Henry Tomlinson (1606 - 1681)

Born 22 Nov 1606 in Werbury, Derbyshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Alice (Hyde) Birdseye — married about 1635 in England

Descendants

Died 16 Mar 1681 at age 74 in Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut

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Henry Tomlinson migrated from England to Colonial America.

Biography

Henry TOMLINSON was christened 14 Nov 1606 at St. Peter's Church at St. Werburgh, y, Derbyshire, England. He died 16 Mar 1681 in Stratford, Fairfield, CT. Henry married Alice.

Opened the first tavern in Milford 1654.

His family belonged to the "Landed Gentry" of England. Henry's occupation was that of a weaver, as probably was his father's.

Henry & his wife, Alice, and a couple of their children came to New England, USA from Derbyshire, England. They probably lived in New Haven, CT first, and later settled in Milford, CT. by 1652. He was appointed to keep an "Ordinary" (inn) at Milford. In 1654, he was fined for non-payment of duties on imported wine, which he refused to pay since he had paid all "legal" duties. He brought charges in the courts against the Governor of New Haven, Colony for over-stepping the law causing the Governor to be arrested.

On April 1, 1657, he purchased the estate of Joshua Atwater in Stratford, CT. Along with Joseph Hawley, Henry Tomlinson also purchased a considerable tract of land in Derby, CT from the Indians. Much of the land owned by Henry was later transferred to his son, Jonas, and kept in the family for generations. Along with others, he also purchased a large tract of land from the Indians at New Milford, CT. On January 2, 1670 Henry Tomlinson was chosen to keep an inn in Stratford, CT.

Henry Tomlinson brought a Coat-of-Arms to America with him which was passed down the family.

His will written March 15, 1680/81^[1] in Stratford showed his strong faith in Almighty God and the saving power of Jesus Christ. He bequeathed as follows:

...to my loving wife, "Allice" Tomlinson and to my son, Agur Tomlinson, all my houses & buildings with all my lands in Stratford. If she remarry, she is to receive 1/3 and the remainder to Augur. After her death, Augur is to recieve her share.

He states that he had already given sufficient estate to his son, Jonas and daughters, Harger, Mary Pierson, Tabatha Worster, Phebe Worster, and Bashua Stiles, but that son, Augur was to give daughter, Margaret five pounds the year after our death, to Jonas four pound the second year after our death, to daughter, Mary Pierson five pounds the third year after our death, to daughter Tabetha Worster five pounds the fourth year after our death, to Phebe Worster twenty pounds the fifth year after our death, and to Basshua Stiles five pounds the sixth year. If any of them should die, their amount shall go to Jonas & his heirs. If Augur shall die & leave no heirs, his portion shall return to Jonas, and Jonas shall pay the above named heirs twenty pounds each on the above yearly schedule.

....to the two sons, Jonas & Augur, his Indian purchases at Derby, and his guns. Augur is to receive a horse, oxen, bed & furniture.

....to grandchildren, Timothy Worster and Abigail Harger, if they stay with the widow or Agur for four years, one mare each.

The wife was appointed executrix; friends, Richard Blaklidg and Joseph Hawley along with son [son-in-law], Ephraim Stiles, to be overseers. His will was proved April 28, 1681 and his estate was about 518 pounds. The widow married my ancestor, DEACON JOHN BIRDSEYE in 1688.

His date of death, 16 March 1680/81^[1] is recorded in the heading of his inventory which was taken on 26 March 1681.^[1]

Marriage

January 1600 St. Peter's Church, Derby, Derbyshire, England (Orcutt)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9049/images/007627300_00151). Connecticut, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 [database on-line], Probate Records, Vol 1-5, 1648-1750 image 15. Fairfield, Vol 3 1676-1690, Page 56, Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Free Ancestry.com image Page 1; Page 2

• Hawley, Elias. The Hawley Record (E. H. Hutchinson & Co., Buffalo, N.Y., 1890) Page 443
• Find A Grave: Memorial #38786786
• Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s (Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012)
• Wooster, David. Genealogy of the Woosters in America (M. Weiss, San Francisco, 1885) Page 12.
• Wilcoxson, William Howard. History of Stratford, Connecticut, 1639-1939 (Stratford Tercentenary Commission, Stratford, Conn., 1939) Page 203
• Orcutt, Rev. Samuel. "Henry Tomlinson, and His Descendants in America" (FB &c Ltd, Dalton House, London) Page 3.
• History of Milford, Connecticut, 1639-1939 (The Milford Tercentenary Committee, Inc., 1939) Page 19 & Page 29-30.
  • "The town government kept a regulatory finger upon the tavern and inn, where travelers and their mounts sought accommodation and townsmen gathered of an evening to discuss affairs over a mug of ale. Milford had been without a tavern until June, 1654, when Henry Tomlinson, the weaver, made application to the judges for permission to open an "ordinary." The town was both willing and anxious to grant the request, but neither Tomlinson's house nor its location was suitable for the venture. On West Main Street, then the main road through the town, was a house near the present "Grey Court" apartments owned by Richard Bryan that was better situated for the purpose."
  • "Tomlinson opened the tavern late in 1654, but his innkeeping was not to the satisfaction of the town. He served meagre and unappetizing meals and overcharged his customers. Furthermore, he allowed the young people of the village to congregate there to dance and play cards. In 1655 the town sold the property back to Richard Bryan and William East, with the understanding that they maintain it as a tavern. Since Tomlinson refused to give up the property, claiming it as his own, a court order was necessary before he could be evicted."
• Tomlinson, Richard G., Untangling the Knot in the Line of Henry Tomlinson of Stratford, CT, The Connecticut Nutmegger (Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Glastonbury, Connecticut, 2005) Vol. 38, Page 235.
• https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LD39-TYS/Henry-Tomlinson.html
• https://www.amazon.com/descendants-Tomlinson-1606-1681-1608-1698-Genealogies/dp/B0006RYEA4