Thomas Olcott, Jr.

Biographical Summary:

Thomas Olcott, an original proprietor of Hartford; his home-lot in the distribution of 1639 fronted on Meeting House Square; this was land which he had bought of Edward Hopkins, his first location having been directly east of the Square. This lot comprised the square, fronting on Main St., now bounded by Pearl, Trumbull, and Asylum Streets. On the southeast comer he erected a dwelling for his own occupation, which continued in possession of his family for several generations. Mr. Goodwin, in his "Descendants of Thomas Olcott," page v., says that this dwelling was demolished in 1824, to make room for the largo block called Union Hall, which was in its turn removed when the great pile of the Connecticut Mutual building was erected. He was a merchant, and carried on trade with parties in Virginia, for tobacco; constable, 1641; he died in 1654; his will is dated November 20, 1653; in it he mentions his "beloved mother Mrs. Margrett Charlfount, sister Mrs. Mary Hardey, mother Hoare, Brother Will. Wadsworth,' Brother Will. Lewis, Senior, deare Brethren and friends, John Talcott and Edward Stebbin, Overseers;" inventory Fob. 13, 1653-4, £1,466. 8. 5. Mrs. Abigail Olcott carried on her husband's business after his death. She bought, let, and sold lands, loaned money on mortgage security, "made contracts for delivering goods, etc." She died May 26, 1693, age 78.

Children:

See death date - if accurate, NONE of these can be his children!

i. Thomas, freeman, May, 1658; married Mary ____; who was living in 1719, probably died soon after,

ii. Samuel, freeman, May, 1664; married Sarah, daughter of George Stocking; died in Hartford, 1704.

iii. John, born about February 3, 1650-1; in. in 1695, Mary, widow of Thomas Welles, and daughter of John Blackleach; he died in 1712.

iv. Elizabeth, baptized December 7, 1645; married Timothy Hyde, of Wethersfield. The Olcott family were prominent and influential in Hartford for many generations.

SOURCE: James Hammond Trumbull, editor, The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, Volume 1 (Boston, Massachusetts: Edward L. Osgood, 1886), page 253. Retrieved: 3 May 2011 from Google Books