Thomas Leffingwell (bef. 1624 - 1711)

Born before 10 Mar 1624 in White Colne, Essex, England

Husband of Mary (White) Leffingwell — married 1647 in Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 6 Feb 1711 after age 86 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut

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Thomas Leffingwell migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Probably born in England. (Note: profile reports he was baptized at White Colne, Essex, England, 10 Mar 1624. See "Needs" below.)

• In Saybrook, Connecticut by 1637. Relocated to Norwich about 1660.
• Lieutenant in King Phillip's war and the Pequot war.
• Immigrated England to North America - Married Mary White 1647 in Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut
• Helped Found the Town of Norwich, CT -
• Occupation: Military, Surveyor, Selectman, Deputy of the General Court for 53 sessions & Commissioner.
• Operated the Leffingwell Inn of which George Washington "partook of the hospitalities".

From Benjamin Trumbull, A ... History of Connecticut (1818),

Uncas, with a small band of Mohegan Indians, was encamped on a point of land projecting into the river, and there closely besieged by their most inveterate foes, the Narragansetts. Finding himself in danger of being cut off by the enemy, he managed to send to his friends, the English colony at Saybrook, the news of his extremity, with perhaps some appeal for help.^{[citation needed]}

Upon this intelligence, one Thomas Leffingwell, an ensign at Saybrook, an enterprising, bold man, loaded a canoe with beef, corn and pease, and, under cover of the night paddled from Saybrook into the Thames, and had the address to get the whole into the fort. The enemy soon perceiving that Uncas was relieved, raised the siege. For this service Uncas gave Leffingwell a deed of a great part, if not the whole of the town of Norwich. In June, 1659, Uncas, with his two sons, Owaneco and Attawanhood, by a more formal and authentic deed, made over unto said Leffingwell, John Mason, Esq., the Rev. James Fitch, and others, consisting of thirty-five proprietors, the whole township of Norwich, which is about nine miles square. The company, at this time, gave Uncas and his sons about seventy pounds, as a further compensation for so large and fine a tract.^[1]

Thomas Leffingwell was afterwards lieutenant. In 1659 he removed to Norwich and had several grants of land there. His home lot was on the highway next to Joseph Bushnell's land. He became a prominent man in the town, serving as selectman, surveyor, and on important committees. He was deputy to the general court for fifty-three sessions, 1662-1700; and was also a commissioner. He divided his property among his children before his death, which occurred about 1714-15, when he was about ninety-two years old.^{[citation needed]}

Needs and Research Notes

Cutter (1913) mentions the family of a Thomas and Alice Leffinwell who had five children baptized at White Colne, Essex County, England, including one Michel (19 February 1603) and Thomas, (10 March 1624), saying Michel is "probably the Michel who settled in Woburn, Massachusetts. in 1637" and that Thomas is "probably the immigrant ..."^[2] This seems to be the data reported on Thomas' profile.

It would appear that Cutter's comment in 1913, can be traced to a note Albert Tracy Leffingwell, The Leffingwell record. A genealogy of the descendants of Lieut. Thomas Leffingwell ... The author commissioned research in England and included a chapter overviewing that work. In reporting about baptisms and marriages at White Colne, Leffingwell adds a note to entry for Thomas, bapt. 1624, "This may be our ancestor."^[3]

How is this Thomas Leffingwell proven to be the man who was baptized White Colne?

WikiTree has profile for Michael Leffingwell reported baptism 19 February 1603, to linked to parents Thomas Leffingwell (about 1573-about 1636) and wife Alice. There are two sons Thomas reported to Thomas and Alice--one was buried in 1626; the other was baptized Earls Colne, Essex, 27 July 1629; married (1) in 1650, Elizabeth Prentice and (2) Elizabeth Unknown.

Frances Manwaring Caulkins, in History of Norwich, Connecticut ... (1874) writes, "A tradition has obtained in some branches of the family, that Thomas Leffingwell came to this country from Yorkshire, at fourteen years of age, but returned to England at twenty-one, and married there Mary White. When he emigrated a second time, he brought with him his youngest brother Stephen, fifteen years of age, leaving seven or eight other brothers in the old country. The author is unable to decide whether these traditions should be ranked as fable or fact."^[4]

Profile reported "According to Findagrave Memorial he was born in Derbyshire, England." Are there multiple profiles on FindAGrave? Memorial [195325423, Sgt Thomas Leffinwell] reports a "birth" of 10 March 1624 at England.

Biography is in need of comments about his marriage, and the related inline source. (A previous version of this profile showed a second marriage--to his daughter in law, Mary Bushnell.)

Sources

1. ↑ Benjamin Trumbull, A complete history of Connecticut ... (New Haven: Maltby, Goldsmith and Co. and Samuel Wadsworth, 1818), 2 vols., 1:242; digital images, Hathi Trust
2. ↑ William Richard Cutter, New England families, genealogical and memorial ... (New York: Lewis historical Pub. Co., 1913), 4 vols., 4:1603-1604; digital images, Hathi Trust.
3. ↑ Albert Tracy Leffingwell, The Leffingwell record. A genealogy of the descendants of Lieut. Thomas Leffingwell ... (Aurora, N.Y. : Leffingwell Pub. Co., 1897), 7; digital images, Hathi Trust.
4. ↑ Frances Manwaring Caulkins, in History of Norwich, Connecticut ... ([Hartford, By H.P. Haven], 1874), 189-192 (Leppingwell), in particular, 189n; digital images, Hathi Trust.

• Vital Records of Saybrook, 1647-1834 (Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, 1952) Page 6
• Leffingwell, Albert, Leffingwell Record : A Genealogy of the Descendants of Lieut. Thomas Leffingwell, One of the Founders of Norwich, Conn (Aurora, NY : Leffingwell Pub. Co., 1897).
• Ct Compiled Census & Census Substitutes 1672 -
• My New England Ancestors
• Mahan, Russell. Thomas Leffingwell: The Connecticut Pioneer Who Rescued Chief Uncas and the Mohegans ' Published – October 2, 2018

See also:

• Sachem Uncas Mohegan (1588-1683)