men of strong personal character, who possessed the art of citizenship as well as the talents requisite for their chosen work. … Read more

New England Native American Burial Customs

Three centuries and more have elapsed since the Jesuit, Père Pierre Biard, of Grenoble, prepared an account of the manners and customs of several native tribes of New France, which then included within its bounds the eastern portions of the present State of Maine, and the adjoining provinces. He wrote more particularly of the “three tribes which are on good terms of friendship with us-the Montaguets, the Souriquois, and the Eteminquois.” By these names the early French knew the three tribes now better known as the Montagnais, Micmac, and Malecite, all belonging to the great Algonquian family, and who occupied … Read more