Founders of Norwich CT

Norwich, Connecticut was founded in 1659 by settlers from Old Saybrook led by Major John Mason and Reverend James Fitch. They purchased the land that would become Norwich from the local Native American Mohegan Tribe.

note: To become a Member by Descent it is necessary to provide documentation that proves your ancestry to one of the original proprietors. To apply, you will need an Application for Certificate of Descent (.pdf 100 kb) (stored in Project documents).

Original Founders of Norwich

1. Deacon Thomas Adgate
2. Robert Allyn
3. William Backus, Sr.
4. Lt. William Backus, Jr.
5. John Baldwin
6. Deacon Thomas Bingham
7. John Birchard
8. Thomas Bliss
9. Morgan Bowers
10. John Bradford
11. Hugh Caulkins
12. John Caulkins
13. Richard Edgerton
14. Rev. James Fitch
15. John Gager
16. Lt. Francis Griswold
17. Thomas Howard
18. Christopher Huntington
19. Deacon Simon Huntington
20. Samuel Hyde
21. William Hyde
22. Lt. Thomas Leffingwell
23. Maj. John Mason
24. Dr. John Olmstead
25. John Pease
26. John Post
27. Thomas Post
28. Josiah Reed
29. John Reynolds
30. Jonathon Royce
31. Rev. Nehemiah Smith
32. Sgt. John Tracy
33. Lt. Thomas Tracy
34. Robert Wade
35. Sgt. Thomas Waterman

Burial: Founders Cemetery Norwich New London County Connecticut, USA

Eleven Giants of Norwich

1. Uncas - Mohegan Chief
2. Lt. Thomas Leffingwell - Norwich Founder
3. John Mason - Norwich Founder
4. Benedict Arnold - Revolutionary War Hero and Traiter
5. Samuel Huntington - First President of the United States
6. William Buckingham - Governor of Connecticut
7. Lafayette Foster - Abraham Lincoln's Vice President
8. Miontanimo - Narragansett War Chief
9. Dr. Land - Polaroid Camera
10. General Tyler - Union Leader of the Battle of Bull Run
11. Dr. Manwaring - First female doctor to serve on the front lines in war (WW I)

Links

• Leffingwell House Museum: Membership by Descent
• Findagrave: Founders of Norwich CT
• US GenWeb, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut
• Norwich Genealogy
• A Virtual Tour of the Samuel Huntington Tomb
• Caulkins, Frances M. History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession by the Indians to the Year 1866. Hartford: By H.P. Haven, 1874
• Vital Records of Norwich (CT.) 1659-1848 transcribed by Nancy's Front Porch updated Jan 18 2003
• Vital Records of Norwich, 1659-1848. Hartford: Society of colonial wars in the state of Connecticut, 1913.

of interest

• http://www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org/hs/kscan_0008.html

Historically Speaking

The Norwich Historical Society has reactivated a project begun by the former Norwich Tourism Commission. The project, entitled "Norwich Ethnic Tapestry ", produces the history and an oral recitation by a prominent local citizen. The former Director of the Tourism Commission, Meg Malmborg, recorded the Jewish, Greek, Irish, Polish, Italian and African cultures.

The historical society's Communications Director, Geoff McLean, is in the process of converting the tape recordings to DVD disks, which will be available at some later date through the Norwich Historical Society.

The first disk completed features Harry Swatsburg telling the history of the Jewish community in Norwich. The Norwich Historical Society wants to add the Lebanese, Canadian French, Spanish, Scots, Russians and Swedes to the Norwich Ethnic Tapestry project.