John Lay, Jr.

He fought in King Phillips War and was wounded in the Great Swamp fight, and also was called the drummer, (Lyme Land Records Vol. 2, p. 351). He called the people together for worship, to warn of Indian raids, for Town Meetings and any other important news.

In 1722 Robert Dennison petitioned the Connecticut Assembly for permission to tax vacant land in the north parish of New London, CT to support a minister. The petition was granted. Dennison and Jonathan Copp (Samuel and John's father) surveyed and laid out the land and assured that all taxes from the unimproved land went to the parish.

Copp, a parish deacon, also collected taxes for the construction of the meeting house.

Jonathan was living in Stonington, Ct when his father's estate was being settled ini 1714. He was a cordwainer. Later he settled in the North Parish of New London (Montville), CT. He was a religious leader and became a deacon when a church was formally organized in 1722 (the Second Church of New London, later Montville Center Church). He was delegated to go to Boston to get the new pastor, Rev. James Hillhouse and bring him to North Parish. He was very active in the parish, serving on committees and as a moderator.

In 1724, the General Court of the Colony appointed him to serve on a committee to spend "on pious uses" public money raised on unimproved lands. He owned a mill and a good farm near the Norwich, CT line. His homestead was atop Raymond Hill. He and his wife are buried in Raymond Hill Cemetery. In his will, he left his wife an Indian boy, on the condition that she teach him to read and write. All of his ten children were born in Stonington, CT.

He was born prior to the founding of the Colony of Connecticut by Thomas Hooker and a group of Massachusetts colonists.