The Founders of Hartford
Hon. John Haynes born 1594 was the eldest son of John Haynes, of Coddicot, in the County of Hertford,
1 also owner of Old Holt, in Essex. John Haynes, Sr., in his will, dated Oct. 20, 1605, calls himself
“of Coddicot in the County of Hartford, Esquier,” mentions his lards in the parishes of muche Haddam and
Widford, and the manor of Haynes at Mill, in the county of Hartford, also lands in the parishes of Birche, much
Birche, Copford, and Laiermar Hey in Essex2 He m. Mary Michell; “Thomas Michell, of Tvinge, in the
county of Hartford, gent.;” was one of the overseers of his will, perhaps a brother-in-law. He had another
son, Emanuel, and nine daughters. Gov. John Haynes m. (1) Mary, dau. and coheir of Robert Thornton, of Hingham,
Co. Norfolk; purchased the estate of Copford Hall, Co. Essex, of Allen Mountjoy, before 1624. This property is still
(1884) in possession of his descendants in the female line. He came to New England in the “Griffin,”
arriving Sept. 3, 1633, with Rev. Thomas Hooker; freeman, Mass., May 14, 1634 ; chosen Assistant and Governor next
year; again Assistant, 1636 ; removed in May, 1637, to Hartford. He m. (2) Mabel, dau. of Richard Harlakenden, of
Earl's Celtic Priory, Co. Essex ; bapt. at Earl's Colne, Dec. 27, 1614. He was an original proprietor, and his first
lot in Hartford was on Main St., opposite the Meeting-House Yard; but he sold that and purchased the lot of Richard
Webb, before Feb., 1639-40, on the corner of the highways now Front and Arch streets. He presided over the deliberations
of the General Court, Nov., 1637, and continued to do so until he was chosen the first governor of Connecticut, April
11, 1639. He was elected govenor alternate years until his death ; and chosen deputy governor, 1640-44-46-50, and
52, interchanging with Edward Hopkins. He made a voyage to England in 1646. His son, General Hezekiah Haynes, wrote
June 27, 1675: “It is sufficiently knowne how chargeable the government was to the magistrates in that first
planting wherein my father bore a considerable part to the almost ruine of his family in England, for by a clear acc
it may be made evident that he had transmitted him into these parts out of his estate in England, between 7 &
8000 £, besides what he had of my Mother-in-Law 's portion, which was a thousand pounds, & by reason thereof we
that were the children by his first wife suffered exceedingly.” He d. in Hartford, March 1, 1653-4. Will dated
in 1646, “being called to the undertaking of a voyage into my native country of England.” Inv. £1540. 6. 3.
He mentions wife Mabell ; John eldest son by wife Mabell ; Roger, second son ; Joseph, youngest son ; “my
Sonn, M' Nathaniel Eldred;” dau Ruth and Mabel. His widow m. (2) Nov. 17, 1654, Samuel Eaton of New Haven, son of
Gov. Eaton; d. in July, 1655.-Ch. by his first wife i. Robert, left by his father at Copford Hall ; espoused the
Royalist side in the Civil Wars; during Cromwell's time imprisoned in the Tower; d., s. p., Aug. 1657. ii.
Major-General Hezekiah, b. 1619, took the aide of the Parliament; he was one of Cromwell's trusted generals;
military governor of the Eastern Counties during the Civil War; upon the accession of Charles 11. he was imprisoned in
the Tower; pardoned Nov. 17, 1660, but again imprisoned, Oct., 1661 ; set at liberty, April, 1662. He made one or
two visits to New England, having some interest in a grant of Indian lands. He m. Anne, dau. of Sir Thomas Smithsby,
of London, Hackney, and widow of - Bushel, a Turkey merchant. He entered his pedigree at the Visitation of Essex,
Anno 1664; aged ab. 68, Anno 1687. His gr.s., Hezekiah Haynes, d. at Copford Hall, Nov. 15, 1763, c. 80, and the
estate passed into the possession of his cousin, Rev. John Harrison, and is now (1884) owned
by Thomas Haynes Harrison, Esq. iii. A dau., m. Nathaniel Eldred, of London. By second wife : iv. John, Harvard
College, 1656 ; freeman, Conn., Feb., 1656-7; soon afterward went to England, and in 1660 took the degree of M.A.
at Pembroke Hall, University of Cambridge. Feb. 3, 1665-6, he describes himself in a deed to his brother, Joseph,
as “of Hemmington in the County of Suffolk, Clerk ;” instituted, May 28, 1668, rector of Swansey, near
Copford Hall; remained there until his death, which occurred before April 25, 1671. v. Roger, was a student at
Harvard ab. 1656 or 57, but did not graduate; be sailed for England, but d. early, perhaps on the voyage. vi. Joseph,
b. 1641 ; Harvard College, 1658 ; supplied the pulpit in Wetherefield, 1663 and 64; succeeded Mr. Stone as pastor of
the First Church, Hartford, in 1664 ; m. ab. 1668, Sarah, dau. of Capt. Richard Lord, of Hartford ; d. May 14, 1679,
aged 38. His only son, John, grad. H. C. 1689 ; m. Mary Glover, of Springfield, 1693 ; chosen magistrate, 1708, and
held the office until his death, 1713; also Judge of the Superior Court. His dau. Mary, b. 1704, was the sole survivor
and heir of the Haynes family. She m. (1) May 2, 1723, Elisha Lord, of Hartford; he d. April 15, 1725, aged 24. Their
only child, John Haynes Lord, b. Jan. 13, 1725, Yale Coll., 1745, perpetuated the name of his distinguished
ancestor, having a son and grandson of the same name. Mrs. Mary (Haynes) Lord, m. (2) April 6, 1727, Roswell
Saltonstall, of Branford, son of Gov. Saltonstall; had four ch. After his death she m. Feb. 5, 1741, Rev. Thomas
Clap, President of Yale College. vii. Mary, b. 1643 ; m. Joseph Cooke ; d. 1702, aged 58. viii. Ruth, m.
ab. 1654, Samuel Wyllys, of Hartford (q. v.). 9. Mabel, b. in Hartford, March 19, 1645-6; m. James Russell, of
Charlestown; d. before 1680.
1 May not the fact that Governor Haynes's ancestors lived in Hertfordshire have had something to do with the name given to the settlement of which he was such a prominent founder?
2 “John Haynes, of Haddam Magna, gentlemen was one of a number of individuals assessed £20 for the defence of the country in 1590.”-Cussan's Hertfordshire
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