William Whiting, Major and Susanna Wiggin

Major William Whiting was born in 1605 in Boxford, Sussex, England and died on July 24, 1647. He was the son of John Whiting. William married Susanna Wiggin in 1630. Susanna was born about 1600. She died on July 8, 1673.

William was an original proprietor of Hartford; his home lot in 1639 was on the east side of the street now Governor St. In 1633 “the Bristol men had sold their interest in Piscataqua to the Lords Say and Brooke, George Wyllys, and William Whiting, who continued Thomas Wiggin their agent.” Mr. Whiting retained his interest in Piscataqua until his death, and was one of the most efficient promoters of the trade and commerce of Hartford. He was also engaged in a patent for lands at Swampscott with Lords Say and Brook.

Hooker's Party Coming to Hartford is an oil on canvas by Frederic Edwin Church from 1846. It is part of the collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. (Google Images)

In 1630 there were ... but three houses on the banks of the upper Pascataqua, including both Dover and Newington shores. March 12, 1629-30, Edward Hilton, for himself and his associates, procured from the great Plymouth Company in England a

patent or patents, commonly called the Dover and Swamscot patents. This was the origin of the English title to the lands of old Dover up to the lines of Barrington and Rochester; of Newington, and of part of Greenland and Stratham, — all of this territory being covered by this patent.

In 1631, the year following that of the patent, Capt. Thomas Wiggin came hither. He acted, says Hubbard, for " the Shrewsbury men and others," and "began a plantation." In 1632 he returned to England for more supplies. While in England that year, he had opportunity to show his friendship for the Puritan government of Massachusetts. "

Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. Mason," says Winthrop, Feb. 21, 1632-33, "had preferred a petition to the lords of the privy council against us, charging us with many false accusations; but through the Lord's good providence . . . and the good testimony given in our behalf by one Capt. Wiggin, who dwelt at Pascataquack, and had been divers times among us, their malicious practice took not effect."

Dover was called "Bristol" on a map so late as 1634; but on the 25th of March 1633, Edward Howes, writing from London to Governor John Winthrop, of Massachusetts, says : ''There are honest men about to buye out the Bristol mens plantation in Pascataqua, and do propose to plant there 500 good people before Michelmas next. T. Wiggin is the chief agent therein." ' And again, June 22, 1633, "he intends to plant himself and many gracious men there this summer. ... I have and you all have cause to blesse God that you have soe good a neighbour as Capt. Wiggin."

The Bristol men held two-thirds interest in the double patent. It was sold, apparently in 1633. "Whereas," says the Massachusetts government in 1641, " some lords, knights, gentlemen, and others did purchase of Mr. Edward Hilton and some merchants of Bristol two patents." The declaration of John Allen and partners in 1654 says that the Bristol men sold to Lord Say, Lord Brooke, Sir Richard Saltonstall, Sir Arthur Heselrig, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Willis, Mr. Whiting, Mr. Hewell, and others, for .£2,150. " Whereas," says an old conveyance on record in Boston, dated 13 May 1648, "Lords Say and Brooke obtained two patents, now commonly called and knowne by the name of Swamp-scott and Dover . . . and whereas Robert Saltonstall hath bought twelve shares of the twenty five into which the patent is divided ; that is, of Lord Brooke four, of Lord Say one share, of Sir Richard Saltonstall and Mr. Boswell three, of Messrs. Burgoyne, Holyoke, Makepeace, Hewell, one share each." " The Lords Say and Brooke," wrote Winthrop in October 1634, " wrote to the governor and Mr. Bellingham, that howsoever they might have sent a man of war to beat down the house at Kenebeck, . . . they desired that some of ours might be joined with Capt. Wiggin, their agent at Pascataquack, to see justice done." " Capt. Wiggin," says Winthrop's Journal, 14 February 1635, " governor at Pascataquack under the Lords Say and Brook." The patent or patents, therefore, were divided into twenty-five shares ; and these were bought and sold, as by conveyances on record still, as shares in modern land companies are bought and sold. In this company it is clear that Lords Say and Brooke held the controlling interest. How many shares the first-named had does not appear; but Lord Brooke certainly held eight, eventually selling four to Henry Clarke and four to Robert Saltonstall, who also purchased the four from Clarke. " Honest men," as Howes said, were these owners; that is, they were in sympathy with Massachusetts and in the coming opposition to Charles and his court. "

They, being writ unto," said the memorial of Allen in 1654, "by the governor and magistrates of the Massachusetts, who encouraged them to purchase the said lands from the Bristol men, in respect they feared some ill neighbourhood of them, as some in this honored court may please to remember." The Lords, says Hubbard, " likewise employed Mr. Wiggin to act in their behalf, for the space of seven years," "the Shrewsbury men still retaining their own share." Lords Say and Brooke, therefore, were substantially the second founders of Dover ; the patrons of Thomas Wiggin and the moving power of the emigration of the year 1633, — that emigration which made this First Parish. (From: The First Parrish Church in Dover by First Parish Church, Dover, N.H. published 1884)

Source: http://books.google.com/books?id=vJ93iPPNICAC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=lords+say+and+brook&source=web&ots=MUp-8BH-Gi&sig=rbzCm1DrYCJfyOOh3PT1jHU5oXk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA15,M1

William was one of the Committee who for the first time sat with the Court of Magistrates in 1637; freeman, Feb., 1640; Treasurer of the Colony from 1641 until 1647; chosen magistrate 1642, and continued in office until his death in 1647. In 1638 he was allowed to trade with the Indians; and he was appointed with Major Mason and others to erect fortifications in 1642, and the same year he was appointed with Mason to collect tribute of the Indians on Long Island and on the Main. He was a merchant of wealth, and had dealings with Virginia and Piscataqua; had a trading house at the Delaware River, and also at Westfield.

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From the Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connecticut comes the following:

Major William Whiting , the immigrant ancestor, held an enviable position among the early settlers of Hartford, Connecticut . At some time between 1631 and 1633 he became one of the purchasers of the Piscataqua grants of the Bristol men. He was associated with Lords Say and Brooke and George Wyllys. They continued Thomas Wiggin as their agent. He retained his interests in Maine until his death.

He was "one of the most respectable of the settlers (of Hartford ) in 1636 , one of the civil and religious Fathers of Connecticut, a man of wealth and education, styled in the records, 'William Whiting, gentleman.'" In 1642 he was chosen one of the magistrates; in 1641 treasurer of the colony of Connecticut, an office he held the rest of his life. "In 1646 a plot was laid by Sequasson, Sachem of the Naticks, to kill Governor Haynes and Hopkins and Mr. Whiting on account of the just and faithful protection which these gentlemen had afforded Uncas. The plot was disclosed by a friendly Indian and the danger averted." He bore the title of Major as early as 1647.

He was one of a committee who for the first time sat with the court of magistrates in 1637; was admitted freeman in February, 1640; was magistrate 1642-47, treasurer, 1641-47. In 1638 he was allowed to trade with the Indians and was appointed with Major Mason and others to erect fortifications in 1642, and in the same year was appointed with Mason to collect tribute of the Indians on Long Island and on the Main. He was a merchant of wealth and had dealings with Virginia and Piscataqua. He had a trading house on the Delaware river and another at Westfield, Massachusetts. His will, dated March 20, 1643 , states that he was about to make a voyage at sea. It bears a codicil dated July 24, 1647. (See Trumbull's Colonial Records, or Hartford Probate Records).

Whiting was powerful and useful in the colony on account of his broad views and wealth, which enabled him to carry out for the benefit of the community his large and various plans. Always an efficient promoter of the trade and commerce of Hartford, he had trading houses also in various parts of the country and he owned many large land patents. Governor Edward Hopkins and he were the two leading merchants of the colony of which Hartford was the centre. After the Pequot war was over they began to export corn "beyond the seas."

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