Original Planters: Guilford, Connecticut, 1639

The first settlers of Guilford, Connecticut came to America as passengers on the Saint John. The company of settlers on the Saint John was led by the Reverend Henry Whitfield, who had been the rector of St. Margaret's at Ockley in Surrey since 1616.

They sailed from England on 20 May 1639 under the command of a Captain Richard Russell, and arrived at New Haven (then Quinnipac), Connecticut, between the 10th and 15th of July 1639.

While still at sea the settlers organized a single communal plantation; this was outlined in a document now known as the Plantation Covenant. It was signed by twenty five men.

Guilford, CT Plantation Covenant

We whose names are herein written, intending by God's gracious permission, to plant ourselves in New England, and if it may be in the southerly part, about Quinpisac [Quinnipiac, later named New Haven], we do faithfully promise each for ourselves and families and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves together in one entire plantation and to be helpful to the other in any common work, according to every man's ability and as need shall require, and we promise not to desert or leave each other on the plantation but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of the company, who have entered into this engagement.

As for our gathering together into a church way and the choice officers and members to be joined together in that way, we do refer ourselves until such time as it shall please God to settle us in our plantation.

In witness whereof we subscribe our hands, this first day of June 1639.

1. Robert Kitchell
2. Abraham Crittenden
3. John Housingsoe
4. John Mepham
5. Wm. Plane
6. John Bishop
7. Wm. Crittenden
8. Thomas Joanes
9. Thomas Naish
10. John Stone
11. Francis Bushnell
12. Henry Doude
13. John Jurden
14. William Noble
15. Wm. Stone
16. Francis Chatfield
17. William Dudley
18. Henry Kingstone
19. John Norton
20. Richd. Sutridge
21. Thomas Cooke
22. John Hoadley
23. Wm. Leete
24. John Parmarly
25. Rev. Henry Whitfield

The names of the Guilford settlers that came to New Haven in the second ship in July, 1639, are believed to be as follows:

1. Francis Austin
2. George Bartlett
3. Edward Benton
4. Samuel Blachley
5. William Boreman
6. Richard Bristow
7. Alexander Chalker
8. John Caffinch, rem. to N.H.
9. Samuel Desborough
10. Thomas Dunk
11. Thomas French
12. George Highland
13. John Johnson
14. John Linsley
15. Thomas Mills
16. Thomas Reif
17. John Scranton
18. John Sheader or Sheather
19. Jacob Sheafe
20. William Somers
21. John Stevens
22. Edward Seward
23. Jasper Stillwell
24. Benjamin Wright

Links

• http://www.wellswooster.com/tree/getperson.php?personID=I22437&tree...
• http://dunhamwilcox.net/ct/new_haven3.htm

Sources

• HISTORY of THE COLONY OF NEW HAVEN To its absorption into CONNECTICUT by Edward E. Atwater with Supplementary History and Personnel of the Towns of Branford, Guilford, Milford, Stratford, Norwalk, Southold, etc. compiled by Robert Atwater Smith assisted by Bessie E. Beach and Lucy M. Hewitt Meriden, Conn. The Journal Publishing Company, 1902