Captain Nicholas Olmstead

Information from Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America. See also, at the very end of this page, information from "James and Nicholas Olmstead/Omsted" in Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, vol. II, p. 611-618 by Mary Walton Ferris, as found at JosephSmithSr.com, a comprehensive genealogy site which includes the Olmsted family.

=================================================================================

Nicholas Olmsted was baptized in Fairsted, England on February 15, 1612. His parents were James Olmsted and Joyce Cornish. Nicholas came to the America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony).

During this period, however, friction between the new settlers and the Pequot Indians of Connecticut was growing. In 1636 Massachusetts settlers accused a Pequot Indian of murdering a colonist and in retaliation they burned a Pequot village in what is now Block Island in Rhode Island. Sassacus, the head chief of the Pequots, began to gather his warriors. The Hartford settlers decided to attack first. In May 1637 the General Court decided to attack a large Pequot village and fort at what is now Mystic, Connecticut.

The population of Hartford at that time consisted of only 800 people but by May 9 ninety men had been formed into a raiding party under the command of Captain Mason. Nicholas and his cousin Richard were included in the party. They embarked on three small boats which they rowed or sailed down the Connecticut River to its mouth. There they were joined by seven Narraganset and many Pequot Indians under the rival Pequot chief Uncas. (Uncas and his followers would later be called Mohicans and Uncas would later be idealized as the perfect Indian in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans). As a result of the Indian reinforcements or perhaps because of some information they brought 20 men were sent back to Hartford.

On June 5, 1637 they attacked the sleeping Indian village and fort. Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted sneaked up to the wooden fort walls and set it on fire. When the Pequots discovered what was happening they "ran about as most dreadfully amazed" as Captain Mason would later write. The rest of the raiding party started burning the village and killed about 600 men, women, and children. Only two townsmen were killed and twenty wounded.

The remaining Pequots were defeated in a battle near Fairfield the same year and the survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda. The colonists would have no more problems with the natives until King Philip's war 40 years later.

Both Nicholas and Richard received land grants for their part in the battle. On September 28, 1640 Nicholas married Sarah Loomis. Sarah was born in 1617 in England to Joseph Loomis and Mary White.

They had the following children in Hartford:

• Sarah - born 1641; died November 7, 1709
• Mary - born November 20, 1646
• Rebecca - born March 12, 1647 or 1648
• John - baptized February 3, 1649 or 1650; died young
• Samuel - born 1653; died January 13, 1726 in East Haddam, Connecticut
• Joseph - born 1654; died October 5, 1726
• Mabel Elizabeth - born ?; died October 12, 1681
• Thomas - born 1657 per his FindAGrave entry, Hartford, CT-died May 28, 1741, Hartford (Ancient Burying Ground)

In 1646 Nicholas Olmsted was chosen "Surveyor of Highways" and for nine years between 1653 and 1683 he was "townsman" for the north side of Hartford. In 1672 and 1673 he was a deputy to the General Court.

Sarah died in 1667. Nicholas then married Mary Lord, the widow of Dr. Thomas Lord who had lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

In August of 1673 the Dutch Netherlands restated their original claim to Connecticut and the settlers feared that the Dutch might send in troops. Some 160 men were quickly organized for defense and Nicholas was appointed Lieutenant but the Dutch threat quickly dissipated.

King Philip's war started in 1675. It began after Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoog Indians died. He had been a good friend of the early Plymouth colonists (the Pilgrims) and other Massachusetts settlers but relations with his two sons, Alexander and Philip, soured. When Philip became chief (king) in 1662 he began to plot against the colonists because he felt that his people could only survive if the colonists were driven out. On June 20, 1675 he attacked the town of Swansea in Massachusetts.

The Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, Jr., directed the colony's defense. His son, Waite, was put in charge of the troops and in July he sent Lieutenant Nicholas Olmsted to New London and Huntington with the troops from Hartford. Later on August 26, 1675 Nicholas was made Captain. The war was costly to the New England colonists with approximately 1,000 colonists killed and 12 towns destroyed. In August 1676 the colonists along with a large force of Narraganset Indians trapped Chief Philip hand his men in a swamp near Kingston, Rhode Island. In the following battle Chief Philip and most of his men were killed. Even after this battle the war sputtered on for two more years until the Wampanoog Indians made peace.

---

Nicholas OLMSTED - bap. Feb. 15, 1612, Fairsted, Essex, England; d. Aug. 31, 1684, Hartford, CT (will dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684). Son of James OLMSTED and Joyce CORNISH. To Boston and Hartford with father. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for North side between 1653 and 1683; Corporal 1658; freeman 1669; deputy to General Court 1672 and 1673. Served in King Philip's War and made Capt. Aug. 26, 1675. Married first Sep. 28, 1640, Hartford, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. 1617, Essex, England; d. 1667, Hartford, CT), daughter of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Sarah was the mother of all children of Nicholas, except his youngest. Nicholas married second about 1667/8. Mary - Possibly surnamed THURSTON and/or she was perhaps the widow Mary LORD. She was not the widow of Dr. Thomas LORD, whose widow married Gregory WOLTERTON as his third wife. Mary was the mother of Nicholas' youngest child.

Captain. FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members: Nicholas Olmstead of Hartford

August 14th, 1673, with the prospect of a war with the Dutch, the Court ordered that the respective Troops in the colony, with "500 Dragoones, be prepared and fitted for service forthwith." In case of sending a force out of the country, the following officers were appointed: HARTFORD County, Benj. Newbery, Capt.; Nich. Olmstead, Lieut.; John Wadsworth, Ensign. NEW LONDON, James Avery, Capt.; Thos. Tracy, Lieut.; John Denison, Ensign. NEW HAVEN, Robert Treat, Capt.; Thos. Munson, Lieut.; Saml. Newton, Ensign. FAIRFIELD, Mr. Thos. Fitch, Capt.; Jehu Burr, Lieut.; Matthew Sherwood, Ensign. The following November Major Talcott was appointed Commander-in-chief of all the forces; Major Robert Treat, second in command; Thos. Bull superseded Capt. Newbury; Wm. Curtice was appointed instead of Mr. Fitch; Capt. Nash succeeded Major Treat; and Thos. Trowbridge was made Commissary.

Capt. Nicholas Olmsted/Olmstead, served in the Pequot War in 1637, Captain (King Philip's War) 1675, a Townsman of Northside Hartford for 9 years between 1653 and 1683. He was Corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658, Freeman and Rate Maker in 1669, and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673.

Nicholas's fifth great grandson -- Frederick Law Olmsted -- designed Central Park in New York city and also Woodland Park in Seattle, Washington.

---

Will of Nicholas Olmstead 20 Aug 1683 , Hartford, Connecticut

In the name of God Amen, I Nicholas Olmsted of Harttford in the Colony of Coneticut do make this my last will and Testament revoking and annulling all other wills foremerly made by word or deede: being in health of body and of perfeckt remembrance yet not knowing how soone my sollem change may come: allso knowing itt is my duty to set my house in order before I dye: I do therefore giue my spiret unto God that gaue itt mee and my body to comely buriall: and as for that part of my estate God hath graciously giue mee in this worlde I do after my just depts being payed and funerall expences discharged dispose of as followeth: I giue unto my louing wife fiue pounds a yeare during her widdow hood after mee: and fouer pounds p the yeare after her marraige during her naturall life: to be payed her yearely by my son Samuell forty shillings by my son Joseph forty shillings and by my son Thomas twenty shillings: and by the same rate of proportion if itt be fouer pounds p annum: I giue unto my louing wife one cow as her owne proper estate and two swine and sum poultry and order my son Samuell and my son Thomas to keepe her one cow as long as shee remayns my widdow.-and do giue her free liberty to keepe two swine and sum poultry in my yardes: I do furder giue unto my louing wife all her fyer wood as long as shee remains my widdow to bee provided for her one third partt by my son Tho. and two parts by my son Samuell: I giue my wife the use of my parlor and the chamber ouer the parlor with what sellerage shee may want allso the use of my ouens and the well: with the use of any of my housall goods shee wanteth whilst shee remayns my widdow and liueth in my house: but if she marry or remove from my house my will is that these house all goods bee returned to my son Thomas.....

I giue unto my louing son Samuell Olmsted my dwelling house in Harttford after my desease onely the use of sum part of itt vnto his mother as is aboue exprest: and do furder giue unto my son Samuell halfe my barne and all that part of my home lott not giuen to my son Tho: I giue the other halfe of the barne to my son Tho. and I giue my barne yard eaqually to my son Samuell and to my son Thomas with my well in the same: I giue my son Thomas that past of my home lott nixt Mr Haynes and Mr Hookers home lotts: to bee diuided from my son Samuells partt of my home lott as followeth from the barne to the Highway to bee deuided by the fence that fences in the barne yards: and aboue the barne from the midle of the barne flower uppon a just bredth up to Jerremyah Addams Home lott: the remainder of my home lott I giue unto my son Samuell and His Heires foreuer:....

I giue vnto my son Thomas my meadow lott in the long meadow lying betwene Decon Butlers and Lt Joseph Wadsworths land: I giue unto my son Thomas my upland lott in the west diuision in Harttford on the west side the great riuer to him and his Heirs foreuer....

I giue vnto my son Samuell all the rest of my meadow lands and uplands on the west side the great riuer in Harttford and to his Heires foreuer.....

I giue vnto my son Joseph Olmsted and his Heirs foreuer all that diuision of up land and the swamp lands belonging to the same uppon which he hath bult on the east side the great riuer....

I giue unto my son Joseph all my meadow lands on the east side the great riuer att my desease hee paying twenty shillings vnto his sister Gates and forty shillings p annum to his mother....

I giue my farme of land lying in the woods ajoyning to Jerremyah Addams land in the roade to New London unto my son Samuell and my son Thomas to bee equally deuided betwene them....

I giue to my dagter Sarah Gates twenty shillings to bee payed her within three yeares after my desease:

I giue all my right and title to that lands purchased of Joshua son of Vncas by the towne of Harttford on the east side the great riuer to my son Sam'll Butler my daughter Rebeccah Biglo and to my daughter Mabell Butler to bee equally deuided betwene them:....

I giue unto my daughter Biglo forty shillings in stock or housall goods after my desease....

I giuve unto my daughter Butler three pounds in stock or housall goods after my desease....

I do make my son Thomas Olmsted executor of this my last will and Testament giuing him my seuant lad if his time be not expired and all the remainder of my stock housall goods and moueable estate whatsoeuer not otherwayes disposed of by this my last will and testament: I do order all my sons Samuell Joseph and Thomas carefully to performe what I haue respecktiuely giuen vnto my louing wife as itt is aboue expressed: and do furder order all my estate giuen vnto my son Samuell be improued by my son Thomas vntill my son Sam'll come to liue att Harttford the said Tho. paying what Samll should do to his mother vntill Samuell doeth injoy the same I do request ordaine and appoynt my louing freinds Mr William Pitkin and Caleb Stanly to bee my ouerseers haue set my hand and seale this 20th of Agust in the yeare of o'r Lorde One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Three:

Nicho: Olmstead (Seal)

Signed sealed and declared to be my last will and Testament in presence & witnes of us

Caleb Stanly Timothy Cowles

Source: Copy of will published in Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America pg 14-15.

---

CHILDREN OF Nicholas:

Sarah - b. 1641, Hartford, CT; d. Nov. 7, 1709, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT. Married 1661/2 Capt. George GATES (b. about 1634, England; d. Nov. 12, 1724, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT) of Hartford and East Haddam, CT. He was town clerk in Haddam, CT in 1698. Both Sarah and George were buried in Cove Burial Ground, East Haddam, CT. Children of Sarah and George GATES: Sgt. Samuel married Esther HUNGERFORD; Thomas married Hannah BRAINERD; Joseph married Elizabeth HUNGERFORD; John; Mary; George; Daniel; and Sarah married Timothy FULLER. Elizabeth - b. Nov. 20, 1642, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Oct. 12, 1681, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Married by 1665 Samuel BUTLER (b. 1639; d. Dec. 31, 1692), son of Richard BUTLER and his first wife (unidentified). They lived at Haddam and Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Samuel's will, dated Dec. 30, 1692, names his children. Children of Elizabeth and Samuel BUTLER: Samuel; Elizabeth; James; Jonathan married first Mary EASTON, and second Elizabeth CADWELL, widow of Jonathan EASTON (Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Mary, married Richard EDWARDS, nephew of Rev. Timothy EDWARDS); George; Mary married Ebenezer HOPKINS (son Ebenezer became great grandfather of Pres. Millard FILLMORE); Dorothy; and Sarah. Mabel - b. about 1645, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. Her father's will, dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684 names "son Samuel BUTLER" and "daughter Mabel BUTLER." Married first Sgt. Daniel BUTLER (d. Mar. 28, 1692), son of Richard BUTLER and Elizabeth BIGELOW; and second at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT on Aug. 26, 1697 Michael TAINTOR. Children of Mabel and Daniel BUTLER: Sarah married John EASTON; Mabel married Ebenezer KELLOGG; Elizabeth married Daniel CLARK; Mary; and Hannah married Israel NEWTON. Mary - b. Nov. 20, 1646, Hartford, CT; d. there before year end. Rebecca - b. Mar. 12, 1647/8, Hartford, CT. Married John BIGELOW (b. Oct. 27, 1643), son of John BIGELOW and Mary WARREN. No known children. John - bap. Feb. 3, 1649/50, Hartford, CT. Died young. Samuel - b. 1653, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Jan. 13, 1726, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT; bur. there in Old Cove Burial Ground. Married Mary LORD (b. May 1649, Saybrook, CT; d. Sep. 14, 1736), daughter of William LORD and Dorothy, and granddaughter of Thomas LORD and Dorothy BIRD. Children of Samuel and Mary OLMSTED: Samuel married Mary ROWLEY; John married Susannah BRAINERD; Sarah married Jared CONE; and Elizabeth married John CHURCH. Joseph - b. 1654, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Oct. 5, 1726, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT. Deacon. His grave marker reads: HERE LIETH THE BODY OF DEC JOSEPH OLMSTEED WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE OCTOBER THE 5 ANNON DOM 1726 IN THE 73 YEAR OF HIS AGE. Married Elizabeth BUTLER (b. about 1651; d. Apr. 28, 1729), daughter of Richard BUTLER and Elizabeth BIGELOW. Her grave marker reads: HERE LIES THE BODY OF ELISEABETH THE WIFE OF DEACON JOSEPH OLMSTED WHO DIED APRIL 28 IN THE 78 OF HER AGE 1729. Children of Joseph and Elizabeth OLMSTED: Joseph married Hannah MARSH; James married Mary BULL; Nicholas married Mary HOSMER; Elizabeth married Joseph SKINNER; Richard married Deborah HOSMER; Nehemiah married Clemence HOSMER; Rebecca died young; Hannah married Zachariah SEYMOUR; and Rebecca married Jonathan HILLS. Thomas - b. Jun. 25, 1657, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. 1741, West Hartford, Hartford Co., CT.

---

Captain of the Dragoons in King Phillip's War

---

Lieutenant. Served in the Pequot war.

---

(f/g) Capt Nicholas Olmstead Birth: Feb. 15, 1612 Fairstead Essex, England Death: Aug. 31, 1684 Hartford Hartford County Connecticut, USA

f/o Sarah OLMSTEAD GATES h/o Mary ----- LORD Nicholas OLMSTEAD was Captain of the Dragoons raised in Hartford, Hartford Co, CT for active service in King Philip's War, 1675.

Family links:

Parents:

 James Olmstead (1580 - 1640)

 Joyce Cornish Olmstead (____ - 1621) 

Spouse:

 Sarah Loomis Olmstead (1617 - 1689)

Children:

 Joseph Olmsted (____ - 1726)

 Elizabeth Olmstead Butler (1642 - 1681)

 Samuel Olmsted (1653 - 1726)

Burial: Unknown Created by: Carol STEVENS Record added: Apr 09, 2009 Find A Grave Memorial# 35680049 -tcd

---

Nicholas Olmsted came to America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. After a start in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, they moved from what later became Quincy, Mass. to near what later became Harvard (Newtown, Mass.) and then on to the Connecticut River Valley. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony).

The following genealogy website quotes at length from early 20th-century family history on Nicholas Olmsted: JosephSmithSr.com

Nicholas Olmstead was christened on February 15, 1612 at Fairsted, County Essex, England and died on August 31, 1684 at Hartford, Connecticut. He married Sarah Loomis. He married, secondly, Mary, widow of Dr. Thomas Lord. There is some indication that Nicholas "sowed his wild oats" in his youth. In one instance, he laid himself open to official correction. In view of the very strict laws of the day, conduct now considered quite normal brought harsh criticism and punishment. For instance, one law required that "Whosoever shall inveigle or draw the affection of any maide or maide-servant, either for himself or others, without first gaining the consent of her parents or guardians" should pay damages to the parents and also to the state. A repetition would carry the added penalty of corporal punishment or imprisonment. In March 1653/54, Nicholas Olmstead was before the court for aiding a man to act promiscuously with a servant girl.

When his father emigrated from England to Massachusetts, he received land grants at Newtown, and later at Hartford, where he lived most of his life.

The settlement at Hartford was not many months old when the inhabitants realized that the Pequot Indians were determined to destroy it. They had long troubled the colonies, but the crowning act which brought matters to a crisis happened in April 1637. The Pequots attacked Wethersfield, killing nine men and carrying two girls away captive. The General Court convened at Hartford on May 1, 1637 to deal with the matter. The first entry in the record of the meeting is as follows:

"It is ordered that there shalbe an offensiue warr agt the Pequoitt, and that there shalbe 90 men levied out of the 3 Plantacons, Harteford, Weathersfield, Windsor (vizt) out of Harteford 42, Windsor 30, Weathersfield 18: vnder the cornande of Captaine Jo: Mason, & in Case of [his] death or sicknes vnder Command of Rob'te Seely Leif & the Oldest Srieant or military officer survivinge, if both of these miscary."

This was a momentous decision, notably brief, but far-reaching in its effect. preparation for the war, "It is ordered that Harteford shall send 14 Armour in this designe, Windsor 6. It is ordered that there shalbe 1hh of good beare for the Captaine & Mr & sick men, if there be only 3 or 4 gallons of stronge water, 2 gallons of sacke. It is ordered that Windsor shall pruide 60 bushells of Come, Hartford 84 bushells, Weathersfield 36 bushells; of this each plantacon to bake in biskett the on half if by any meanes they canne; the rest in grounde meale, Weathersfield ten bushells to bee allowed vppon Accompt. Harteford is to prvide 3 firkins of suett, 2 firkins of Butter, wth yt att Rivers mouth, 4 bushells of Oatemeale, 2 bushells of Pease, 500 of fish, 2 bushels of salt; Weathersfield 1 bushell of Indian Beanes; Windsor 50 peeces of Porke, 3db of Rice, 4 Cheeses. It is ordered that every soldier shall cary with him 1lb pouder, 4lb of shott, 20 buletts; 1 barell of Powder from the Rivers mouth, [a light] Gunn if they cann."

On May 10, 1637, the little army of Connecticut men, consisting of ninety colonists and seventy friendly Mohican Indians under the command of Captain John Mason, embarked on three floats to go down the Connecticut River. Nicholas Olmstead was included in this company. The river was low and the vessels ran aground several times. Progress was so slow that the Mohicans grew impatient and asked to be set ashore to finish the journey on foot. This was done and when they arrived at Saybrook before the boats, they had to prove their loyalty to the English settlers there, Their chiefs, Uncas and Sachem, sent a war party out to capture Pequots as proof of their allegiance to the colonists. They quickly defeated six of the enemy and returned to Saybrook with the living captives. After that, they all set sail for the Narragansett country to search for Pequot Indians.

With the courtesy due non-hostile tribes, they made an apology to Canonicus, chief of the Narragansetts, for having entered his country armed for warfare and asked permission to cross it to reach the Pequots . When he granted this privilege, he warned the colonists that the enemy comprised of many hundred strong and crafty warriors, securely entrenched in two forts. Undaunted, they hurried to the attack, and within an hour after reaching the first stronghold, had burned it and killed between four hundred and seven hundred Indians. This victory assured the ultimate success, although other less important engagements followed.

Nicholas Olmstead received a grant of land for his services in this battle, and in another in 1673.

Nicholas's public service included that of surveyor of highways in 1646 and 1647, townsman for the North side for nine years between 1653 and 1683, list and rate maker in 1669 and deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. He became a freeman of Hartford before 1669 and served militarily as corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658. He was ensign of that body from 1662 to 1673 in which year he was confirmed a Lieutenant with the instruction that if at any time it became necessary to send troops out of the county for the relief of another county, he should serve in that rank. After three months' incumbency, he resigned from that position, but only temporarily.

On July 1, 1675, he was again assigned to that rank and sent in command of a ,troop of dragoons to the assistance of Stonington and New London, Connecticut because of an Indian menace there. One requirement of this body of horsemen was to hold themselves ready to move at an hour's warning. In August 1675, he was made Captain of these troopers. While he was an ensign in 1662, he served on a jury, which tried two people for witchcraft and decreed execution. This sentence was carried out, but it was the last case of the hanging of so-called witches in Connecticut. He was one of fifteen colonists who received in 1675 by the will of Joshua Uncas, son of Mohican Sachem, equal rights to a considerable tract of land “in the sight of Hartford, northward” to what is now Coventry, and east to the Willimantic River.

The will of Nicholas, signed August 20, 1683, and proved November 25, 1684, disposed of his property to his second wife and to his children. The children of Nicholas and Sarah (Loomis) Olmstead (his first wife) were all born at Hartford:

• Sarah, b. 1641-d. November 7,1709 at East Haddam, Connecticut; md. George Gates.
• Mary, b. November 20, 1646; d. 1646.
• Rebecca, b. March 12, 1647/48; md. John Bigelow.
• John, chr. February 3, 1649/50; d. young.
• Samuel, b. 1653; d. January 13, 1726; md. Mary Lord.
• Joseph, b. 1654; d. October 5,1726; md. Elizabeth Butler.
• Thomas, {b. 1657}-d. before May 28, 1741; md. June 26, 1691, Hannah Mix.
• Mabel, md. 1st, Daniel Butler; md. 2nd, Michael Taintor.
• Elizabeth, d. October 12, 1681; md. Samuel Butler.

Since Sarah Loomis was the mother of all Nicholas's children, and, since his brother Nehemiah left only a daughter, they are ancestors of all the descendants of James Olmsted who bear the family name.

---

Information from Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America. See also, at the very end of this page, information from "James and Nicholas Olmstead/Omsted" in Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, vol. II, p. 611-618 by Mary Walton Ferris, as found at JosephSmithSr.com, a comprehensive genealogy site which includes the Olmsted family.

=======================================================

Nicholas Olmsted was baptized in Fairsted, England on February 15, 1612. His parents were James Olmsted and Joyce Cornish. Nicholas came to the America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony).

During this period, however, friction between the new settlers and the Pequot Indians of Connecticut was growing. In 1636 Massachusetts settlers accused a Pequot Indian of murdering a colonist and in retaliation they burned a Pequot village in what is now Block Island in Rhode Island. Sassacus, the head chief of the Pequots, began to gather his warriors. The Hartford settlers decided to attack first. In May 1637 the General Court decided to attack a large Pequot village and fort at what is now Mystic, Connecticut.

The population of Hartford at that time consisted of only 800 people but by May 9 ninety men had been formed into a raiding party under the command of Captain Mason. Nicholas and his cousin Richard were included in the party. They embarked on three small boats which they rowed or sailed down the Connecticut River to its mouth. There they were joined by seven Narraganset and many Pequot Indians under the rival Pequot chief Uncas. (Uncas and his followers would later be called Mohicans and Uncas would later be idealized as the perfect Indian in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans). As a result of the Indian reinforcements or perhaps because of some information they brought 20 men were sent back to Hartford.

On June 5, 1637 they attacked the sleeping Indian village and fort. Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted sneaked up to the wooden fort walls and set it on fire. When the Pequots discovered what was happening they "ran about as most dreadfully amazed" as Captain Mason would later write. The rest of the raiding party started burning the village and killed about 600 men, women, and children. Only two townsmen were killed and twenty wounded.

The remaining Pequots were defeated in a battle near Fairfield the same year and the survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda. The colonists would have no more problems with the natives until King Philip's war 40 years later.

Both Nicholas and Richard received land grants for their part in the battle. On September 28, 1640 Nicholas married Sarah Loomis. Sarah was born in 1617 in England to Joseph Loomis and Mary White.

They had the following children in Hartford:

Sarah - born 1641; died November 7, 1709 Mary - born November 20, 1646 Rebecca - born March 12, 1647 or 1648 John - baptized February 3, 1649 or 1650; died young Samuel - born 1653; died January 13, 1726 in East Haddam, Connecticut Joseph - born 1654; died October 5, 1726 Mabel Elizabeth - born ?; died October 12, 1681 Thomas - born 1657 per his FindAGrave entry, Hartford, CT-died May 28, 1741, Hartford (Ancient Burying Ground) In 1646 Nicholas Olmsted was chosen "Surveyor of Highways" and for nine years between 1653 and 1683 he was "townsman" for the north side of Hartford. In 1672 and 1673 he was a deputy to the General Court.

Sarah died in 1667. Nicholas then married Mary Lord, the widow of Dr. Thomas Lord who had lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

In August of 1673 the Dutch Netherlands restated their original claim to Connecticut and the settlers feared that the Dutch might send in troops. Some 160 men were quickly organized for defense and Nicholas was appointed Lieutenant but the Dutch threat quickly dissipated.

King Philip's war started in 1675. It began after Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoog Indians died. He had been a good friend of the early Plymouth colonists (the Pilgrims) and other Massachusetts settlers but relations with his two sons, Alexander and Philip, soured. When Philip became chief (king) in 1662 he began to plot against the colonists because he felt that his people could only survive if the colonists were driven out. On June 20, 1675 he attacked the town of Swansea in Massachusetts.

The Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, Jr., directed the colony's defense. His son, Waite, was put in charge of the troops and in July he sent Lieutenant Nicholas Olmsted to New London and Huntington with the troops from Hartford. Later on August 26, 1675 Nicholas was made Captain. The war was costly to the New England colonists with approximately 1,000 colonists killed and 12 towns destroyed. In August 1676 the colonists along with a large force of Narraganset Indians trapped Chief Philip hand his men in a swamp near Kingston, Rhode Island. In the following battle Chief Philip and most of his men were killed. Even after this battle the war sputtered on for two more years until the Wampanoog Indians made peace.

Nicholas OLMSTED - bap. Feb. 15, 1612, Fairsted, Essex, England; d. Aug. 31, 1684, Hartford, CT (will dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684). Son of James OLMSTED and Joyce CORNISH. To Boston and Hartford with father. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for North side between 1653 and 1683; Corporal 1658; freeman 1669; deputy to General Court 1672 and 1673. Served in King Philip's War and made Capt. Aug. 26, 1675. Married first Sep. 28, 1640, Hartford, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. 1617, Essex, England; d. 1667, Hartford, CT), daughter of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Sarah was the mother of all children of Nicholas, except his youngest. Nicholas married second about 1667/8. Mary - Possibly surnamed THURSTON and/or she was perhaps the widow Mary LORD. She was not the widow of Dr. Thomas LORD, whose widow married Gregory WOLTERTON as his third wife. Mary was the mother of Nicholas' youngest child.

Captain. FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members: Nicholas Olmstead of Hartford

August 14th, 1673, with the prospect of a war with the Dutch, the Court ordered that the respective Troops in the colony, with "500 Dragoones, be prepared and fitted for service forthwith." In case of sending a force out of the country, the following officers were appointed: HARTFORD County, Benj. Newbery, Capt.; Nich. Olmstead, Lieut.; John Wadsworth, Ensign. NEW LONDON, James Avery, Capt.; Thos. Tracy, Lieut.; John Denison, Ensign. NEW HAVEN, Robert Treat, Capt.; Thos. Munson, Lieut.; Saml. Newton, Ensign. FAIRFIELD, Mr. Thos. Fitch, Capt.; Jehu Burr, Lieut.; Matthew Sherwood, Ensign. The following November Major Talcott was appointed Commander-in-chief of all the forces; Major Robert Treat, second in command; Thos. Bull superseded Capt. Newbury; Wm. Curtice was appointed instead of Mr. Fitch; Capt. Nash succeeded Major Treat; and Thos. Trowbridge was made Commissary.

Capt. Nicholas Olmsted/Olmstead, served in the Pequot War in 1637, Captain (King Philip's War) 1675, a Townsman of Northside Hartford for 9 years between 1653 and 1683. He was Corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658, Freeman and Rate Maker in 1669, and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673.

Nicholas's fifth great grandson -- Frederick Law Olmsted -- designed Central Park in New York city and also Woodland Park in Seattle, Washington.

Will of Nicholas Olmstead 20 Aug 1683 , Hartford, Connecticut

In the name of God Amen, I Nicholas Olmsted of Harttford in the Colony of Coneticut do make this my last will and Testament revoking and annulling all other wills foremerly made by word or deede: being in health of body and of perfeckt remembrance yet not knowing how soone my sollem change may come: allso knowing itt is my duty to set my house in order before I dye: I do therefore giue my spiret unto God that gaue itt mee and my body to comely buriall: and as for that part of my estate God hath graciously giue mee in this worlde I do after my just depts being payed and funerall expences discharged dispose of as followeth: I giue unto my louing wife fiue pounds a yeare during her widdow hood after mee: and fouer pounds p the yeare after her marraige during her naturall life: to be payed her yearely by my son Samuell forty shillings by my son Joseph forty shillings and by my son Thomas twenty shillings: and by the same rate of proportion if itt be fouer pounds p annum: I giue unto my louing wife one cow as her owne proper estate and two swine and sum poultry and order my son Samuell and my son Thomas to keepe her one cow as long as shee remayns my widdow.-and do giue her free liberty to keepe two swine and sum poultry in my yardes: I do furder giue unto my louing wife all her fyer wood as long as shee remains my widdow to bee provided for her one third partt by my son Tho. and two parts by my son Samuell: I giue my wife the use of my parlor and the chamber ouer the parlor with what sellerage shee may want allso the use of my ouens and the well: with the use of any of my housall goods shee wanteth whilst shee remayns my widdow and liueth in my house: but if she marry or remove from my house my will is that these house all goods bee returned to my son Thomas.....

I giue unto my louing son Samuell Olmsted my dwelling house in Harttford after my desease onely the use of sum part of itt vnto his mother as is aboue exprest: and do furder giue unto my son Samuell halfe my barne and all that part of my home lott not giuen to my son Tho: I giue the other halfe of the barne to my son Tho. and I giue my barne yard eaqually to my son Samuell and to my son Thomas with my well in the same: I giue my son Thomas that past of my home lott nixt Mr Haynes and Mr Hookers home lotts: to bee diuided from my son Samuells partt of my home lott as followeth from the barne to the Highway to bee deuided by the fence that fences in the barne yards: and aboue the barne from the midle of the barne flower uppon a just bredth up to Jerremyah Addams Home lott: the remainder of my home lott I giue unto my son Samuell and His Heires foreuer:....

I giue vnto my son Thomas my meadow lott in the long meadow lying betwene Decon Butlers and Lt Joseph Wadsworths land: I giue unto my son Thomas my upland lott in the west diuision in Harttford on the west side the great riuer to him and his Heirs foreuer....

I giue vnto my son Samuell all the rest of my meadow lands and uplands on the west side the great riuer in Harttford and to his Heires foreuer.....

I giue vnto my son Joseph Olmsted and his Heirs foreuer all that diuision of up land and the swamp lands belonging to the same uppon which he hath bult on the east side the great riuer....

I giue unto my son Joseph all my meadow lands on the east side the great riuer att my desease hee paying twenty shillings vnto his sister Gates and forty shillings p annum to his mother....

I giue my farme of land lying in the woods ajoyning to Jerremyah Addams land in the roade to New London unto my son Samuell and my son Thomas to bee equally deuided betwene them....

I giue to my dagter Sarah Gates twenty shillings to bee payed her within three yeares after my desease:

I giue all my right and title to that lands purchased of Joshua son of Vncas by the towne of Harttford on the east side the great riuer to my son Sam'll Butler my daughter Rebeccah Biglo and to my daughter Mabell Butler to bee equally deuided betwene them:....

I giue unto my daughter Biglo forty shillings in stock or housall goods after my desease....

I giuve unto my daughter Butler three pounds in stock or housall goods after my desease....

I do make my son Thomas Olmsted executor of this my last will and Testament giuing him my seuant lad if his time be not expired and all the remainder of my stock housall goods and moueable estate whatsoeuer not otherwayes disposed of by this my last will and testament: I do order all my sons Samuell Joseph and Thomas carefully to performe what I haue respecktiuely giuen vnto my louing wife as itt is aboue expressed: and do furder order all my estate giuen vnto my son Samuell be improued by my son Thomas vntill my son Sam'll come to liue att Harttford the said Tho. paying what Samll should do to his mother vntill Samuell doeth injoy the same I do request ordaine and appoynt my louing freinds Mr William Pitkin and Caleb Stanly to bee my ouerseers haue set my hand and seale this 20th of Agust in the yeare of o'r Lorde One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Three:

Nicho: Olmstead (Seal)

Signed sealed and declared to be my last will and Testament in presence & witnes of us

Caleb Stanly Timothy Cowles

Source: Copy of will published in Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America pg 14-15.

CHILDREN OF Nicholas:

Sarah - b. 1641, Hartford, CT; d. Nov. 7, 1709, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT. Married 1661/2 Capt. George GATES (b. about 1634, England; d. Nov. 12, 1724, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT) of Hartford and East Haddam, CT. He was town clerk in Haddam, CT in 1698. Both Sarah and George were buried in Cove Burial Ground, East Haddam, CT. Children of Sarah and George GATES: Sgt. Samuel married Esther HUNGERFORD; Thomas married Hannah BRAINERD; Joseph married Elizabeth HUNGERFORD; John; Mary; George; Daniel; and Sarah married Timothy FULLER. Elizabeth - b. Nov. 20, 1642, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Oct. 12, 1681, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Married by 1665 Samuel BUTLER (b. 1639; d. Dec. 31, 1692), son of Richard BUTLER and his first wife (unidentified). They lived at Haddam and Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Samuel's will, dated Dec. 30, 1692, names his children. Children of Elizabeth and Samuel BUTLER: Samuel; Elizabeth; James; Jonathan married first Mary EASTON, and second Elizabeth CADWELL, widow of Jonathan EASTON (Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Mary, married Richard EDWARDS, nephew of Rev. Timothy EDWARDS); George; Mary married Ebenezer HOPKINS (son Ebenezer became great grandfather of Pres. Millard FILLMORE); Dorothy; and Sarah. Mabel - b. about 1645, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. Her father's will, dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684 names "son Samuel BUTLER" and "daughter Mabel BUTLER." Married first Sgt. Daniel BUTLER (d. Mar. 28, 1692), son of Richard BUTLER and Elizabeth BIGELOW; and second at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT on Aug. 26, 1697 Michael TAINTOR. Children of Mabel and Daniel BUTLER: Sarah married John EASTON; Mabel married Ebenezer KELLOGG; Elizabeth married Daniel CLARK; Mary; and Hannah married Israel NEWTON. Mary - b. Nov. 20, 1646, Hartford, CT; d. there before year end. Rebecca - b. Mar. 12, 1647/8, Hartford, CT. Married John BIGELOW (b. Oct. 27, 1643), son of John BIGELOW and Mary WARREN. No known children. John - bap. Feb. 3, 1649/50, Hartford, CT. Died young. Samuel - b. 1653, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Jan. 13, 1726, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT; bur. there in Old Cove Burial Ground. Married Mary LORD (b. May 1649, Saybrook, CT; d. Sep. 14, 1736), daughter of William LORD and Dorothy, and granddaughter of Thomas LORD and Dorothy BIRD. Children of Samuel and Mary OLMSTED: Samuel married Mary ROWLEY; John married Susannah BRAINERD; Sarah married Jared CONE; and Elizabeth married John CHURCH. Joseph - b. 1654, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Oct. 5, 1726, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT. Deacon. His grave marker reads: HERE LIETH THE BODY OF DEC JOSEPH OLMSTEED WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE OCTOBER THE 5 ANNON DOM 1726 IN THE 73 YEAR OF HIS AGE. Married Elizabeth BUTLER (b. about 1651; d. Apr. 28, 1729), daughter of Richard BUTLER and Elizabeth BIGELOW. Her grave marker reads: HERE LIES THE BODY OF ELISEABETH THE WIFE OF DEACON JOSEPH OLMSTED WHO DIED APRIL 28 IN THE 78 OF HER AGE 1729. Children of Joseph and Elizabeth OLMSTED: Joseph married Hannah MARSH; James married Mary BULL; Nicholas married Mary HOSMER; Elizabeth married Joseph SKINNER; Richard married Deborah HOSMER; Nehemiah married Clemence HOSMER; Rebecca died young; Hannah married Zachariah SEYMOUR; and Rebecca married Jonathan HILLS. Thomas - b. Jun. 25, 1657, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. 1741, West Hartford, Hartford Co., CT.

Captain of the Dragoons in King Phillip's War

Lieutenant. Served in the Pequot war. (f/g) Capt Nicholas Olmstead Birth: Feb. 15, 1612 Fairstead Essex, England Death: Aug. 31, 1684 Hartford Hartford County Connecticut, USA f/o Sarah OLMSTEAD GATES h/o Mary

---

LORD Nicholas OLMSTEAD was Captain of the Dragoons raised in Hartford, Hartford Co, CT for active service in King Philip's War, 1675.

Family links:

Parents: James Olmstead (1580 - 1640) Joyce Cornish Olmstead (____ - 1621) Spouse: Sarah Loomis Olmstead (1617 - 1689) Children: Joseph Olmsted (____ - 1726) Elizabeth Olmstead Butler (1642 - 1681) Samuel Olmsted (1653 - 1726) Burial: Unknown Created by: Carol STEVENS Record added: Apr 09, 2009 Find A Grave Memorial# 35680049 -tcd

Nicholas Olmsted came to America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. After a start in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, they moved from what later became Quincy, Mass. to near what later became Harvard (Newtown, Mass.) and then on to the Connecticut River Valley. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony). The following genealogy website quotes at length from early 20th-century family history on Nicholas Olmsted: JosephSmithSr.com

Nicholas Olmstead was christened on February 15, 1612 at Fairsted, County Essex, England and died on August 31, 1684 at Hartford, Connecticut. He married Sarah Loomis. He married, secondly, Mary, widow of Dr. Thomas Lord. There is some indication that Nicholas "sowed his wild oats" in his youth. In one instance, he laid himself open to official correction. In view of the very strict laws of the day, conduct now considered quite normal brought harsh criticism and punishment. For instance, one law required that "Whosoever shall inveigle or draw the affection of any maide or maide-servant, either for himself or others, without first gaining the consent of her parents or guardians" should pay damages to the parents and also to the state. A repetition would carry the added penalty of corporal punishment or imprisonment. In March 1653/54, Nicholas Olmstead was before the court for aiding a man to act promiscuously with a servant girl.

When his father emigrated from England to Massachusetts, he received land grants at Newtown, and later at Hartford, where he lived most of his life.

The settlement at Hartford was not many months old when the inhabitants realized that the Pequot Indians were determined to destroy it. They had long troubled the colonies, but the crowning act which brought matters to a crisis happened in April 1637. The Pequots attacked Wethersfield, killing nine men and carrying two girls away captive. The General Court convened at Hartford on May 1, 1637 to deal with the matter. The first entry in the record of the meeting is as follows:

"It is ordered that there shalbe an offensiue warr agt the Pequoitt, and that there shalbe 90 men levied out of the 3 Plantacons, Harteford, Weathersfield, Windsor (vizt) out of Harteford 42, Windsor 30, Weathersfield 18: vnder the cornande of Captaine Jo: Mason, & in Case of [his] death or sicknes vnder Command of Rob'te Seely Leif & the Oldest Srieant or military officer survivinge, if both of these miscary."

This was a momentous decision, notably brief, but far-reaching in its effect. preparation for the war, "It is ordered that Harteford shall send 14 Armour in this designe, Windsor 6. It is ordered that there shalbe 1hh of good beare for the Captaine & Mr & sick men, if there be only 3 or 4 gallons of stronge water, 2 gallons of sacke. It is ordered that Windsor shall pruide 60 bushells of Come, Hartford 84 bushells, Weathersfield 36 bushells; of this each plantacon to bake in biskett the on half if by any meanes they canne; the rest in grounde meale, Weathersfield ten bushells to bee allowed vppon Accompt. Harteford is to prvide 3 firkins of suett, 2 firkins of Butter, wth yt att Rivers mouth, 4 bushells of Oatemeale, 2 bushells of Pease, 500 of fish, 2 bushels of salt; Weathersfield 1 bushell of Indian Beanes; Windsor 50 peeces of Porke, 3db of Rice, 4 Cheeses. It is ordered that every soldier shall cary with him 1lb pouder, 4lb of shott, 20 buletts; 1 barell of Powder from the Rivers mouth, [a light] Gunn if they cann."

On May 10, 1637, the little army of Connecticut men, consisting of ninety colonists and seventy friendly Mohican Indians under the command of Captain John Mason, embarked on three floats to go down the Connecticut River. Nicholas Olmstead was included in this company. The river was low and the vessels ran aground several times. Progress was so slow that the Mohicans grew impatient and asked to be set ashore to finish the journey on foot. This was done and when they arrived at Saybrook before the boats, they had to prove their loyalty to the English settlers there, Their chiefs, Uncas and Sachem, sent a war party out to capture Pequots as proof of their allegiance to the colonists. They quickly defeated six of the enemy and returned to Saybrook with the living captives. After that, they all set sail for the Narragansett country to search for Pequot Indians.

With the courtesy due non-hostile tribes, they made an apology to Canonicus, chief of the Narragansetts, for having entered his country armed for warfare and asked permission to cross it to reach the Pequots . When he granted this privilege, he warned the colonists that the enemy comprised of many hundred strong and crafty warriors, securely entrenched in two forts. Undaunted, they hurried to the attack, and within an hour after reaching the first stronghold, had burned it and killed between four hundred and seven hundred Indians. This victory assured the ultimate success, although other less important engagements followed.

Nicholas Olmstead received a grant of land for his services in this battle, and in another in 1673.

Nicholas's public service included that of surveyor of highways in 1646 and 1647, townsman for the North side for nine years between 1653 and 1683, list and rate maker in 1669 and deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. He became a freeman of Hartford before 1669 and served militarily as corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658. He was ensign of that body from 1662 to 1673 in which year he was confirmed a Lieutenant with the instruction that if at any time it became necessary to send troops out of the county for the relief of another county, he should serve in that rank. After three months' incumbency, he resigned from that position, but only temporarily.

On July 1, 1675, he was again assigned to that rank and sent in command of a ,troop of dragoons to the assistance of Stonington and New London, Connecticut because of an Indian menace there. One requirement of this body of horsemen was to hold themselves ready to move at an hour's warning. In August 1675, he was made Captain of these troopers. While he was an ensign in 1662, he served on a jury, which tried two people for witchcraft and decreed execution. This sentence was carried out, but it was the last case of the hanging of so-called witches in Connecticut. He was one of fifteen colonists who received in 1675 by the will of Joshua Uncas, son of Mohican Sachem, equal rights to a considerable tract of land “in the sight of Hartford, northward” to what is now Coventry, and east to the Willimantic River.

The will of Nicholas, signed August 20, 1683, and proved November 25, 1684, disposed of his property to his second wife and to his children. The children of Nicholas and Sarah (Loomis) Olmstead (his first wife) were all born at Hartford:

Sarah, b. 1641-d. November 7,1709 at East Haddam, Connecticut; md. George Gates. Mary, b. November 20, 1646; d. 1646. Rebecca, b. March 12, 1647/48; md. John Bigelow. John, chr. February 3, 1649/50; d. young. Samuel, b. 1653; d. January 13, 1726; md. Mary Lord. Joseph, b. 1654; d. October 5,1726; md. Elizabeth Butler. Thomas, {b. 1657}-d. before May 28, 1741; md. June 26, 1691, Hannah Mix. Mabel, md. 1st, Daniel Butler; md. 2nd, Michael Taintor. Elizabeth, d. October 12, 1681; md. Samuel Butler. Since Sarah Loomis was the mother of all Nicholas's children, and, since his brother Nehemiah left only a daughter, they are ancestors of all the descendants of James Olmsted who bear the family name.

---

GEDCOM Source

Web: Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. GenealogieOnline 1,9289::0 1,9289::12267219

GEDCOM Source

Web: Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. GenealogieOnline 1,9289::0 1,9289::12267219

---

(Information from Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America)
Nicholas Olmsted was baptized in Fairsted, England on February 15, 1612. His parents were James Olmsted and Joyce Cornish. Nicholas came to the America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony). During this period, however, friction between the new settlers and the Pequot Indians of Connecticut was growing. In 1636 Massachusetts settlers accused a Pequot Indian of murdering a colonist and in retaliation they burned a Pequot village in what is now Block Island in Rhode Island. Sassacus, the head chief of the Pequots, began to gather his warriors. The Hartford settlers decided to attack first. In May 1637 the General Court decided to attack a large Pequot village and fort at what is now Mystic, Connecticut. The population of Hartford at that time consisted of only 800 people but by May 9 ninety men had been formed into a raiding party under the command of Captain Mason. Nicholas and his cousin Richard were included in the party. They embarked on three small boats which they rowed or sailed down the Connecticut River to its mouth. There they were joined by seven Narraganset and many Pequot Indians under the rival Pequot chief Uncas. (Uncas and his followers would later be called Mohicans and Uncas would later be idealized as the perfect Indian in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans). As a result of the Indian reinforcements or perhaps because of some information they brought 20 men were sent back to Hartford. On June 5, 1637 they attacked the sleeping Indian village and fort. Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted snuck up to the wooden fort walls and set it on fire. When the Pequots discovered what was happening they "ran about as most dreadfully amazed" as Captain Mason would later write. The rest of the raiding party started burning the village and killed about 600 men, women, and children. Only two townsmen were killed and twenty wounded. The remaining Pequots were defeated in a battle near Fairfield the same year and the survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda. The colonists would have no more problems with the natives until King Philip's war 40 years later. Both Nicholas and Richard received land grants for their part in the battle. On September 28, 1640 Nicholas married Sarah Loomis. Sarah was born in 1617 in England to Joseph Loomis and Mary White. They had the following children in Hartford: Sarah - born 1641; died November 7, 1709 Mary - born November 20, 1646 Rebecca - born March 12, 1647 or 1648 John - baptized February 3, 1649 or 1650; died young Samuel - born 1653; died January 13, 1726 in East Haddam, Connecticut Joseph - born 1654; died October 5, 1726 Mabel Elizabeth - born ?; died October 12, 1681 Thomas - born ?; died May 28, 1741

In 1646 Nicholas was chosen "Surveyor of Highways" and for nine years between 1653 and 1683 he was "townsman" for the north side of Hartford. In 1672 and 1673 he was a deputy to the General Court. Sarah died in 1667. Nicholas then married Mary Lord, the widow of Dr. Thomas Lord who had lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut. In August of 1673 the Dutch Netherlands restated their original claim to Connecticut and the settlers feared that the Dutch might send in troops. Some 160 men were quickly organized for defense and Nicholas was appointed Lieutenant but the Dutch threat quickly dissipated. King Philip's war started in 1675. It began after Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoog Indians died. He had been a good friend of the early Plymouth colonists (the Pilgrims) and other Massachusetts settlers but relations with his two sons, Alexander and Philip, soured. When Philip became chief (king) in 1662 he began to plot against the colonists because he felt that his people could only survive if the colonists were driven out. On June 20, 1675 he attacked the town of Swansea in Massachusetts. The Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, Jr., directed the colony's defense. His son, Waite, was put in charge of the troops and in July he sent Lieutenant Nicholas Olmsted to New London and Huntington with the troops from Hartford. Later on August 26, 1675 Nicholas was made Captain. The war was costly to the New England colonists with approximately 1,000 colonists killed and 12 towns destroyed. In August 1676 the colonists along with a large force of Narraganset Indians trapped Chief Philip hand his men in a swamp near Kingston, Rhode Island. In the following battle Chief Philip and most of his men were killed. Even after this battle the war sputtered on for two more years until the Wampanoog Indians made peace. -------------------- Nicholas came to America in the “Lion,” arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 September 1633. They had 8 children. Nicholas died on 31 August 1684. Sarah died at Hartford, Connecticut, on 28 August 1689. -------------------- Nicholas Olmstead was baptized in Fairstead, England on February 15, 1612. His parents were James Olmstead and Joyce Cornish. Nicholas came to the America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony). During this period, however, friction between the new settlers and the Pequot Indians of Connecticut was growing. In 1636 Massachusetts settlers accused a Pequot Indian of murdering a colonist and in retaliation they burned a Pequot village in what is now Block Island in Rhode Island. Sassacus, the head chief of the Pequots, began to gather his warriors. The Hartford settlers decided to attack first. In May 1637 the General Court decided to attack a large Pequot village and fort at what is now Mystic, Connecticut. The population of Hartford at that time consisted of only 800 people but by May 9 ninety men had been formed into a raiding party under the command of Captain Mason. Nicholas and his cousin Richard were included in the party. They embarked on three small boats which they rowed or sailed down the Connecticut River to its mouth. There they were joined by seven Narraganset and many Pequot Indians under the rival Pequot chief Uncas. (Uncas and his followers would later be called Mohicans and Uncas would later be idealized as the perfect Indian in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans). As a result of the Indian reinforcements or perhaps because of some information they brought 20 men were sent back to Hartford. On June 5, 1637 they attacked the sleeping Indian village and fort. Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted snuck up to the wooden fort walls and set it on fire. When the Pequots discovered what was happening they "ran about as most dreadfully amazed" as Captain Mason would later write. The rest of the raiding party started burning the village and killed about 600 men, women, and children. Only two townsmen were killed and twenty wounded. The remaining Pequots were defeated in a battle near Fairfield the same year and the survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda. The colonists would have no more problems with the natives until King Philip's war 40 years later. Both Nicholas and Richard received land grants for their part in the battle. On September 28, 1640 Nicholas married Sarah Loomis. Sarah was born in 1617 in England to Joseph Loomis and Mary White. They had the following children in Hartford: Sarah - born 1641; died November 7, 1709 Mary - born November 20, 1646 Rebecca - born March 12, 1647 or 1648 John - baptized February 3, 1649 or 1650; died young Samuel - born 1653; died January 13, 1726 in East Haddam, Connecticut Joseph - born 1654; died October 5, 1726 Mabel Elizabeth - born ?; died October 12, 1681 Thomas - born ?; died May 28, 1741 In 1646 Nicholas was chosen "Surveyor of Highways" and for nine years between 1653 and 1683 he was "townsman" for the north side of Hartford. In 1672 and 1673 he was a deputy to the General Court. Sarah died in 1667. Nicholas then married Mary Lord, the widow of Dr. Thomas Lord who had lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut. In August of 1673 the Dutch Netherlands restated their original claim to Connecticut and the settlers feared that the Dutch might send in troops. Some 160 men were quickly organized for defense and Nicholas was appointed Lieutenant but the Dutch threat quickly dissipated. King Philip's war started in 1675. It began after Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoog Indians died. He had been a good friend of the early Plymouth colonists (the Pilgrims) and other Massachusetts settlers but relations with his two sons, Alexander and Philip, soured. When Philip became chief (king) in 1662 he began to plot against the colonists because he felt that his people could only survive if the colonists were driven out. On June 20, 1675 he attacked the town of Swansea in Massachusetts. The Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, Jr., directed the colony's defense. His son, Waite, was put in charge of the troops and in July he sent Lieutenant Nicholas Olmsted to New London and Huntington with the troops from Hartford. Later on August 26, 1675 Nicholas was made Captain. The war was costly to the New England colonists with approximately 1,000 colonists killed and 12 towns destroyed. In August 1676 the colonists along with a large force of Narraganset Indians trapped Chief Philip hand his men in a swamp near Kingston, Rhode Island. In the following battle Chief Philip and most of his men were killed. Even after this battle the war sputtered on for two more years until the Wampanoog Indians made peace. -------------------- Nicholas came to America in the “Lyon,” arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 September 1633. They had 8 children. Nicholas died on 31 August 1684. Sarah died at Hartford, Connecticut, on 28 August 1689. -------------------- He immigrated in 1632 to Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA, USA. He had a residence in Great Leighs, County Essex, England Military: Captain of Dragoons, King Philip's War. The following soldiers of Hartford received grants of land for services in the Pequod war. Their names are preserved in the ancient Town Record of Hartford: Nicholas Olmstead Richard Olmstead Nicholas OLMSTED - bap. Feb. 15, 1612, Fairsted, Essex, England; d. Aug. 31, 1684, Hartford, CT (will dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684). Son of James OLMSTED and Joyce CORNISH. To Boston and Hartford with father. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for North side between 1653 and 1683; Corporal 1658; freeman 1669; deputy to General Court 1672 and 1673. Served in King Philip's War and made Capt. Aug. 26, 1675. Married first Sep. 28, 1640, Hartford, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. 1617, Essex, England; d. 1667, Hartford, CT), daughter of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Sarah was the mother of all children of Nicholas, except his youngest. Nicholas married second about 1667/8. Mary - Possibly surnamed THURSTON and/or she was perhaps the widow Mary LORD. She was not the widow of Dr. Thomas LORD, whose widow married Gregory WOLTERTON as his third wife. Mary was the mother of Nicholas' youngest child. Captain. FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members: Nicholas Olmstead of Hartford August 14th, 1673, with the prospect of a war with the Dutch, the Court ordered that the respective Troops in the colony, with "500 Dragoones, be prepared and fitted for service forthwith." In case of sending a force out of the country, the following officers were appointed: HARTFORD County, Benj. Newbery, Capt.; Nich. Olmstead, Lieut.; John Wadsworth, Ensign. NEW LONDON, James Avery, Capt.; Thos. Tracy, Lieut.; John Denison, Ensign. NEW HAVEN, Robert Treat, Capt.; Thos. Munson, Lieut.; Saml. Newton, Ensign. FAIRFIELD, Mr. Thos. Fitch, Capt.; Jehu Burr, Lieut.; Matthew Sherwood, Ensign. The following November Major Talcott was appointed Commander-in-chief of all the forces; Major Robert Treat, second in command; Thos. Bull superseded Capt. Newbury; Wm. Curtice was appointed instead of Mr. Fitch; Capt. Nash succeeded Major Treat; and Thos. Trowbridge was made Commissary. Capt. Nicholas Olmsted/Olmstead, served in the Pequot War in 1637, Captain (King Philip's War) 1675, a Townsman of Northside Hartford for 9 years between 1653 and 1683. He was Corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658, Freeman and Rate Maker in 1669, and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. Nichalos's fifth great grandson designed Centeral Park, in New York city and also Woodland Park, in Seattle, Washington.

---

Nicholas Olmsted was baptized in Fairsted, England on February 15, 1612. His parents were James Olmsted and Joyce Cornish. Nicholas came to the America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony). During this period, however, friction between the new settlers and the Pequot Indians of Connecticut was growing. In 1636 Massachusetts settlers accused a Pequot Indian of murdering a colonist and in retaliation they burned a Pequot village in what is now Block Island in Rhode Island. Sassacus, the head chief of the Pequots, began to gather his warriors. The Hartford settlers decided to attack first. In May 1637 the General Court decided to attack a large Pequot village and fort at what is now Mystic, Connecticut. The population of Hartford at that time consisted of only 800 people but by May 9 ninety men had been formed into a raiding party under the command of Captain Mason. Nicholas and his cousin Richard were included in the party. They embarked on three small boats which they rowed or sailed down the Connecticut River to its mouth. There they were joined by seven Narraganset and many Pequot Indians under the rival Pequot chief Uncas. (Uncas and his followers would later be called Mohicans and Uncas would later be idealized as the perfect Indian in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans). As a result of the Indian reinforcements or perhaps because of some information they brought 20 men were sent back to Hartford. On June 5, 1637 they attacked the sleeping Indian village and fort. Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted snuck up to the wooden fort walls and set it on fire. When the Pequots discovered what was happening they "ran about as most dreadfully amazed" as Captain Mason would later write. The rest of the raiding party started burning the village and killed about 600 men, women, and children. Only two townsmen were killed and twenty wounded. The remaining Pequots were defeated in a battle near Fairfield the same year and the survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda. The colonists would have no more problems with the natives until King Philip's war 40 years later. Both Nicholas and Richard received land grants for their part in the battle. On September 28, 1640 Nicholas married Sarah Loomis. Sarah was born in 1617 in England to Joseph Loomis and Mary White. They had the following children in Hartford: Sarah - born 1641; died November 7, 1709 Mary - born November 20, 1646 Rebecca - born March 12, 1647 or 1648 John - baptized February 3, 1649 or 1650; died young Samuel - born 1653; died January 13, 1726 in East Haddam, Connecticut Joseph - born 1654; died October 5, 1726 Mabel Elizabeth - born ?; died October 12, 1681 Thomas - born ?; died May 28, 1741 In 1646 Nicholas was chosen "Surveyor of Highways" and for nine years between 1653 and 1683 he was "townsman" for the north side of Hartford. In 1672 and 1673 he was a deputy to the General Court. Sarah died in 1667. Nicholas then married Mary Lord, the widow of Dr. Thomas Lord who had lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut. In August of 1673 the Dutch Netherlands restated their original claim to Connecticut and the settlers feared that the Dutch might send in troops. Some 160 men were quickly organized for defense and Nicholas was appointed Lieutenant but the Dutch threat quickly dissipated. King Philip's war started in 1675. It began after Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoog Indians died. He had been a good friend of the early Plymouth colonists (the Pilgrims) and other Massachusetts settlers but relations with his two sons, Alexander and Philip, soured. When Philip became chief (king) in 1662 he began to plot against the colonists because he felt that his people could only survive if the colonists were driven out. On June 20, 1675 he attacked the town of Swansea in Massachusetts. The Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, Jr., directed the colony's defense. His son, Waite, was put in charge of the troops and in July he sent Lieutenant Nicholas Olmsted to New London and Huntington with the troops from Hartford. Later on August 26, 1675 Nicholas was made Captain. The war was costly to the New England colonists with approximately 1,000 colonists killed and 12 towns destroyed. In August 1676 the colonists along with a large force of Narraganset Indians trapped Chief Philip hand his men in a swamp near Kingston, Rhode Island. In the following battle Chief Philip and most of his men were killed. Even after this battle the war sputtered on for two more years until the Wampanoog Indians made peace. -------------------- Nicholas came to America in the “Lion,” arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 September 1633. They had 8 children. Nicholas died on 31 August 1684. Sarah died at Hartford, Connecticut, on 28 August 1689. -------------------- Nicholas Olmstead was baptized in Fairstead, England on February 15, 1612. His parents were James Olmstead and Joyce Cornish. Nicholas came to the America in 1632 on the ship "Lyon" with his father James, his brother Nehemiah, and cousins Richard, Rebecca, and John. They were among the original settlers of Hartford which was officially founded in 1636 along with the colony of Connecticut (also called the River Colony). During this period, however, friction between the new settlers and the Pequot Indians of Connecticut was growing. In 1636 Massachusetts settlers accused a Pequot Indian of murdering a colonist and in retaliation they burned a Pequot village in what is now Block Island in Rhode Island. Sassacus, the head chief of the Pequots, began to gather his warriors. The Hartford settlers decided to attack first. In May 1637 the General Court decided to attack a large Pequot village and fort at what is now Mystic, Connecticut. The population of Hartford at that time consisted of only 800 people but by May 9 ninety men had been formed into a raiding party under the command of Captain Mason. Nicholas and his cousin Richard were included in the party. They embarked on three small boats which they rowed or sailed down the Connecticut River to its mouth. There they were joined by seven Narraganset and many Pequot Indians under the rival Pequot chief Uncas. (Uncas and his followers would later be called Mohicans and Uncas would later be idealized as the perfect Indian in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Last of the Mohicans). As a result of the Indian reinforcements or perhaps because of some information they brought 20 men were sent back to Hartford. On June 5, 1637 they attacked the sleeping Indian village and fort. Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted snuck up to the wooden fort walls and set it on fire. When the Pequots discovered what was happening they "ran about as most dreadfully amazed" as Captain Mason would later write. The rest of the raiding party started burning the village and killed about 600 men, women, and children. Only two townsmen were killed and twenty wounded. The remaining Pequots were defeated in a battle near Fairfield the same year and the survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda. The colonists would have no more problems with the natives until King Philip's war 40 years later. Both Nicholas and Richard received land grants for their part in the battle. On September 28, 1640 Nicholas married Sarah Loomis. Sarah was born in 1617 in England to Joseph Loomis and Mary White. They had the following children in Hartford: Sarah - born 1641; died November 7, 1709 Mary - born November 20, 1646 Rebecca - born March 12, 1647 or 1648 John - baptized February 3, 1649 or 1650; died young Samuel - born 1653; died January 13, 1726 in East Haddam, Connecticut Joseph - born 1654; died October 5, 1726 Mabel Elizabeth - born ?; died October 12, 1681 Thomas - born ?; died May 28, 1741 In 1646 Nicholas was chosen "Surveyor of Highways" and for nine years between 1653 and 1683 he was "townsman" for the north side of Hartford. In 1672 and 1673 he was a deputy to the General Court. Sarah died in 1667. Nicholas then married Mary Lord, the widow of Dr. Thomas Lord who had lived in Wethersfield, Connecticut. In August of 1673 the Dutch Netherlands restated their original claim to Connecticut and the settlers feared that the Dutch might send in troops. Some 160 men were quickly organized for defense and Nicholas was appointed Lieutenant but the Dutch threat quickly dissipated. King Philip's war started in 1675. It began after Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoog Indians died. He had been a good friend of the early Plymouth colonists (the Pilgrims) and other Massachusetts settlers but relations with his two sons, Alexander and Philip, soured. When Philip became chief (king) in 1662 he began to plot against the colonists because he felt that his people could only survive if the colonists were driven out. On June 20, 1675 he attacked the town of Swansea in Massachusetts. The Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop, Jr., directed the colony's defense. His son, Waite, was put in charge of the troops and in July he sent Lieutenant Nicholas Olmsted to New London and Huntington with the troops from Hartford. Later on August 26, 1675 Nicholas was made Captain. The war was costly to the New England colonists with approximately 1,000 colonists killed and 12 towns destroyed. In August 1676 the colonists along with a large force of Narraganset Indians trapped Chief Philip hand his men in a swamp near Kingston, Rhode Island. In the following battle Chief Philip and most of his men were killed. Even after this battle the war sputtered on for two more years until the Wampanoog Indians made peace. -------------------- Nicholas came to America in the “Lyon,” arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, on 16 September 1633. They had 8 children. Nicholas died on 31 August 1684. Sarah died at Hartford, Connecticut, on 28 August 1689. -------------------- He immigrated in 1632 to Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA, USA. He had a residence in Great Leighs, County Essex, England Military: Captain of Dragoons, King Philip's War. The following soldiers of Hartford received grants of land for services in the Pequod war. Their names are preserved in the ancient Town Record of Hartford: Nicholas Olmstead Richard Olmstead Nicholas OLMSTED - bap. Feb. 15, 1612, Fairsted, Essex, England; d. Aug. 31, 1684, Hartford, CT (will dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684). Son of James OLMSTED and Joyce CORNISH. To Boston and Hartford with father. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for North side between 1653 and 1683; Corporal 1658; freeman 1669; deputy to General Court 1672 and 1673. Served in King Philip's War and made Capt. Aug. 26, 1675. Married first Sep. 28, 1640, Hartford, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. 1617, Essex, England; d. 1667, Hartford, CT), daughter of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Sarah was the mother of all children of Nicholas, except his youngest. Nicholas married second about 1667/8. Mary - Possibly surnamed THURSTON and/or she was perhaps the widow Mary LORD. She was not the widow of Dr. Thomas LORD, whose widow married Gregory WOLTERTON as his third wife. Mary was the mother of Nicholas' youngest child. Captain. FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members: Nicholas Olmstead of Hartford August 14th, 1673, with the prospect of a war with the Dutch, the Court ordered that the respective Troops in the colony, with "500 Dragoones, be prepared and fitted for service forthwith." In case of sending a force out of the country, the following officers were appointed: HARTFORD County, Benj. Newbery, Capt.; Nich. Olmstead, Lieut.; John Wadsworth, Ensign. NEW LONDON, James Avery, Capt.; Thos. Tracy, Lieut.; John Denison, Ensign. NEW HAVEN, Robert Treat, Capt.; Thos. Munson, Lieut.; Saml. Newton, Ensign. FAIRFIELD, Mr. Thos. Fitch, Capt.; Jehu Burr, Lieut.; Matthew Sherwood, Ensign. The following November Major Talcott was appointed Commander-in-chief of all the forces; Major Robert Treat, second in command; Thos. Bull superseded Capt. Newbury; Wm. Curtice was appointed instead of Mr. Fitch; Capt. Nash succeeded Major Treat; and Thos. Trowbridge was made Commissary. Capt. Nicholas Olmsted/Olmstead, served in the Pequot War in 1637, Captain (King Philip's War) 1675, a Townsman of Northside Hartford for 9 years between 1653 and 1683. He was Corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658, Freeman and Rate Maker in 1669, and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. Nichalos's fifth great grandson designed Centeral Park, in New York city and also Woodland Park, in Seattle, Washington Nicholas OLMSTED - bap. Feb. 15, 1612, Fairsted, Essex, England; d. Aug. 31, 1684, Hartford, CT (will dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684). Son of James OLMSTED and Joyce CORNISH. To Boston and Hartford with father. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for North side between 1653 and 1683; Corporal 1658; freeman 1669; deputy to General Court 1672 and 1673. Served in King Philip's War and made Capt. Aug. 26, 1675. Married first Sep. 28, 1640, Hartford, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. 1617, Essex, England; d. 1667, Hartford, CT), daughter of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Sarah was the mother of all children of Nicholas, except his youngest. Nicholas married second about 1667/8. Nicholas Olmstead immigrated in 1632 to Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA, USA He had a residence in Great Leighs, County Essex, England Military: Captain of Dragoons, King Philip's War. The following soldiers of Hartford received grants of land for services in the Pequod war and their names are preserved in the ancient Town Record of Hartford: Nicholas Olmstead; Richard Olmstead. Captain. FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members which included Nicholas Olmstead of Hartford. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for Northside Hartford for 9 years between between 1653 and 1683; He was Corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658, Freeman and Rate Maker in 1669, and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673 Will of Nicholas Olmstead 20 Aug 1683 , Hartford, Connecticut In the name of God Amen, I Nicholas Olmsted of Harttford in the Colony of Coneticut do make this my last will and Testament revoking and annulling all other wills foremerly made by word or deede: being in health of body and of perfeckt remembrance yet not knowing how soone my sollem change may come: allso knowing itt is my duty to set my house in order before I dye: I do therefore giue my spiret unto God that gaue itt mee and my body to comely buriall: and as for that part of my estate God hath graciously giue mee in this worlde I do after my just depts being payed and funerall expences discharged dispose of as followeth: I giue unto my louing wife fiue pounds a yeare during her widdow hood after mee: and fouer pounds p the yeare after her marraige during her naturall life: to be payed her yearely by my son Samuell forty shillings by my son Joseph forty shillings and by my son Thomas twenty shillings: and by the same rate of proportion if itt be fouer pounds p annum: I giue unto my louing wife one cow as her owne proper estate and two swine and sum poultry and order my son Samuell and my son Thomas to keepe her one cow as long as shee remayns my widdow.-and do giue her free liberty to keepe two swine and sum poultry in my yardes: I do furder giue unto my louing wife all her fyer wood as long as shee remains my widdow to bee provided for her one third partt by my son Tho. and two parts by my son Samuell: I giue my wife the use of my parlor and the chamber ouer the parlor with what sellerage shee may want allso the use of my ouens and the well: with the use of any of my housall goods shee wanteth whilst shee remayns my widdow and liueth in my house: but if she marry or remoue from my house my will is that these housall goods bee returned to my son Thomas..... I giue unto my louing son Samuell Olmsted my dwelling house in Harttford after my desease onely the use of sum part of itt vnto his mother as is aboue exprest: and do furder giue unto my son Samuell halfe my barne and all that part of my home lott not giuen to my son Tho: I giue the other halfe of the barne to my son Tho. and I giue my barne yard eaqually to my son Samuell and to my son Thomas with my well in the same: I giue my son Thomas that past of my home lott nixt Mr Haynes and Mr Hookers home lotts: to bee diuided from my son Samuells partt of my home lott as followeth from the barne to the Highway to bee deuided by the fence that fences in the barne yards: and aboue the barne from the midle of the barne flower uppon a just bredth up to Jerremyah Addams Home lott: the remainder of my home lott I giue unto my son Samuell and His Heires foreuer:.... I giue vnto my son Thomas my meadow lott in the long meadow lying betwene Decon Butlers and Lt Joseph Wadsworths land: I giue unto my son Thomas my upland lott in the west diuision in Harttford on the west side the great riuer to him and his Heirs foreuer.... I giue vnto my son Samuell all the rest of my meadow lands and uplands on the west side the great riuer in Harttford and to his Heires foreuer..... I giue vnto my son Joseph Olmsted and his Heirs foreuer all that diuision of up land and the swamp lands belonging to the same uppon which he hath bult on the east side the great riuer.... I giue unto my son Joseph all my meadow lands on the east side the great riuer att my desease hee paying twenty shillings vnto his sister Gates and forty shillings p annum to his mother.... I giue my farme of land lying in the woods ajoyning to Jerremyah Addams land in the roade to New London unto my son Samuell and my son Thomas to bee equally deuided betwene them.... I giue to my dagter Sarah Gates twenty shillings to bee payed her within three yeares after my desease: I giue all my right and title to that lands purchased of Joshua son of Vncas by the towne of Harttford on the east side the great riuer to my son Sam'll Butler my daughter Rebeccah Biglo and to my daughter Mabell Butler to bee equally deuided betwene them:.... I giue unto my daughter Biglo forty shillings in stock or housall goods after my desease.... I giuve unto my daughter Butler three pounds in stock or housall goods after my desease.... I do make my son Thomas Olmsted executor of this my last will and Testament giuing him my seuant lad if his time be not expired and all the remainder of my stock housall goods and moueable estate whatsoeuer not otherwayes disposed of by this my last will and testament: I do order all my sons Samuell Joseph and Thomas carefully to performe what I haue respecktiuely giuen vnto my louing wife as itt is aboue expressed: and do furder order all my estate giuen vnto my son Samuell be improued by my son Thomas vntill my son Sam'll come to liue att Harttford the said Tho. paying what Samll should do to his mother vntill Samuell doeth injoy the same I do request ordaine and appoynt my louing freinds Mr William Pitkin and Caleb Stanly to bee my ouerseers haue set my hand and seale this 20th of Agust in the yeare of o'r Lorde One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Three: Nicho: Olmstead (Seal) Signed sealed and declared to be my last will and Testament in presence & witnes of us Caleb Stanly Timothy Cowles Source: Copy of will published in Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America pg 14-15.

---

from Genealogy of the Olmstead family in America " . . . the family of our honored relative, James Olmsted, who, together with two sons, Nicholas and Nehemiah, two nephews, Richard and John, and a niece, Rebecca, arrived in New England, on the Lord's Day, Sept. 16,1632, in the ship Lyon, under Capt. Pierce, after a voyage of 12 weeks from Braintree, England. There were 123 passengers, of whom 50 were children. " They settled first at Mount Wallaston, now Quincy, near Boston, but in the course of the year, 'by order of the Court,' they removed to Newtown, now Cambridge." " The recent settlers of Newtown," says Holmes, "had, while in England, attended the ministry of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who, to escape fines and imprisonment for his non-conformity, had now fled into Holland." So, as Mather, another contemporary, remarks, " immediately after their settlement at Newtown, they expressed their earnest desires to Mr. Hooker that he would come over into New England and take the pastoral charge of them. At their desire he left Holland, and, having obtained Mr. Samuel Stone .... as an assistant in the ministry, took his passage for America, and arrived at Boston, Sept. 4, 1633." He proceeded at once to Newtown, to take up the duties of his pastorate. There the Braintree Colony, as it was termed, abode until the summer of 1636, when, dissatisfied by the form of government of the colony of Massachusetts and tempted by the charm of this pleasant Connecticut valley, of which they had heard reports,1 they "took their departure from Cambridge," and, in the words of Trumbull, " travelled more than a hundred miles through a hideous and trackless wilderness, to Hartford. They had no guide but their compass; made their way over mountains, through swamps, thickets, and rivers, which were not passable but with great difficulty. They had no cover but the heavens, nor any lodgings but those which simple nature afforded them. They drove with them a hundred and sixty head of cattle, and by the way, subsisted on the milk of their cows. Mrs. Hooker (who was ill) was borne through the wilderness upon a litter. The people generally carried their packs, arms, and some utensils. They were nearly a fortnight on their journey." This brings us in our narration of the wanderings of our worthy family to the beautiful city, near which we have met today to do them honor. The family was soon to separate. Indeed, my own ancestor, Richard Olmsted, who was a youth of 20 when he arrived in America with his Uncle James, was now a young man of 24. That he was married by 1640 is more than probable, for we find that by that date he had quit his uncle's house, and was in possession of a home lot of his own. The records show that at a town meeting on the 11 th of January, 1640, a vote was passed, taking part of the lot of Richard Olmsted for a burial ground. " This is the ground in the rear of the First Church buildings on Main Street," as Walker tells us, "where so many of Hartford's early dead still repose." It contains a monument to the early settlers of this city, and is worthy of a pilgrimage, if any of you have not yet seen it. James Olmsted's lot was on Front street, not far from where the gas works now stand. However, as I have said, the family was soon to part company. The wanderlust was upon them, and in 1651 Richard Olmsted, defying the dangers of wild beast and Indian, struck still deeper into the wilderness, and founded, with his family and with other friends, the town of Norwalk. Nicholas OLMSTED - bap. Feb. 15, 1612, Fairsted, Essex, England; d. Aug. 31, 1684, Hartford, CT (will dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684). Son of James OLMSTED and Joyce CORNISH. To Boston and Hartford with father. Served in Pequot War. Surveyor of highways; 1646; townsman for North side between 1653 and 1683; Corporal 1658; freeman 1669; deputy to General Court 1672 and 1673. Served in King Philip's War and made Capt. Aug. 26, 1675. Married first Sep. 28, 1640, Hartford, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. 1617, Essex, England; d. 1667, Hartford, CT), daughter of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Sarah was the mother of all children of Nicholas, except his youngest. Nicholas married second about 1667/8. Mary - Possibly surnamed THURSTON and/or she was perhaps the widow Mary LORD. She was not the widow of Dr. Thomas LORD, whose widow married Gregory WOLTERTON as his third wife. Mary was the mother of Nicholas' youngest child. Military Service Captain. FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members: Nicholas Olmstead of Hartford August 14th, 1673, with the prospect of a war with the Dutch, the Court ordered that the respective Troops in the colony, with "500 Dragoones, be prepared and fitted for service forthwith." In case of sending a force out of the country, the following officers were appointed: HARTFORD County, Benj. Newbery, Capt.; Nich. Olmstead, Lieut.; John Wadsworth, Ensign. NEW LONDON, James Avery, Capt.; Thos. Tracy, Lieut.; John Denison, Ensign. NEW HAVEN, Robert Treat, Capt.; Thos. Munson, Lieut.; Saml. Newton, Ensign. FAIRFIELD, Mr. Thos. Fitch, Capt.; Jehu Burr, Lieut.; Matthew Sherwood, Ensign. The following November Major Talcott was appointed Commander-in-chief of all the forces; Major Robert Treat, second in command; Thos. Bull superseded Capt. Newbury; Wm. Curtice was appointed instead of Mr. Fitch; Capt. Nash succeeded Major Treat; and Thos. Trowbridge was made Commissary. Capt. Nicholas Olmsted/Olmstead, served in the Pequot War in 1637, Captain (King Philip's War) 1675, a Townsman of Northside Hartford for 9 years between 1653 and 1683. He was Corporal of the Hartford Troop of Horse in 1658, Freeman and Rate Maker in 1669, and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. CHILDREN OF Nicholas: Sarah - b. 1641, Hartford, CT; d. Nov. 7, 1709, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT. Married 1661/2 Capt. George GATES (b. about 1634, England; d. Nov. 12, 1724, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT) of Hartford and East Haddam, CT. He was town clerk in Haddam, CT in 1698. Both Sarah and George were buried in Cove Burial Ground, East Haddam, CT. Children of Sarah and George GATES: Sgt. Samuel married Esther HUNGERFORD; Thomas married Hannah BRAINERD; Joseph married Elizabeth HUNGERFORD; John; Mary; George; Daniel; and Sarah married Timothy FULLER. Elizabeth - b. Nov. 20, 1642, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Oct. 12, 1681, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Married by 1665 Samuel BUTLER (b. 1639; d. Dec. 31, 1692), son of Richard BUTLER and his first wife (unidentified). They lived at Haddam and Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT. Samuel's will, dated Dec. 30, 1692, names his children. Children of Elizabeth and Samuel BUTLER: Samuel; Elizabeth; James; Jonathan married first Mary EASTON, and second Elizabeth CADWELL, widow of Jonathan EASTON (Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Mary, married Richard EDWARDS, nephew of Rev. Timothy EDWARDS); George; Mary married Ebenezer HOPKINS (son Ebenezer became great grandfather of Pres. Millard FILLMORE); Dorothy; and Sarah. Mabel - b. about 1645, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. Her father's will, dated Aug. 20, 1683 and proved Nov. 25, 1684 names "son Samuel BUTLER" and "daughter Mabel BUTLER." Married first Sgt. Daniel BUTLER (d. Mar. 28, 1692), son of Richard BUTLER and Elizabeth BIGELOW; and second at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT on Aug. 26, 1697 Michael TAINTOR. Children of Mabel and Daniel BUTLER: Sarah married John EASTON; Mabel married Ebenezer KELLOGG; Elizabeth married Daniel CLARK; Mary; and Hannah married Israel NEWTON. Mary - b. Nov. 20, 1646, Hartford, CT; d. there before year end. Rebecca - b. Mar. 12, 1647/8, Hartford, CT. Married John BIGELOW (b. Oct. 27, 1643), son of John BIGELOW and Mary WARREN. No known children. John - bap. Feb. 3, 1649/50, Hartford, CT. Died young. Samuel - b. 1653, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Jan. 13, 1726, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT; bur. there in Old Cove Burial Ground. Married Mary LORD (b. May 1649, Saybrook, CT; d. Sep. 14, 1736), daughter of William LORD and Dorothy, and granddaughter of Thomas LORD and Dorothy BIRD. Children of Samuel and Mary OLMSTED: Samuel married Mary ROWLEY; John married Susannah BRAINERD; Sarah married Jared CONE; and Elizabeth married John CHURCH. Joseph - b. 1654, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. Oct. 5, 1726, East Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT. Deacon. His grave marker reads: HERE LIETH THE BODY OF DEC JOSEPH OLMSTEED WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE OCTOBER THE 5 ANNON DOM 1726 IN THE 73 YEAR OF HIS AGE. Married Elizabeth BUTLER (b. about 1651; d. Apr. 28, 1729), daughter of Richard BUTLER and Elizabeth BIGELOW. Her grave marker reads: HERE LIES THE BODY OF ELISEABETH THE WIFE OF DEACON JOSEPH OLMSTED WHO DIED APRIL 28 IN THE 78 OF HER AGE 1729. Children of Joseph and Elizabeth OLMSTED: Joseph married Hannah MARSH; James married Mary BULL; Nicholas married Mary HOSMER; Elizabeth married Joseph SKINNER; Richard married Deborah HOSMER; Nehemiah married Clemence HOSMER; Rebecca died young; Hannah married Zachariah SEYMOUR; and Rebecca married Jonathan HILLS. Thomas - b. Jun. 25, 1657, Hartford, Hartford Co., CT; d. 1741, West Hartford, Hartford Co., CT.

rom Genealogy of the Olmstead family in America " . . . the family of our honored relative, James Olmsted, who, together with two sons, Nicholas and Nehemiah, two nephews, Richard and John, and a niece, Rebecca, arrived in New England, on the Lord's Day, Sept. 16,1632, in the ship Lyon, under Capt. Pierce, after a voyage of 12 weeks from Braintree, England. There were 123 passengers, of whom 50 were children. " They settled first at Mount Wallaston, now Quincy, near Boston, but in the course of the year, 'by order of the Court,' they removed to Newtown, now Cambridge." " The recent settlers of Newtown," says Holmes, "had, while in England, attended the ministry of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who, to escape fines and imprisonment for his non-conformity, had now fled into Holland." So, as Mather, another contemporary, remarks, " immediately after their settlement at Newtown, they expressed their earnest desires to Mr. Hooker that he would come over into New England and take the pastoral charge of them. At their desire he left Holland, and, having obtained Mr. Samuel Stone .... as an assistant in the ministry, took his passage for America, and arrived at Boston, Sept. 4, 1633." He proceeded at once to Newtown, to take up the duties of his pastorate. There the Braintree Colony, as it was termed, abode until the summer of 1636, when, dissatisfied by the form of government of the colony of Massachusetts and tempted by the charm of this pleasant Connecticut valley, of which they had heard reports,1 they "took their departure from Cambridge," and, in the words of Trumbull, " travelled more than a hundred miles through a hideous and trackless wilderness, to Hartford. They had no guide but their compass; made their way over mountains, through swamps, thickets, and rivers, which were not passable but with great difficulty. They had no cover but the heavens, nor any lodgings but those which simple nature afforded them. They drove with them a hundred and sixty head of cattle, and by the way, subsisted on the milk of their cows. Mrs. Hooker (who was ill) was borne through the wilderness upon a litter. The people generally carried their packs, arms, and some utensils. They were nearly a fortnight on their journey." This brings us in our narration of the wanderings of our worthy family to the beautiful city, near which we have met today to do them honor. The family was soon to separate. Indeed, my own ancestor, Richard Olmsted, who was a youth of 20 when he arrived in America with his Uncle James, was now a young man of 24. That he was married by 1640 is more than probable, for we find that by that date he had quit his uncle's house, and was in possession of a home lot of his own. The records show that at a town meeting on the 11 th of January, 1640, a vote was passed, taking part of the lot of Richard Olmsted for a burial ground. " This is the ground in the rear of the First Church buildings on Main Street," as Walker tells us, "where so many of Hartford's early dead still repose." It contains a monument to the early settlers of this city, and is worthy of a pilgrimage, if any of you have not yet seen it. James Olmsted's lot was on Front street, not far from where the gas works now stand. However, as I have said, the family was soon to part company. The wanderlust was upon them, and in 1651 Richard Olmsted, defying the dangers of wild beast and Indian, struck still deeper into the wilderness, and founded, with his family and with other friends, the town of Norwalk. Hartford, 1639—surveyor of roads in '46—a soldier at Mystic against the Pequotts in 1637, and son of James. In 1673 Leut. Nicholas Olmsted with Capt. B. Newbury and John Wadsworth, Ensign, were appointed, if any forces were sent out of Hartford county for the rehef of other counties, in case of a war with the Dutch, to command such forces so sent. Nicholas, grand juror in 1672.

Will of Nicholas Holmsted of Much Parrendon (Parndon) Co: Essex. To my son John 2 tenements in Braintre called Beers als Bells now in occupation of John Corby and Burnham. To Mary, my daughter, £60, when 18 or married. To John my son, when 21, £40. To John, my brother Richard's son, 20s. To Elizabeth my eldest brother's dau., 20s. To Nicholas, my brother James' son, 6s. 8d. To my sister Mabell, 10s. To my brother John, 10s. My wife Rachel to keep and educate my brother Richard's son, John Wife Rachel exor. William Wood, the elder, of Rye Hill and my brother James to be over- seers. Witnesses : William Wood. Thomasine Wall, et al. Proved at Stortford, 7th March, 1627-8, Invent: £147: "01: "08. The wife Rachel had had for first husband Thomas Graves, the younger, of Stansted Abbott, County Herts. She claimed his share in the " Red Lion" Inn and involved Nicholas Olmsted in a lawsuit (in 1610 or so) which was decided in her favor. He prays in his will that his son John shall have the Inn. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 2 Brundenell, ith August, 1634 Will of Thomas Slany of London, haberdasher. Abstract Estate to be divided into 3 parts according to the Custom of London. One third to wife Elizabeth. *The Rev. J. J. Manning, late Rector of Fairsted, thought that the farm called Rank's Green, in that parish, was the one occupied by James Olmsted, the emigrant. This was in 1894 held by Henry Homsted Speakman. Mr. Speakman did not know how he came by his middle name, which is so like Olmsted. The name of Olmsted under the form of Holmested is still known in Braintree, County Essex. Introduction xiii One third to his five chiidren, John, Mary, Lidia, Sara and Elizabeth. The other third as follows: To my sister Bazies* 3 children £5 apiece the said legacy to be paid to Barnaby Bowtelle of Dedham, for them. To Joseph my sister Holmested's youngest son a similar legacy to be paid to Mr. Statham of Terling. To my niece Sara Holmestead 30s. To my nephew Richard Holmestead 4 nobles. Proved 28th July, 1638. Archdeaconry of Essex, Rypton clxvij 167 Abstract of the will of Als Hownstedi of the psh of Great Lees, wedoo. 2nd July, 1533. To sons James William and John To the High Altar of Lees Parva [Little Leighs] 8s. John Sorell and son James exor. John Hawkyn of Much Waltham, supervisor. Witnesses: Sir Roger Hyde, curat. John Ingelond. William Thare. And others mo. To be buried in the churchyard of our Ladi. To Jams and William all my copyhold lands equally between them. To my son John a seme of wheat. Proved 2nd August, 1533. Commissary Court, Essex, Herts, 1613. "Abstract of the will of John Hawes the elder of St. Lawrence in the County of Essex, yeoman, 7 August, 1613, proved 12 October, 1613. Mentions son John and Elizabeth, his daughter; kinsman John Anthony; Charles Anthony the younger, a sister's son; Martha Anthony, youngest daughter of said sister; Frances, the eldest daughter of sister Alice Anthony; John Olmsted, son of Richard Olmsted and of daughter Elizabeth, Israel, their second son, Jedidiah their third son and Elizabeth their daughter; daughter Elizabeth wife of Richard Olmstead, clerk; Julian Veale of Mai- den, widow; wife Elizabeth." — The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. XLl., p. 173. *See the will of Richard Olmsted of Norwalk, Connecticut. John Basey was an original settler at Hartford, Connecticut. tDr. Manning says that " Hawnstead Farm " still exists in Great Leighs.

---

GEDCOM Note

2 AGE 72

Nicholas, along with his father, were founders of Hartford, CT. The Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford provide the following biography on Nicholas:

"NICHOLAS2 OLMSTEAD, CAPT., HARTFORD FOUNDER (JAMES1, JAMESA) was baptized 15 Feb 1612/13 in Fairstead, Essex, England, and died 31 Aug 1684 in Hartford, CT. He married (1) SARAH LOOMIS abt. 1640 in Hartford, CT, daughter of JOSEPH LOOMIS and MARY WHITE. She was born 1617 in England, and died 1667 in Hartford, CT. He married (2) MARY ____, WIDOW OF THOMAS LORD aft. 1667.

Nicholas Olmstead (Olmsted) emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony aboard the ship “Lyon” in 1632, with his father James, also a Hartford Founder and brother Nehemiah. He was a cousin of Hartford Founders Richard and Dr. John Olmstead. His first residence was in Cambridge, removing to Hartford in 1636.

At the time of the Hartford land inventory of February 1639/40 he was living in his father’s house, located on the road from the Little River to the Soldiers’ Field, but had been granted lands in Hartford as follows: two acres in the Neck of Land (to which he probably relocated for his home lot); and one rood in the North Meadow.

He served in the Pequot War of 1637, and was a Corporal of the Connecticut Colonial Troop in 1658. He later became an Ensign, a Lieutenant, and served as a Captain in King Philip’s War starting in 1675.

He was chosen as surveyor of highways in 1646, 1653 and 1683; list and rate maker in 1669; and Deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. He was appointed in 1674 to a committee to view and