John Purchas, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

JOHN¹ PURCHAS, HARTFORD FOUNDER was born in prob Essex Co., England, and died Oct 1645 in Hartford, CT (will, inventory). He married JOAN ______. She was born in England, and died 06 Apr 1683 in Windsor, CT.

The date of emigration to the American colonies of John Purchas (Purkas), who probably came from Essex County, England, is unknown. He was in Hartford by 1637, as he served in the Pequot War of that year. He was an inhabitant of Hartford “by the Courtesie of the Towne”, and in the land inventory of February 1639/40 he held: two acres on which his dwelling house stood, located on the corner of the road from Seth Grant’s to Centinel Hill and the road from Centinel Hill to the Cow Pasture; one acre in the Pine Field; one rood in the Soldiers Field; four acres on the east side of the Great River; and five acres and three roods in the Cow Pasture. He later acquired two additional parcels of land.

He does not appear to have held any public offices. In his will dated 15 October 1645 he mentions that his wife is with child, and Roger Purchas was named as a debtee in the probate of Josiah Williard of Farmington on 23 Jul 1674. The inventory of John Purchas’s estate was taken in October 1645.

Genealogy: none known