Gregory Wilterton, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

GREGORY¹ WILTERTON, HARTFORD FOUNDER (RICHARD^A WOLTERTON) was born abt. 1593 in prob Norfolk, England, and died bef. 06 Aug 1674 in Hartford, CT (inventory). He married (1) SUSANNA ______ abt. 1630 in England. She was born abt. 1587 in England, and died 1662 in Hartford, CT. He married (2) BENNET TRITTON 09 Oct 1663 in Hadley, MA, daughter of DANIEL TRITTON and ALICE GOLDHATCH. She was baptized 30 Jul 1609 in Ashford, Kent, England, and died Jan 1664/65 in Hartford, CT. He married (3) HANNAH THURSTON abt. 1665 in Hartford, CT. She was born in England, and died bef. 1670 in prob Hartford, CT. He married (4) JANE ______ 24 Oct 1670 in Hartford, CT. She was born abt. 1619 in England, and died aft. 03 Sep 1674 in Hartford, CT (husband Gregory Wilterton’s probate).

The ancestry and origin of Gregory Wilterton was unknown until the brilliant and meticulous article “The English Woltertons”, (TAG 68) in which Sanborn, Anderson, and Smith definitively established his ancestry and origin in Norfolk County, England. It is still unknown exactly when and to where he emigrated to the American colonies, but he was in Hartford by the land inventory of February 1639/40, when he originally held: two acres on which his dwelling house stood with other outhouses, yards and gardens, located on the south side of the Little River on the road from the Mill to the South Meadow; two roods on which his tannery stood, located to the east side of the Little River on the north side of the road from the Mill to the South Meadow, three lots west of his home lot; ten acres, three roods, and sixteen perches in the South Meadow; six acres in the Great Swamp; five acres lying in Hockanum; six acres of Upland; and three rood and eight perches in the swamp by the Great River; along with seven other parcels of land acquired later.

Starting in 1661 he purchased seven other parcels of land partnered with Founders John Whitng, Richard Lord, and Thomas Bunce, which appear to be investments, as several of them were later sold.

He was chosen selectman in 1639, 1645, 1651, and 1666. He was constable in 1643, 1654 and 1661, and surveyor in 1647, and fence viewer in 1649. He was appointed to order the affairs of the town in 1650, and in 1671 was on a committee to lay out highways.

He was among the signers of the agreement to move to Hadley, but did not remove there except briefly, as he married his second wife Bennet (Tritton) Stanley there 9 October 1663, but returned to Hartford soon thereafter.

He had only one child, Samuel, born 21 August 1667, who died seven months later.

His will was dated 14 July 1674, and his inventory was taken 6 August 1674.

Genealogy: No genealogy exists for Gregory Wolterton, as his only child died aged seven months.