Research
Objective
 |
The research objective for this part of the Stoughton Family work
is focused on the question, Who were the
parents of Joseph Stoughton, born 31 July 1737 at East Windsor, Hartford
County, Connecticut? [1]
Background
 |
The above information was found on the family scroll, a 9”x36”
handwritten document, which the client’s mother carefully wrote to preserve the
results of her family history research. The scroll contains the family lineage
from the client’s grandmother through four generations. This information was
transferred to a genealogy database. It also notes that Joseph married Martha
Wolcott in 1768, and he died 7 December 1834, in Westfield, Orleans, Vermont. [2]
Based on information from the book, English Ancestry of Thomas Stoughton of Windsor, Connecticut, also
presented by the client, his likely father could be Nathaniel Stoughton.
Nathaniel was born 23 June 1702, and he married Martha Elsworth, 11 September
1729, the daughter of John Elsworth. Martha was born 27 February 1708/1709.
Nathaniel’s will was admitted for probate 10 April 1780 at Hartford. There are no children listed for this couple
in this book.[3]
Research
Results Summary
 |
The research at the Family
History Library did provide information to connect the generations previously
discovered while utilizing the family scroll and the book provided. Neither the
scroll nor the book provided detailed documentation for the information. They
do provide a rough framework indicating localities to be searched. Records were
searched for the towns of:
Windsor,
Hartford County, Connecticut
Weathersfield,
Windsor County, Vermont
Westfield,
Orleans County, Vermont
Janesville,
Rock County, Wisconsin
Detailed Research Results
|
The Stoughton family lineage as recorded on the scroll is as
follows:
Katherine Stoughton born April 1884, Luverne, Rock County,
Minnesota, daughter of
Arthur Luke Stoughton born 29 September 1854, Stoughton, Madison,
Wisconsin, married Rose M. Farry 28 October 1879 in Luverne, and died 17 July
1942 in Portland, Oregon, son of
Dr. Guy Stoughton born January 1801, Weathersfield, Windsor,
Vermont, married Clarinda Stebbins March 1837 in Westfield, Orleans, Vermont,
and died February 1879, son of
Honorable Thomas Stoughton born 31 July 1773, Windsor, Hartford,
Connecticut, married Sally Boynton 1795 in Weathersfield, Windsor, Vermont, and
died 20 April 1848 in Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin, son of
Joseph Stoughton born 31 July 1738, East Windsor, Hartford,
Connecticut, married Martha Wolcott in 1768, and died 7 December 1834,
Westfield, Orleans, Vermont.
The Stoughton family lineage as recorded in the book is as
follows:
Nathaniel Stoughton born 23 June 1702, married Martha Elsworth 11
September 1729, his will admitted for probate 10 April 1780 at Hartford, page
100 son of
John Stoughton born 20 June 1657, married 1. Elizabeth Bissell 24
August 1682, married 2. Sarah Fitch 23 January 1689. John died 24 May 1712,
pages 99-100, son of
Thomas Stoughton born 1624 in England, married Mary Wadsworth 30
November 1655. Thomas died 15 September 1684 at Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut,
page 99, son of
Thomas Stoughton baptized 9 July 1588 in Naughton Parish, Suffolk,
England, married Elizabeth Montpesan, he died 25 March 1661 at Windsor,
Hartford, Connecticut, page 74, son of
Reverend Thomas Stoughton born about 1557 and of Naughton and
Coggeshall Parishes, married Katherine, he died about 1622, page 62, son of
Francis Stoughton born about 1531 and of St. Peters, Sandwich,
married Agnes, he died about 1557, will dated 28 July 1557, proved 30 September
1557, page 57, son of
Edward Stoughton born 1495 and of Ash, Kent, England, married Mary
Exhurst, he died about 1573-1574, buried in Chancel of St. Mary’s Church in
Ash, page 52, son of
Thomas Stoughton unknown birth, of Dartford, England, married
Margaret, he died about 1528, will dated 28 June 1528, proved 23 July 1528,
page 49, son of
Henry Stoughton unknown birth, of Parish of St. Nicholas Cole
Abbey, London, England, married Johane, he died 1509, buried St. Nicholas Cole
Abbey, London, page 46, son of
Thomas Stoughton unknown birth, of St. Nicholas Cole Abbey,
London, England, married Christian, he died about 1479-80, will dated 31
October 1478, proved 8 February 1479-80, citizen and fishmonger of London, page
43.
Windsor, Hartford
County, Connecticut
The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor,
Connecticut, 1635-1891, by Henry R.
Stiles, A.M., M.D., is a respected resource for information on families who
lived there. There are 91 members of the Stoughton Family listed. Vol. II
Genealogies and Biographies, Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood &
Brainard Company, 1892, 974.62/W1 H2s.
The Stoughton family is found
on pages 721-742.
Nathaniel Stoughton
information is found on pages 728 and 730 and is as follows:
“FAM. 3. John (Anc. Thos.,
Mr. Thos.) m. (1) Elizabeth Bissell, (2) Sarah Fitch,” who were the parents of
“Nathaniel, b. 23 June 1702. FAM. 9”
“FAM. 9. Nathaniel (John,
Anc. Thos, Mr. Thos.) m. Martha (dau. John) Ellsworth of E. W., 11 Sept. 1729.
‘Cousin Nathaniel Stoughton’ is ment, in Rev. Timo. Edwards’ Rate Bk., as
paying his rates in shoes – 1725-40. His will, dated 13 June 1753 (E. W. Prob.
Rec., ii. 53), ment. Wife, Martha, and the ch. Which in following list are
starred.* Ch.:”
“6. Joseph, b. 31 July 1738.
FAM. 18.”
Joseph Stoughton information
is found on page 732 and is as follows:
“Joseph (Nath’l., John, Anc.
Thos., Mr. Thos.) m. Abigail Wolcott of E.W., rem. before 1790, to
Weathersfield, Vt., thence to Westfield, Vt., where he d. 5 Feb., 1815; is said
by his gt.-gd.,-s., J. C. Carter, to have been one of the gallant little band
with which Ethan Allen accomplished his famous capture of Fort Ticonderoga.
Children:”
“2. Thomas. FAM 34.”
Thomas Stoughton information
is found on page 736 and is as follows:
“Thomas (Jos., Nath’l, John,
Anc. Thos., Mr. Thos.), m. Sally Boynton of Weathersfield, Vt.; removed to
Westfield, Vt.; thence to Stoughton, Wis., where he d. Children:”
“2. Guy, a physician; res.
Wis.” No family information is given.
The above information on the
families appears to be very similar to what was found in the book, Thomas Stoughton of Windsor, Connecticut. While
there are no sources provided for most of the information, the information on
the family of Joseph, Thomas and Guy is fairly consistent with
what was written on the
family scroll. Key to the family connection is the listing of Guy Stoughton, a
physician, as he was the great grandfather of the client’s mother.
The Barbour Collection,
available at the local Family History Center, also provides information on 170
members of the Stoughton family. On page 348 of the volume for the Windsor
Vital Records is listed: “Joseph, s. Nathaniel and Martha, b. July 31, 1738.”
The Ricker Collection of
Vital Records of Early Connecticut, which was purchased in CD format, provides
information on the 243 members of the Stoughton family. On page 12306 is
listed: “Joseph, son of Nathaniel & Martha, b. 31 Jul 1738 – Windsor, VR.”
While all three of these
sources list the same information for Joseph’s parents, it is probable that
they all found that information in the original Windsor Vital Records. By
combining the different pieces of information from each source one can develop
a more in-depth understanding of the relationship between the sources. The
above records were focused on the family in Windsor. From there they moved to
Weathersfield and the following information is consistent with what is recorded
on the family scroll.
Weathersfield,
Windsor County, Vermont
Weathersfield/Century One by John L. Hurd, published for the Publications
Committee of the Weathersfield Historical Society, Inc., Phoenix Publishing,
Canaan, New Hampshire, 1975.
“The General Assembly of 1804
passed ‘An Act Incorporating Certain Persons Therein Mentioned, By the Name of
Weathersfield Turnpike Company,” which included the name of Thomas Stoughton,
page 99-100.
“Nathaniel and Joseph
Stoughton came to Weathersfield during the 1780’s. Nathaniel settled on the
meadow west of the Plains Burying Ground along the Crown Point Road (7-11). His
first log cabin was replaced by a frame house before 1790. From the Stoughton
place a road ran eastward to the Plains Road and westward to the Branch Brook
Road. This property remained in the Stoughton family until the 1960’s when all
of this area including the sites of the old house at (7-10) and (7-8)
disappeared under the waters of Stoughton Pond. The Stoughton house was moved
to a new location on Route 131 and restored by Joseph Stoughton, a present-day
member of the family. The Stoughton covered bridge was saved and is now located
on Andrew Titcomb’s property in Perkinsville,” page 219.
While it is possible that
this is the same Nathaniel the father, his will indicates that he died in East
Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut before 10 April 1780 when the will was proven. It
is more likely this Nathaniel is the younger brother of Joseph.
Genealogies and Biographies of Ancient Weathersfield, 974.62W2 H2as, 1975, Vol. 2.
There was only one reference
to a John Stoughton who married Ruth Belding 22 June 1765, page 690.
There was only one reference
to Samuel Stebbins who married Sarah Boardman 12 August 1784, page 664.
Information on the Wolcott
Family was on page 838.
Weathersfield Inscriptions by Edward Sweetser Tillotson, published by William
F.J.Boardman, Hartford, Connecticut, 1899. No reference was found for the
Stoughton family.
Westfield, Orleans
County, Vermont
Westfield Genealogy, A Journal of American Ancestry, Vol. 5, 1915, No. 03. New England
Tombstone Inscriptions, nothing found for the Stoughton family.
Westfield Birth, Death and
Marriages to 1860, FHL microfilm 029036, provides information on the Stoughton
and Stebbins families. For the family of Thomas Stoughton there is a listing of
children born 1808, 1810, 1813, 1816, 1819, all born in Westfield. The older
children born 1795, 1797, 1799 and 1801 are not listed, including Guy who was
born in 1801.
Westfield Town Records and
Church Records, FHL microfilm 02039, provides information on the Stoughton and
Stebbins families. The scanned copies did not save to the flash drive, so this
microfilm will need to be ordered. There are also two microfilms of deeds, Vol.
1 1805-1823 on film 029037 and Vol. 3 1840-1850 on film 029038, which should be
ordered as they are difficult to read and they have not been digitized for
online access. Found on the microfilm 02039 is a reference on page 152 of the
church records of Guy Stoughton in 1835.
Additional
Information
 |
The Thomas Stoughton Family of Windsor, Conn.
Explanation about the
creation of the book, page 98.
“It has been our purpose in
this family history to establish the connection between the American Stoughton’s
and their English forefathers. This we have done through Thomas Stoughton,
1588-1661, but as he had only one son, Thomas Stoughton, 1624-1684, we decided
it would be more helpful to those who are tracing their Stoughton lines back to
their origin in America to add the names of and data relating to the children
of Thomas Stoughton and his wife Mary Wadsworth. They had four sons and three
daughters. All those bearing the name of Stoughton in this country who can
trace their line back to Thomas Stoughton are descended from these four sons.
Stoughton connections can be established through their daughters.
Where definite references are
indicated the data have been verified. In several instances an overall
reference has been given. These data were obtained from family genealogies and
have not been verified. Some of this information may have been acquired from family
Bibles which are regarded as reliable sources but to which we do not have
access.”
Conclusion
|
The answer to the research
objective, Who were the parents of
Joseph Stoughton, born 31 July 1737 at East Windsor, Hartford County,
Connecticut?, is they are probably Nathaniel and Martha Stoughton of Windsor,
Hartford County, Connecticut. There is no other Joseph listed born near that
date in the Barbour or Ricker collections.
Suggestions For
Further Research
Further research in land, property, probate and court records may
yield additional validation of the relationships of these family members.
The microfilms for Westfield, Orleans County, Vermont should be
ordered after checking that they are not available in digitized format. Many
records are being digitized and being place online for easier access. The
microfilms were viewed at the FHL, but there was not time to do a thorough
review. Westfield Town Records and Church
Records, FHL microfilm 02039, provides information on the Stoughton and Stebbins
families. There are also two microfilms of deeds, Vol. 1 1805-1823 on film
029037 and Vol. 3 1840-1850 on film 029038, which should be ordered as they are
difficult to read and they have not been digitized for online access.
[1]
Stoughton Family Scroll, handwritten lineage of the Client’s mother, in
possession of the client, 7 January 2015.
[2]
Stoughton Family Scroll.
[3] English
Ancestry of Thomas Stoughton of Windsor, Connecticut, 1588-1661 and His Son
Thomas Stoughton 1624-1684, His brother Israel Stoughton 1603-1645 and his
nephew William Stoughton 1631-1701 of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Artcraft
Press, Waterloo, Wisconsin, published 1958, 159 pages. Possession of client.
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