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SCHENECTADY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE
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[This information is from Vol. IV, pp. 1737-1749 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, edited by Cuyler Reynolds (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911). It is in the Reference collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at R 929.1 R45. Some of the formatting of the original, especially in lists of descendants, may have been altered slightly for ease of reading.]
The Backus family is one of the oldest in this country and in England, the line going back to Ecgberht, the first king of England, from him to Cerdic [Cedric?], the first king of the West Saxons, and tradition has it that this last named was a lineal descendant of Woden (or Odin), who was supposed to be descended from the eldest son of Noah. There have been many distinguished men in this family in addition to those mentioned in detail below, among them being Rev. Dr. Charles Backus, of Somers, Connecticut, president of Yale College; Rev. Dr. A. Backus, a former president of Hamilton College, New York; Rev. Backus, a distinguished Baptist minister of New England during the revolution; Rev. Simon Backus, who married a sister of the celebrated Jonathan Edwards; and a number of clergymen equally noted. In other walks of life members of this family have become equally famous.
(I) William (1) Backus is the immigrant ancestor. He is supposed to have come to this country from Norwich, England, his name appearing as crossing in the "Rainbow" in 1637, and the town of Norwich, Connecticut, was so named as a mark of respect and esteem for William Backus, Norwich, England, having been presumably his birthplace. The fine Backus Hospital at Norwich, Connecticut, also commemorates this fact. He was at Saybrook, Connecticut, in 1638, and was one of the thirty-five original proprietors of Norwich, who established the town in 1660. His death occurred prior to May 7, 1664. He married (first) Sarah, daughter of Rev. John Chodes, of Branford, Connecticut. He married (second) before 1660, Ann (Stenton) Bingham, widow of Thomas Bingham. She died in May, 1670. Children, all by first marriage:
(II) William (2), eldest child of William (1) and Sarah (Chodes) Backus, was born in England, died at Norwich, Connecticut, in 1721. He was ensign of the train band in May, 1680, appointed lieutenant in May, 1693, and represented the town at the general court at Hartford in May, 1680-84, and October, 1680-83-84-89. He married Elizabeth, born at Saybrook, Connecticut, February 1, 1641-42, died in 1730, daughter of Lieutenant William and Elizabeth (Clark) Pratt, of Saybrook. Children:
children of second marriage:
(III) Lieutenant Joseph Backus, fourth son and fifth child of William (2) and Elizabeth (Pratt) Backus, was born September 6, 1667, died in Norwich, December, 1740. He was considered one of the most influential men in the town of Norwich, representing it for about forty years at the general court at Hartford. He was ensign of the train band in 1690, and lieutenant in May, 1693. He married, April 9, 1690, Elizabeth Huntington, born October 6, 1669, died in 1762 (see Huntington II). Children:
(IV) Ebenezer, youngest child of Lieutenant Joseph and Elizabeth (Huntington) Backus, was born March 30, 1712; died in Norwich, Connecticut, November 4, 1768. He represented his town in the general court, May, 1746-47-48-49-50-62, and October, 1744-45-46-47-48-49-64. He married (first), January 29, 1740-41, Abigail, born about 1719, died March 26, 1744, daughter of Captain Joseph and Hannah (Higley) Trumbull, of Lebanon, and sister of the first Governor Trumbull. He married (second) May 2, 1745, at Windham, Eunice, born June 5, 1727, died October 25, 1751, daughter of Colonel Thomas and Lydia (Backus) Dyer. He married (third) July 26, 1753, Sarah, born July 28, 1726, daughter of Benjamin and Miriam (Kilby) Clark, of Boston, Massachusetts. Children by first marriage:
Children by second marriage:
Children of third marriage:
(V) Ebenezer (2), eldest son and second child of Ebenezer (1) and Eunice (Dyer) Backus, was born August 17, 1747, died in Norwich about 1786. He married, January, 7, 1767, Elizabeth Fitch, born February 12, 1748-49, at Lebanon (see Fitch VII). She married (second) 1791, Albertus Sirant Destouches, of Norwich, formerly of Essequibo, South America. Children:
(VI) Eleazar Fitch, eldest son and second child of Ebenezer (2) and Elizabeth (Fitch) Backus, was born January 13, 1770, died in Philadelphia, January 22, 1859. He was the founder of the Law Publishing House of W. C. Little, of Albany, New York. He married (first) Harriet, born September 14, 1779, died July 13, 1804, daughter of Colonel William B. and Amy (Lathrop) Whiting, of Norwich, Connecticut, and of Canaan, New York. He married (second) June 8, 1807, Elizabeth Chester, born November 10, 1774, died August 14, 1847 (see Chester IX). Children:
(VII) Rev. Jonathan Trumbull Backus, D. D., L.L. D., son of Eleazar Fitch and Elizabeth (Chester) Backus, was born at Albany, New York, January 27, 1809, died at Schenectady, New York, January 21, 1892. Dr. Backus was prepared for college at the Albany Academy, from which he was graduated at the age of fourteen years, and the home influence of his mother, a woman noted for her sincere piety, left a deep impression upon him, which made its influence felt throughout his life. At the age of seventeen years he joined the Second Presbyterian Church of Albany, of which his uncle, Rev. Dr. John Chester, was the pastor. He was graduated from Columbia College with honor in 1827, standing with the Hon. Hamilton Fish at the head of his class, of which he was the valedictorian. He was graduated from the Princeton Theological Seminary three years later, then spent one year at the Andover Theological Seminary, and a part of a year at the Yale Divinity School. He was licensed at the New York Presbytery, October 15, 1829, and was ordained and installed in the First Presbyterian Church of Schenectady, to which he had received a call, December 6, 1832. He was pastor of this church until 1872, a period of forty years, and pastor emeritus from June 18, 1873, until his death, frequently preaching during this latter period, although for nine years he was totally blind as the result of cataract. Union College bestowed upon him the degree of S. T. D. in 1847, and that of LL. D. in 1875. He was a member of the Albany Presbytery during his entire ministry, and influential in its councils as well as in those of the synod and the general assembly. He served on many important committees, was a leader in the movement to unite the old and new school churches, and his ability was recognized when he was elected, by acclamation, moderator of the reunion general assembly of 1870, at Philadelphia. He was also foremost in the movement for the first Presbyterian Hymnal. He laid the corner stone of Reunion Hall, at Princeton, New Jersey. One of his marked characteristics was his executive ability. As chairman for many years of the Home Mission Committee of Presbytery, he was of great influence in furthering the cause of foreign and domestic missions. He served as trustee of Union College from 1852 until 1888, and for a number of years was president of the board of trustees. He was president of the board of trustees of the Young Men's Christian Association of Schenectady from its incorporation in 1871 until his death, and was president of the board of trustees of the Home for the Friendless from its foundation in 1868. His high character won for him the confidence of men both within and without his church, so that his counsel was widely sought and his words always listened to with unfeigned respect. It was largely through the efforts of Rev. Dr. Nott, who early recognized the ability and worth of Dr. Backus, that he was brought to Schenectady, and they co-operated in furthering the interests of the city and the college. Dr. Backus was a member for several terms of the board of education of the city and his influence helped greatly to keep the schools in line with the more progressive methods of education. In association with Dr. Nott he developed the beauty of the city by means of planting shade trees, the college nurseries furnishing many of the fine old elms which now adorn the streets. He was thoroughly catholic in spirit and sympathy, encouraging all feasible Christian union. The impression of Dr. Backus on the life of his own church, that of the city, its religious, educational and philanthropical development, is a lasting one, and one which will be of benefit for many generations to come.
At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of Union College, which was held at Schenectady, June 21, 1892, it was decided to put on record the following tribute to Dr. Backus:
"Though a graduate of Columbia, he was for nearly sixty years closely identified with the life of Union College. During forty years, as the minister of the Presbyterian Church, in the City of Schenectady, he was the religious teacher and guide of many hundreds of her students, and stood in intimate relation with a long line of Presidents and Professors. For thirty-five years he was a Trustee of the Institution, eminent and influential in her councils, zealous and untiring in his efforts to advance her interests."
The familiarity of Dr. Backus with the Scriptures was wonderful. During his later years, after the affliction of blindness had come upon him, he nevertheless frequently preached, and in the course of his sermon would recite long passages from the Bible and hymns, from memory, and was practically letter perfect. At the sermon preached between the death and burial of Dr. Backus, by Rev. A. Russell Stevenson, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, he said in part:
"Our church is one hundred and twenty years old, and to-morrow we bury the pastor who has been in our midst for the half of that period — but in estimating the influence of the man, the latter half of the one hundred and twenty years is manifold more valuable than the former."
Rev. Dr. Backus married, April 30, 1835, Ann Eliza Walworth, born September 29, 1817, at Plattsburg, New York, died October 3, 1895 (see Walworth V). Children:
(I) William Chester was of London and Barnet, Hertford county, England.
(II) Leonard, son of William Chester, was of Blaby, Leicestershire, England. He married (second) Bridget, daughter of John Sharpe, of Frisby-Super Wreke, Leicestershire, England.
(III) John, son of Leonard Chester, of Blaby, was also of Blaby, and married Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Hooker, of Leicestershire, England.
(IV) Leonard (2), son of John Chester, of Blaby, was born in 1609, in England, died in Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1648. He came to New England in 1633, settled first at Watertown, Massachusetts, and in 1635 at Wethersfield. He married Mary, probably a descendant of Hugh de Neville.
(V) John (2), son of Leonard (2) and Mary Chester, was born at Watertown, Massachusetts, August 3, 1635, died February 23, 1698. Admitted freeman at Wethersfield, May, 1658; member of the First Connecticut Troop; deputy in the house, 1675; and was otherwise prominent. He married, February, 1653-54, Sarah, born in 1631, died December 12, 1693, daughter of Hon. Thomas Welles, of Connecticut. Children:
(VI) John (3), son of John (2) and Sarah (Welles) Chester, was born January 10, 1656, died December 14, 1711. He was of Wethersfield, Connecticut. He married, November 25, 1686, Hannah, born 1665, died 1741, daughter of Samuel Talcott, of Glastonbury, Connecticut. Children:
(VII) Hon. John (4), eldest son and seventh child of John (3) and Hannah (Talcott) Chester, was born June 3, 1703, died suddenly in his hay field, September 11, 1771. He was of Wethersfield, and in 1748 it was said that he was the only male in this line bearing the name of Chester. He was judge in the county court and representative to the general assembly of Connecticut. He married, November 19, 1747, Sarah Noyes, born March 29, 1722, died January 27, 1797. She was a direct descendant of William the Conqueror. (See Noyes XXIII.) Children:
(VIII) Colonel John (5) Chester, eldest child of Hon. John (4) and Sarah (Noyes) Chester, was born January 29, 1748, died November 4, 1809. He was of Wethersfield, was graduated from Yale College in 1766 and from Harvard Law School in 1775. He especially distinguished himself at the battle of Bunker Hill. He was appointed colonel in 1776 and was called "the friend" of General Washington. From 1772 he was a prominent figure in public life, served as representative, speaker of the house, state counsellor, judge of probate and county courts and supervisor of Connecticut. He married, November 25, 1773, Elizabeth Huntington, born February 9, 1757, died July, 1839 (see Huntington VI). Children:
(IX) Elizabeth, eldest child of Colonel John (5) and Elizabeth (Huntington) Chester, married Eleazar Fitch Backus (see Backus VI).
(I) Governor William Bradford, born at Austerfield, Yorkshire, England, 1588, died in New England, May 9, 1657. He came to this country in the "Mayflower" in 1620, and was governor of Plymouth Colony for thirty-three years. He married (first) Dorothy ————, who was accidentally drowned December 7, 1620, the first Englishwoman who died in New England. He married (second) August 14, 1623, Alice, whose maiden name is supposed to have been Carpenter, and who was the widow of Constant Southworth. Child of first marriage:
Children of second marriage:
(II) Major William (2) Bradford, eldest child of Governor William (1) and Alice (Carpenter) (Southworth) Bradford, was born June 17, 1624, died February 20, 1703. He married (first) Alice, who died December 12, 1671, daughter of Thomas Richards. Married (second) Widow Wiswall. Married (third) Mary, daughter of John Wood or Atwood, of Plymouth, and widow of Rev. John Holmes, of Duxbury. Children by first marriage:
Child of second marriage:
Children of third marriage:
(III) Alice, eldest daughter and fifth child of Major William (2) and Alice (Richards) Bradford, was born in 1661, and married (first) March 27, 1680, Rev. William Adams, minister of Duxbury, whose second wife she was. She married (second) Major James Fitch.
(IV) Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. William and Alice (Bradford) Adams, was born February 21, 1681. She married, September 14, 1696, Rev. Samuel Whiting, born April 22, 1670, who was the first minister of Windham.
(V) Anne, daughter of Rev. Samuel and Elizabeth (Adams) Whiting, was born June 2, 1698. She married, December 29, 1721, Joseph Fitch, born in November, 1681, at Norwich, she becoming his second wife.
(VI) Colonel Eleazar, son of Joseph and Anne (Whiting) Fitch, was born August 29, 1726. He was of Lebanon, Connecticut, and was graduated from Yale College in 1743. He married, April 4, 1746, Amy Bowen.
(VII) Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel Eleazar and Amy (Bowen) Fitch, married Ebenezer Backus, Jr. (see Backus V).
(I) Simon Huntington was born in England, where he lived in Norwich or its vicinity. According to one tradition he sailed for this country, dying of smallpox on the voyage, and was buried at sea. According to another, he left England in 1639 or 1640 with his wife and three children, his family landing at Saybrook, Connecticut, he having died off the coast and his body was buried ashore. He married Margaret Baret, and it is possible that his widow married (second) Thomas Stoughton, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, who later removed to Windsor, Connecticut. Children:
(II) Deacon Simon Huntington, son of Simon and Margaret (Baret) Huntington, was born in England in 1629, died at Saybrook, Connecticut, June 28, 1706. He was one of the settlers of Norwich in 1660. and representative in the general court several times. He married, at Saybrook, October, 1653, Sarah, born in 1633, died in 1721, daughter of Joseph Clark, of Windsor. Children:
(III) Deacon Simon (2) Huntington, eldest son and third child of Deacon Simon (1) and Sarah (Clark) Huntington, was born at Saybrook, Connecticut, February 6, 1659, died in Norwich, November 2, 1736. He married, October 8, 1683, Lydia, born in Norwich, August 8, 1663, died August 8, 1736, daughter of John Gager. Children:
(IV) Joshua, youngest child of Deacon Simon (2) and Lydia (Gager) Huntington, was born in Norwich, December 30, 1698, died August 26, 1745. He was an active business man and added greatly to the family wealth and distinction. He married, October 16, 1718, Hannah, born in 1701, died in 1745, daughter of Jabez and Hannah (Lathrop) Perkins. Children:
(V) General Jabez Huntington, eldest child of Joshua and Hannah (Perkins) Huntington, was born August 7, 1719, died October 5, 1786. His career is a matter of national history. He married (first), January 20, 1741-42, Elizabeth, born February 21, 1721, died July 1, 1745, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Tracy) Backus. He married (second), July 10, 1746, Hannah Williams, born July 23, 1726, died March 25, 1807; children by first marriage:
Children by the second marriage of General Jabez Huntington:
(VI) Elizabeth, second daughter and fourth child of General Jabez and Hannah (Williams) Huntington, married Colonel John Chester (see Chester VIII).
(I) William Walworth, of Fisher's Island, was the progenitor of all the Walworths in America. He claimed descent from Sir William Walworth, lord mayor of London during the reign of Richard II. He came to the New London Colony in 1689. He married, in 1690, Mary Seaton, born in England in 1669, who came to this country in the same ship that he did. Children:
(II) Captain John Walworth, second son and fourth child of William and Mary (Seaton) Walworth, was born on Fisher's Island, in June, 1697, died of the smallpox in 1748. He married, November, 1718, Sarah B., daughter of Captain Richard, Jr., and Hannah or Elizabeth (Bailey) Dunn, of Newport, Rhode Island. Children:
(III) Benjamin, son of Captain John and Sarah B. (Dunn) Walworth, was born at Groton, November 11, 1746, died at Hoosick, New York, February 26, 1812. He was quartermaster and adjutant during the revolution. He married, 1782, Apphia Hyde, born in Norwich in 1757, died at Fredonia, New York, February 8, 1837 (see Hyde V). She was the widow of Captain Samuel Cardell, of New London, who left her with one child: William S. Children:
(IV) Chancellor Reuben Hyde Walworth, third son and fourth child of Benjamin and Apphia (Hyde) Walworth, was born at Bozrah, Connecticut, October 26, 1788, died at Saratoga Springs, New York, November 28, 1867. He was appointed chancellor of the state of New York in 1828 and held the office for some twenty years, being the last chancellor of the state. He served as adjutant-general during the war of 1812. He married (first) at Plattsburg, January 16, 1812, Maria Ketchum, born December 31, 1795, died April 24, 1847, eldest child of Nathan and Mary (Ketchum) Averill. He married (second) at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, April 16, 1851, Sarah Ellen, daughter of Horace Smith, of Locust Grove, Kentucky, and widow of Colonel John J. Hardin, by whom she had children: Ellen, Martin D., Lemuel Smith and Elizabeth. Children of first marriage:
Only child of the second marriage:
(V) Ann Eliza, third daughter and child of Chancellor Reuben Hyde and Maria Ketchum (Averill) Walworth, married Rev. Jonathan Trumbull Backus (see Backus VII).
(I) William Hyde probably came to this country with the Rev. Thomas Hooker, in 1633, and his name appears in Hartford in 1636. He was one of the original proprietors of Norwich in 1660, and died January 6, 1681. The name of his wife has not been preserved. Children:
(II) Samuel, son of William Hyde, was born at Hartford, Connecticut, about 1637, died in 1677. He was a fifth great-grandfather of Grover Cleveland, and fourth great-grandfather of Professor M. Perkins, of Union College. He married, June, 1659, Jane, daughter of Thomas and Phoebe (Brown) Lee, of East Saybrook, now Lyme. Children:
(III) William (2), son of Samuel and Jane (Lee) Hyde, was born at Norwich, January, 1670, died August 8, 1759. He married, January 2, 1695, Anne, born December 4, 1674, died July 8, 1745, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Adgate) Bushnell, of Norwich. Children:
(IV) Rev. Jedediah Hyde, son of William (2) and Anne (Bushnell) Hyde, was born at Norwich, June 2, 1712, died September 26, 1761. He married (first) July 17, 1733, Jerusha, born September 1, 1711, died February 8, 1741, daughter of Deacon Joseph and Martha (Morgan) Perkins, of Norwich. He married (second) May 17, 1742, Jerusha Tracy, born May 23, 1723, died August 20, 1764. She married (second) Daniel Peck, of Norwich West Farms, now Franklin, and had one child by this marriage, whom she named Jedediah Hyde (see Tracy XXX). Children by first marriage of Rev. Jedediah Hyde:
Children of second marriage of Rev. Jedediah Hyde:
(V) Apphia, daughter of Rev. Jedediah and Jerusha (Tracy) Hyde, married Benjamin Walworth (see Walworth III).
(I) Ecgberht, first King of England, reigned 800-838. He married Lady Redburga and had: Aethelwulf, Aethelstan and Eadith (St. Edith).
(II) Aethelwulf, son of Ecgberht and Lady Redburga, married (first) Osburga, daughter of Oslac, and had: Aethelstan, Aethelbald, Aethelbert, Aethalbald I., Aelfred (the Great), see forward, and Aethelswitha. He married (second) Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald, Emperor and King of France, and great-granddaughter of Emperor Charlemagne. Judith married (second) Baldwin, the first count of Flanders, and became the ancestress of Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror.
(III) Aelfred (the Great), son of Aethelwulf and Osburga, married Ealswitha, daughter of the Earl of Lincolnshire, and had: Eadmund, Eadward, see forward, Aethelwald, Aethelfleda, Aethelgida and Aelfthryth.
(IV) Eadward (the Elder), married (first) Ecguina and had three children; (second) Ealfleda, and had eight children; (third) Eadgina, daughter of Earl Sigeline, and had Eadmund, see forward, Eadred, Eadburga and Eadgina.
(V) Eadmund I., married Aelfgifu, and had: Eadwig, Eadgar.
(VI) Eadgar, son of Eadmund I. and Aelfgifu, married (first) Aethelflaeda (the Fair), daughter of Earl Ordmar, and had: Eadward. He married (second) Aelfthryth, daughter of Ordgar, Duke of Devonshire, and widow of Earl Aethelwold. Children: Eadmund and Aethelred, see forward.
(VII) Aethelred II. (the Unready), married (first) Ealfleda, daughter of Erldorman Thored. Children: Edmund (Ironsides) and eight others. He married (second) Emma, of Normandy. Children: Aelfred, Eadward (the Confessor), Goda, see forward.
(VIII) Princess Goda, daughter of Aethelred II. and Emma of Normandy, married (first) Dreux, Count of Vexin, in France, called by English historians Count of Mantes, and said to be a descendant of Charlemagne. Children: Gauthier, sometimes called Walter; Rudolf, see forward; Foulgues; Poutoise.
(IX) Rudolf, son of the Count of Mantes and Princess Goda, also called Rudolph or Ralph de Mantes, was lord of the manor of Sudeley and Toddington, and was created Earl of Hereford by his uncle, Edward the Confessor, and deprived of his earldom in the reign of William the Conqueror. He married Gethe, and had one son, Harold.
(X) Harold, only son of Rudolf and Gethe de Mantes, married Matilda, daughter of Hugh-Lupus, first Earl of Chester and nephew of William the Conqueror. Children: John de Sudeley and Robert de Ewyas.
(XI) John de Sudeley, son of the preceding, married Grace, daughter and heiress of Henri de Traci, feudal Lord of Barnstaple in Devonshire. Children: Ralph, who became the heir of his father, and William de Traci, concerning whom see forward.
(XII) William de Traci inherited the lands of his mother and assumed her family name, becoming as a knight of Gloucestershire, Sir William de Traci, and held the lands of his brother by one knight's fee. He married Hawise de Born and left one son and two daughters.
(XIII) Sir Henry de Tracy, of Toddington, died about 1246, leaving: Margery, Henry and Thomas.
(XIV) Sir Henry de Tracy, of Toddington, had children: William and Eve.
(XV) Sir William Tracy (the "de" being omitted in this generation), of Toddington, had command in the Scottish war in the reign of Edward I.
(XVI) Sir William Tracy, of Toddington, held high offices. Children: Margery and William.
(XVII) William Tracy, Esq., was of Toddington.
(XVIII) Sir John Tracy of Toddington, was sheriff of the county five years in succession, and died in 1363. He left children John, Margaret and Dorothy.
(XIX) Sir John Tracy, of Toddington, was a member of parliament and sheriff. Children: William and Margaret.
(XX) William Tracy, Esq., of Toddington, was high sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1395, and died in 1399.
(XXI) William Tracy, Esq., of Toddington, was called to the privy council of Henry IV., and was high sheriff during the reign of Henry V. He married Alice, daughter of Sir Guy de la Spine, and widow of William Gifford. Children: William, John and Alice.
(XXII) William Tracy, Esq., of Toddington, was sheriff of Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VI. He married Margery, daughter of Sir John Pauncefort, Knight. Children: Henry, Richard and Margery.
(XXIII) Henry Tracy, Esq., of Toddington, died about 1506. He married Alice, daughter of Thomas Baldington, Esq., of Alderley, county of Oxford. Children: William, Richard, Ralph, Anne, Elizabeth.
(XXIV) Sir William Tracy, of Toddington, was sheriff of Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VIII. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton, of Cross Court, Gloucestershire. Children: William, Robert, Richard and Alice.
(XXV) Richard Tracy, Esq., of Toddington, was sheriff of Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He married Barbara, daughter of Sir Thomas Lucy, of Charlecote, Warwickshire. Children: Hester, Nathaniel, Susan, Judith, Paul and Samuel.
(XXVI) Nathaniel Tracy, of Tewksbury, received lands at that place from his father.
(XXVII) Lieutenant Thomas Tracy, son of Nathaniel Tracy, of Tewksbury, was born at Tewksbury about 1610, died at Norwich, Connecticut, November 7, 1685. He came to Salem, Massachusetts, in April, 1636, removed to Wethersfield, and was one of the original proprietors of Norwich in 1660. He married (first) at Wethersfield, 1641, Mary, widow of Edward Mason. (Second) at Norwich, prior to 1679, Martha, daughter of Thomas Bourne, of Marshfield, and widow of John, the son of Governor Bradford. (Third) at Norwich, Mary, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Demming) Foote, of Wethersfield, and widow of (first) John Stoddard, (second) John Goodrich. Children, all by first marriage:
(XXVIII) Captain John Tracy, son of Lieutenant Thomas and Mary (Mason) Tracy, was born at Wethersfield in 1642, died at Norwich, August 16, 1702. He was one of the original proprietors of Norwich, justice of the peace, represented his town in the legislature at six sessions, and was prominent in all public affairs. He married, August 17, 1670, Mary, born in 1646, died July 21, 1721, daughter of Josiah and Margaret (Bourn) Winslow, and niece of Governor Winslow of the "Mayflower." Children:
(XXIX) Captain Joseph Tracy, son of Captain John and Mary (Winslow) Tracy, was born at Norwich, April 20, 1682, died April 10, 1765. He was a justice of the peace, and frequently a representative in the legislature. He married, at Norwich, December 31, 1705, Margaret, born at Norwich in 1685, died January 17, 1751, daughter of Caleb and Margaret (Post) Abel. Children:
(XXX) Jerusha, daughter of Captain Joseph and Margaret Abel, married Rev. Jedediah Hyde (see Hyde IV).
(I) William the Conqueror, King of England.
(II) Lady Gungreda, daughter of William the Conqueror, married William de Warren, Earl of Surrey.
(III) William, son of William and Lady Gundreda de Warren, was the second earl of Warren and Surrey, and died 1131.
(IV) Lady Isabel, daughter of Earl William de Warren and Surrey, married Roger Bigod, earl of Norfolk.
(V) Hugh, son of Roger and Lady Isabel Bigod, was the third earl of Norfolk, and died in 1225.
(VI) Ralph, third son of Hugh Bigod, married Lady Berta Furnival.
(VII) Lady Isabel, daughter of Ralph and Lady Berta (Furnival) Bigod, married (second) John Fitz-Piers Fitz-Geoffrey, lord of Birkhampstead, who was justice of Ireland in 1246.
(VIII) John Fitz-John, son of the preceding, was chief-justice of Ireland in 1258.
(IX) Lady Maud, daughter of John Fitz-John, married (first) Gerard de Furnival, (second) William, sixth Baron Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick.
(X) Guy, second Earl of Warwick, married Lady Alice, daughter of Ralph, Baron de Toni, and widow of Thomas de Layburne.
(XI) Thomas, third Earl of Warwick, was one of the original Knights of the Garter. He married Lady Catherine de Mortimer, daughter of Roger, Earl of Marche.
(XII) Thomas, fourth Earl of Warwick, Knight of the Garter, married Lady Margaret, daughter of William, third Lord Ferrers, of Groby.
(XIII) Richard, fifth Earl of Warwick, and Earl of Albemarle, was also a Knight of the Garter, and guardian of Henry VI. He married Lady Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas, twelfth Baron Berkeley.
(XIV) Lady Margaret Beauchamp, daughter of the preceding, was the second wife and widow of General Sir John, sixth Baron Talbot, created Earl of Shrewsbury. She married (second) Sir William Cavendish.
(XV) Thomas, only son of Sir William and Lady Margaret (Beauchamp) Cavendish, died in 1524. He married Alice, daughter of John Smith, of Padbroke Hall, Suffolk.
(XVI) Sir William Cavendish, Knight, was of Chadsworth. He married (first) Lady Elizabeth, daughter of John Hardwick, of Hardwick, Derby, and widow of Richard Barley, of Barley. Among his children was William, Earl of Devonshire, who was active in establishing the colonies in America, particularly those in Virginia.
(XVII) Lady Frances, daughter of Sir William Cavendish, married Sir Henry Pierrepont, Knight.
(XVIII) William Pierrepont.
(XIX) James, son of William Pierrepont, was of London, England, died at Ipswich, Massachusetts. He married Margaret ————, and had children:
(XX) Hon. John Pierpont (as the name was now spelled), son of James and Margaret Pierrepont, was born in London, England, in 1619, died at Roxbury, Massachusetts, December 7, 1682. He settled near Boston in 1640. He married Thankful Stowe.
(XXI) Rev. James Pierpont, son of Hon. John and Thankful (Stowe) Pierpont, was born in 1660, died in 1714. He was of New Haven, Connecticut, and was one of the founders of Yale College. He married (first) ————; (second) Sarah, daughter of Rev. Joseph Hayne, minister of Hartford, who died May 14, 1672. He married (third) Mary Hooker, granddaughter of Rev. Thomas Hooker.
(XXII) Abigail, daughter of Rev. James and Sarah (Haynes) Pierpont, married, November 6, 1746, Rev. Joseph Noyes, born in 1688. died in 1761.
(XXIII) Sarah, daughter of Rev. Joseph and Abigail (Pierpont) Noyes, married Hon. John Chester (see Chester VII).
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