Capt. John Leffingwell

Capt. John Leffingwell, the son of Sergt. Thomas Leffingwell (2), was born at Norwich, Conn., Feb. 2, 1688, and d. there Aug. 16, 1773. He married (1) Dec. 26, 1710, Sarah Abel, daughter of Joshua Abel and his second wife Bethiah Gager; she was born Feb. 1700, and died May 9, 1730. His first wife received in 1724, the year of her father's death, £915, as her share of his estate. On her gravestone is inscribed "Here lies the Body of that Worthy, Virtuous, and most injenious and jenteel woman, Mrs. Sara Leffingwell who died May ye 9th 1730 aged 39 yrs."

His second marriage is reported in the following quaint certificate:

"Farmington, Nov. 17, 1730. This may certify whom it may concern, that on the 171h day of this instant November in the year 1730, Capt. John Leffingwell of Norwich, and Mary Hart of Farmington, in the Colony of Connecticut, were then joined in marriage by Me. - SAMUEL WHITMAN."

Capt. Leffingwell was made freeman of the Colony in Norwich, in 1770. He became quite prominent among the landed and business men of the town, and gathered a very consider¬able estate for that day, his lands lying on the "New London Road," through which, in 1740, the assembly of the State gave Daniel Hall the right to open and keep a "pent way" to the New London road. By a fire, which utterly consumed his large homestead and tavern, he was reduced to a temporary dependence upon others for shelter. It illustrates the way such exigencies were met in days before fire assurance, to quote from one of his appeals to the General Court of the State for £400, on account of the loss he sustained by this fire. He allows that "a valuable estate in lands yet remains" to him; but as it is impossible to raise money for a building, he asks the State to advance him the money on the real estate security four years. The lower house voted the loan, but the upper house refused to sanction it; and the same plea was renewed at another session, only to meet the same fate. In an indented agreement bearing date Norwich, April 28, 1774, the following persons are called the children, grandchildren, and heirs of "John Leffingwell, our father, who died intestate in 1773": John (who was also administrator), Hart, Matthew, and Phinehas Leffingwell, Ebenezer Walbridge and Elizabeth his wife; Benjamin Lord, Jr., and Lucy his wife; Sarah Tracy, Mary Bushnell, Eunice Leffingwell, Abigail Starr and Hannah Starr, all of Norwich, and Thomas Adgate and Ruth his wife of New London. The inventory of the Estate was proved at £2196:10:1. The tombstone in the Norwich cemetery has the inscription:

In memory of Capt.

JOHN LEFFINGWELL

Who died August 16th 1773, in ye

83rd year of his age.

Death is a debt

to Nature due,

which I have paid,

& so must you.

Source: The Leffingwell Record

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32523855&ref=wvr

GEDCOM Note

Seventeenth Century Colonial Ancestors, Ancestors, Page 155 listed - LEFFINGWELL, John (1688-1773) Conn,; m. Sarah Abel
Freeman; Landowner
LEFFINGWELL. Thomas (1649-1724) Conn,; m. Mary Bushnell
Freeman; Landowner
Captain John Leffingwell and Sarah Abell, his wife were parents of ELIZABETH LEFFINGWELL,4 born at Norwich, Dec, 12, 1713, died at
England Families, Vol. IV, Genealogies and Memorials, Page 1604
New England - (The Leffingwell line)
Seargent Thomas Leffingwell son of Lt Leffingwell was born at Saybrook Aug 27 1649 died at Norwich March 5, 1723-4
He married in 1672 Mary Bushnell born Saybrook 1655, died Sept 2, 1745 (daughter of Richard and Mary (Marvin) Bushnell. Children all born at Norwich;
Thomas(mentioned below in this paper)
Elizabeth b Nov 1676
Annie b Jan 25 1680
Mary Mar 11 1682
Zerviah, Oct 17 1686
John, Feb 2 1688-9
Abigail, Aug 9 1683
Hezekia b. 1695 D. 1699
Volume IV, Lineage Records, Page 329
First Families of Amrica
8-Thomas LEFFINGWELL (qv)
7-Sgt. Thomas 1649-1723/24 to Norwich with father, 1660: prominent citizen, freeman, 1671; rep.; married Mary Bushnell;
6-Capt. John (1688-1773); freeman 1770; accumulated considerable estate; married 1710, Sarah Abel;
5-John (1721-1795); gunsmith Am. Rev; Dec. ist Congl. Ch; married 1744 Hannah Edgarton

CAPTAIN JOHN LEFFINGWELL,3 born at Norwich, Feb. 2, 1688, who married there, 1710, SARAH ABELL, who died May 9, 1730, daughter of Joshua Abell and Bethiah Gager, his wife. Bethiah Gager was born 1657, and was daughter of John Gager of New London and afterwards of Norwich, who with his father, Deacon William Gager, came to America with Governor Winthrop in 1630, and landed at Boston. William Gager was a skillful surgeon and was of Governor Winthrop's household, He died at Boston, Sept. 20, 1630, not long after landing, from disease contracted by ill diet at sea. Captain John Leffingwell and Sarah Abell, his wife were parents of ELIZABETH LEFFINGWELL,4 born at Norwich, Dec, 12, 1713, died at Norwich, who married EBENEZER WALBRIDGE.