John Calkins (1634 - 1703)

Born 8 Jun 1634 in Waverton, Cheshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Royce) Calkins — married 1658 in New London, New London Co, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 8 Jan 1703 at age 68 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut

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Biography

John Calkins immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

John Calkins, son of Hugh Caulkins & Ann Eaton, was born 1634 in England.^[1]

Immigration

John arrived in the New World with his parents Hugh and Anne Calkins and at least three siblings sometime between 1638 and 1640. The family were members of the "Welsh Company" under the leadership of Reverend Richard Blynman. The emigrants departed from Chepstow, Monmouthshire.^[1]

Marriage

He married Sarah Royce in 1658 in New London, CT, daughter of Robert Royce and Mary unknown. She was born about 1634 in England, and died 01 May 1711 in Norwich, CT.

Residence

John Calkins and his father Hugh are listed among the 35 first settlers of Norwich, CT. The purchase of the town was made by the settlers in June 1659.^[2]

1672 John Calkins was recorded on the resident's list of Norwich township, New London County, CT^[3]

Children

Children of John Calkins and Sarah Royce are:

1. Hugh, b. Jun 1659, Norwich, CT; d. 15 Sep 1722, Norwich, CT.
2. John, b. Jul 1661, Norwich, CT;^[4] d. Aft. Jan 1744/45, Lebanon, CT.
3. Samuel, b. Oct 1663, Norwich, CT.
4. Sarah, b. Jun 1666, Norwich, CT; d. Jun 1685, Norwich, CT; m. Thomas Baldwin, 03 Nov 1684, Norwich, CT; b. Abt. 1662; d. 18 Sep 1741, Norwich, CT.
5. David (Daniel), b. Mar 1666/67, Norwich, CT;^[5] d. Mar 1666/67, Norwich, CT.^[6]
6. Mary, b. May 1669, Norwich, CT;^[7] d. 30 Jul 1748, Norwich, CT.
7. Elizabeth, b. Apr 1673, Norwich, CT.^[8]
8. Ann, b. Aug 1678, Norwich, CT;^[9] d. Norwich, CT.

Death and Burial

John died 8 January 1702/3 in Norwich, CT.^[10] He was buried in the Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, United States.^[1][11]In 2003, The Caulkins Family Association placed a plaque in Old Norwichtown Cemetery with these dates and names.^[12]

Research notes

Although the Calkins family arrived in New England with the 'Welsh Company' led by the Reverend Richard Blynman of Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Calkins family historians have found that the family came from Cheshire, not Wales.

Baptisms of other children of Hugh and Ann Caulkins have been found in Waverton, Cheshire. The baptisms of John and his brother David have not been located. Parish records for baptisms between 1631 and 1639 at Waverton and Chester St. Oswald seem incomplete and it is believed that incomplete records account for not being able to find a record of the birth of John or his brother David in that period.

There is additional data pointing towards Cheshire. While the so-called 'Welsh Company' which emigrated to America probably did have some Welsh members, there is evidence that part of the group besides Hugh Calkins, came from Cheshire.

Further reading

• Wolfe, Janet and Robert. "Hugh Calkin-Ann, Marriage, Family, Genealogy, About 1626." Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy, Bob Wolfe, https://www-personal.umich.edu/~bobwolfe/gen/mn/m2244x2245.htm This webpage summarises the Calkins origins research including from the following:
  • "Origin of Hugh Calkins Found," by Ken Calkins, Calkins Family Association newsletter, Calkins World, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 2000, pages 8-10
  • "An Outline of the English Origins of Hugh Calkins" by Roy Edwards, 18 July 2000, monograph on file at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS)
    • both these articles in turn summarised in a post by Robert D. Calkins, July 27, 2009, "Origin of Hugh Calkins," with notes in brackets by Robert D. Calkins, https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/calkins/2956/
• History of New London, Connecticut, from the first survey of the coast in 1612 to 1860 by Caulkins, Frances Manwaring, 1795-1869; Griswold, Cecelia, 1876 https://archive.org/details/historyofnewlond00caul/page/n8/mode/2up

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Calkins, Kenneth W., editor. Calkins Family in America. Calkins Family Association, 2000, FamilySearch. Page 7. FamilySearch (online page 10) Accessed 25 May 2021.
2. ↑ Names of First Settlers of Norwich, In 1660, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1847) Vol. 1, Page 314-7
3. ↑ Name: John Calkins State: CT County: New London County Township: Norwich Year: 1672 Record Type: Resident's List Page: NPN Database: CT 1635-1807 Misc. Records Viewed through ancestry.com (subscription $)
4. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2SQ-LZS : 7 January 2020), John Calkins in entry for John Calkins, 1661.
5. ↑ "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSF-ZYHP : 21 September 2019), John in entry for David Calkins, ; citing Birth, , Compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut; FHL microfilm 008272225.
6. ↑ "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSF-ZYHR : 21 September 2019), John in entry for David Calkins, ; citing Death, , Compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut; FHL microfilm 008272225.
7. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V29B-1WR : 7 January 2020), John Calkins in entry for Mary Calkins, 1669.
8. ↑ "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:78XF-BM2M : 21 September 2019), John in entry for Elisabeth Calkins, ; citing Birth, , Compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut; FHL microfilm 008272225.
9. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V291-FTG : 7 January 2020), John Callkins in entry for Ann Callkins, 1678.
10. ↑ Date given on Inventory, Hartford Probate Papers, File no 946. Digital Image: Image FHL Film#1025007 Image 490 of 1429/
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #43415537
12. ↑ John Calkins (1634-1703) grave plaque image

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 08 March 2019, 22:39), entry for John Calkins(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:9SYV-GDJ); contributed by various users.