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Thompson Family

 

From the "Genealogies of Connecticut Families" printed in 1983, written by

Gary Boyd.

 

"The New Haven family of Thompson was founded by three brothers, William, Anthony, and John. An attempt has been made to connect them with the Thompson family of Lenham, co. Kent , England .

 

This Lenham myth has been set forth as a  certainty in the History of Goshen (by A. G. Hibbard, 1897), in the Marks-Platt Ancestry (by E. J. Lines, 1902, pp. 46-50), and in several other accounts, and so far as known has never been refuted. Henry Thompson of Royton in Lenham married Dorothy Honywood, and died 20 Oct. 1648 , leaving,

with other issue, sons John, William, and Anthony. The coincidence of names would seem promising, and it is not strange that somebody hastily conjectured their identity with the emigrants, but investigation overthrows the theory.

 

According to William Berry's Pedigrees of the Families in the County of Kent (published in 1830, pp. 15-17), Anthony Thompson of Lenham was baptized 30 Aug. 1612 , and died in England 13 Feb. 1682 , leaving as heiress an only daughter. Moreover, John Thompson of Lenham was born in 1604, too early for John of New Haven, who as probably the youngest of the emigrant brothers.

 

The Lenham brothers had three cousins, sons of Thomas Thompson of Pethem, co. Kent , likewise named John, William, and Anthony; but this John was a knight, and died in 1645 without issue. Furthermore, the evidence of chronology tends to show that the emigrants could not descend from Henry of Lenham or Thomas of Pethem in the following generation. At all events, the accepted pedigree must be abandoned.

 

1. William(1) Thompson died unmarried in New Haven 24 Apr. 1683 . In his will of 6 Oct. 1682 he calls himself "far stricken in years," and mentions his nephews Benjamin Broadly and brother Abraham Broadly; nephew John Thompson, son of brother Anthony; cousin John Thompson, nephew John abovesaid; cousin Mary Lynes, Anna Broadlye, and Elizabeth Broadlye, daughters of sister Ellen Thompson; Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Benjamin Broadlye; and cousins Bridgett Bowers, Anna Stanton, and Lydia Cruttenden (New Haven Probate Records, vol. 1, p. 192).

 

2. Anthony(1) Thompson died Sept. 1648. In his will of 23 Mar. 1647 he mentions his eldest son; second son, Anthony; daughter Bridget which he had by former wife; other daughters; wife; and brothers William and John (New Haven Probate Records, vol. 1, p. 33). He married first ____?____; and secondly Katharine _____, who married for her second husband, 14 July 1652 , Nicholas Camp of Milford . The Proprietor's records contain several references to payment of portions to Anthony's children, by "Kattern Camp," the children mentioned being John, Hannah, Liddia, Ebenezer, Anthony and Bridget (Proprietors' Records, vol. 2, pp. 91, 98, 114, 229).

Children by first wife:

 

4. I. John(2), II. Anthony, b. Dec. 1634; d. at Milford 29 Dec. 1654 . In his will of 26 Dec. 1654 he names his brother John Thompson; his eldest sister, his father's daughter by his own mother; and his sisters, daughters of his father by his mother-in-law, goodwife Camp (New Haven Probate Records, vol. 1, p. 55). III. Bridget, m. Rev. John Bowers of Derby , who d. 14 June 1687 ; d. 19 May 1720 .

Children by second wife:

 

IV. Hannah, bapt. 8 June 1645; m. ________Stanton. V. Lydia, bapt . 24 July 1647 ; m. (1) 20 Sept. 1665 , Isaac Cruttenden of Guilford ; m. (2) Dea. John Meigs; d. Dec. 1729. VI. Ebenezer (posthumous), b. 15 Oct. 1648 .

 

3. John(1) Thompson, called "Senior" to distinguish him from his nephew the "Mariner," married, 25 Feb. 1650, Ellen Harrison, probably a sister of the Thomas Harrison who married the widow of John Thompson of East Haven . He died 14 Dec. 1674, and on 9 June 1675 "Ellen ye relict" presented the inventory of his estate, which was distributed to herself, to Samuel Lines in right of Mary his wife, to Abraham Bradlye in right of Hanna his wife, to Elizabeth, and to "the younger daughter" (County Court Records, vol. 1, p. 86). His widow died 8 Apr. 1690 , and in her will of Oct. 1689 she mentions her daughters Mary, Hannah, and Elizabeth, her sons-in-law Abrahamm and Benjamin Bradlye, and her grandchild Sarah daughter of her daughter Elizabeth (New Haven Probate Records, vol. 2, p. 41).


Thanks to V.A. Rhompson for providing a copy of this


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