The Founders of Hartford
Ozias Goodwin was born ab. 1596 (he testified that his age was 78, in 1674) ; a brother of Elder William
Goodwin; be m. Mary, dau. of Robert Woodward, of Braintree, Co. Essex, and very prob. came from that region himself.
He was one of the proprietors "by courtesie of the town," and his home-lot was on the west Side of the highway leading
from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill, now Trumbull St., containing four acres. He signed the agreement to remove to
Hadley in 1659, but did not go. A home-lot of eight acres was assigned to him at Hadley, and Dec. 19, 1661, the grant
was renewed, provided that he should take up his residence by the middle of May ; “and Mr. Goodwin (Wm.) engages
for his Brother.” He d. prior to April, 1683. Inv. April 3, £129. 4.-Ch.: i. William, b. ab. 1629; m. Susanna -;
who she was is unknown, excepting the fact that she had a sister, Sarah Freon, who was betrothed to Thomas
Greenhill ; freeman, May 21, 1657; chimneyviewer, 1672 ; d. in Hartford, Oct. 15, 1689. In his will, dated June 25,
1689, he gives to his Son, William, land "formerly belonging to my uncle, John Morris, of Hartford," but just what
the relationship was is unknown. His widow, Susanna, m. ab. Aug., 1691, John Shepard, Sr., of Hartford, as his
Second wife. ii. Nathaniel, b. ab. 1637 ; freeman, Oct., 1662 ; m. (1) Sarah dau. of John and Hannah Cowles, of
Hatfield, Mass., afterward of Farmington; d. May 8, 1676, aged 29; he m. (2) Elizabeth, den. of Daniel Pratt.
Chosen townsman, 1670, 1677, 1682, 1695, 1706; his will is dated Aug. 21, 1712; inv. Jan. 29, 1713-14. iii. Hannah,
b. ab. 1639; m. ab. 1660-1, William Pitkin, of Hartford ; d. Feb. 12, 1723-4, in her eighty-fifth year. Ozias Goodwin
has a numerous posterity, and his descendants have been prominent among our best citizens. The late Judge
Nathaniel Goodwin, the distinguished antiquarian and genealogist, was a great-great-grandson of Nathaniel, above.
In the line of Nathaniel, by his second wife, were his great-grandson, George Goodwin, of the firm of Hudson k Goodwin,
for many years publisher of the “Connecticut Courant,” and also the late Major James Goodwin.
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