Clement Chaplin, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

CLEMENT¹ CHAPLIN, REV., HARTFORD FOUNDER (WILLIAM^A) baptized 05 Jun 1593 in Semer, Suffolk, England, and died bef. 23 Sep 1656 in Thetford, Norfolk, England (will proved) d. s. p.. He married SARAH HINDES 05 May 1618 in Rushbroock, Suffolk, England. She was born abt. 1596 in Bury St. Edmunds, England, and died aft. 21 Jan 1661/62 in poss Thetford, Norfolk, England d. s. p.

Clement Chaplin, a chandler, of Rushock, Suffolk, England emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony aboard the ship “Elizabeth & Ann”, leaving London on 17 April 1635. His first residence was in Cambridge, where he was selectman 23 November 1635 and Deputy for Cambridge to the Massachusetts Bay General Court 25 May 1636. He was among the so-called “Adventurers Party” of twenty-five men who set out to explore the area that would become Hartford, led by John Steele in October 1635, prior to the departure from Cambridge of the Rev. Hooker’s party in May 1636. He removed soon after that, in 1636, to Hartford. He was one of the elders of the Rev. Hooker’s congregation.

He was the son of William Chaplin and Agnes Holborough, and his sister Dorcas married John Plumb of Wethersfield: their daughter Dorothy married John Lyman, son of Hartford Founder Richard Lyman.

Although he was an original proprietor of Hartford, Clement nonetheless did not stay long in Hartford, having removed to Wethersfield by 1 May 1637, at which time he was Deputy to the Connecticut General Court for Wethersfield, which he was also in 1643 and 1644.

On 1 May 1637 he was on a committee to establish the Pequot War. On 9 February 1637 and was named treasurer to collect monies for purchased corn from the Indians. By 10 October 1639, the bounty from the harvest was such that Chaplin was named among others to collect surplus to be taken Hartford for distribution.

Due to his removal from Hartford, his allotment of land was declared forfeited 14 January 1639/40. This forfeiture was apparently only pertinent to his original home lot, as he held ownership of land in Hartford in March 1644, viz: two acres on which stood his dwelling house with other outhouses and yards, located on the south side of the Meetinghouse yard and on the east side of the road from the Palisade to Centinel Hill; two acres, two roods, and twelve perches in the Little Meadow; four acres, one rood, and thirty-two perches on the east side of the Great River; four acres, two roods, and twenty-mine perches in the North Meadow; fifteen acres, two roods, and twelve perches also in the North Meadow; a third parcel in the North Meadow of ten acres; two roods and seventeen perches in the Neck of Land; thirteen acres, two roods, and ten perches also in the Neck of Land; thirty-one acres in the Old Oxpasture; as well as lands in Wethersfield. He returned to England permanently after June 1646, where he became a minister. He was living in Thetford, Norfolk in 16 August 1656 when he wrote his will, naming his widow Sarah as executor, which will was proved on 23 September 1656. He is not known to have had any children.

Genealogy: not applicable, as he had no children