Nicholas Disborough, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

NICHOLAS¹ DISBOROUGH, HARTFORD FOUNDER was born abt. 1613 in England, and died bef. 31 Aug 1683 in Hartford, CT (inventory). He married (1) MARY BRONSON bef. 2 Apr 1640 in Hartford, CT, daughter of ROGER BROWNSON and MARY UNDERWOOD. She was born Mar 1622/23 in Earl’s Colne, Essex, England, and died bef. 1669 in Hartford, CT. He married (2) ELIZABETH SHEPARD bef. 30 Jun 1674 in Hartford, CT, daughter of EDWARD SHEPARD and VIOLET STANLEY?. She was baptized 08 May 1628 in Pirton, Hertford, England, and died abt. 30 Mar 1694 in Hartford, CT (buried).

It is unknown when Nicholas Disborough (Disbro, Desbrough, Desborough, Disborow, Desbrow) emigrated to the American colonies, but he was in Hartford by 1637 as evidenced by his service in the Pequot War of that year. He was a carpenter, a resident “by courtesie of the Towne”. In the Hartford land inventory of February 1639/40 he had: two roods where his dwelling house stood, located on the east side of the road from Centinel Hill to the Cow Pasture; three acres in the Pine Field; one rood in the Soldiers Field; and four acres of swamp on the east side of the Great River. Later he acquired four acres, two roods and sixteen perches in the Cow Pasture, an addition of one acre to his home lot, and other pieces of land in various parts of the town.

He was chosen to survey the chimneys in 1646, 1655, 1662 and 1669. In 1665 he was chosen surveyor of highways. His name was on the list of freemen of Hartford 13 October 1669. On 6 March 1672/3 he was freed from training, watching and warding, being at that time 60 years of age.

He was suspected of witchcraft in 1683 by a neighbor who accused him of taking a chest of clothes, which charges were dropped after the clothes were found.

The inventory of his estate was taken 31 August 1683, and administration on his estate was granted to Joseph Strickland 18 December 1683.

Genealogy: Since Nicholas Disborough had only daughters, there is no genealogy on his family and his descendants must be traced through other sources.