John Crow, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

JOHN¹ CROW, HARTFORD FOUNDER was born abt. 1615 in England, and died 16 Jan 1685/86 in Hadley, MA. He married (1) ___________. She died bef. 1640. He married (2) ELIZABETH GOODWIN abt. 1640 in Hartford, CT, daughter of WILLIAM GOODWIN and ELIZABETH WHITE. She was born abt. 1620 in England, and died aft. 1686 in poss Hartford, CT.

The ancestry, origin, and date of arrival in the colonies and in Hartford of John Crow are unknown. John Crow became the owner, by vote of the town, of the original land right of Bartholomew Greene in Hartford, forfeited by Greene’s death. He was one of the first settlers on the east side of the river, and the largest landholder in Hartford, having purchased along with William Goodwin seven hundred sixty-six acres on the east side of the river. He was chosen surveyor of highways in 1656.

He was probably the brother of Christopher Crow who married Mary, daughter of Hartford Founder Benjamin Burr.

He went with his father-in-law, Elder William Goodwin, to Hadley, Massachusetts in 1659, where he became freeman in 1666. He returned to Hartford about 1675, where he and his wife were admitted to the South Church on 31 March 1678, and, although some sources have him returning to Hadley and dying there, in his will, made 11 February 1683/4, he calls himself “of Hartford”, and mentions within that will no holdings in Hadley. His inventory was exhibited 4 March 1685/6.

Genealogy: None known