Robert Bartlett, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

ROBERT¹ BARTLETT, HARTFORD FOUNDER was born abt. 1612 in England, and died 14 Mar 1675/76 in Northampton, MA (killed by Indians). He married ANN ______ abt. 1637 in prob Cambridge, MA. She was born abt. 1617 in England, and died 03 Jul 1676 in Northampton, MA.

Robert Bartlett arrived in Massachusetts Bay 16 September 1632 on the “Lyon.” He first settled in Cambridge and removed to Hartford in 1639. In the Hartford land inventory of February 1639/40 he held: three acres on which stood his dwelling house with yards and gardens, located on the west side of the road leading to John Barnard’s; two roods of Upland; three more acres of Upland; and two acres on the east side of the Great River.

He took the oath of a freeman on 10 April 1645 which would indicate that he was a member of the church. He was a chimney viewer in 1649.

While still in Massachusetts, on 5 Jun 1638 he was arrested for cursing and swearing and received the punishment of having his tongue put in a cleft stick. In Hartford, on 30 Jun 1646 he was arrested for slandering a woman. As punishment he was put in a pillory, whipped, fined 6 shillings, and served 6 months in jail; on 21 Aug 1646 he was charged with giving ill counsel to the prisoners, and was punished by being whipped.

On 15 November 1653 he was on a committee to “receive in such inhabitants as they shall judge that for the carrying on the design” of settling Northampton. In 1656 he moved to Northampton. By the end of his life he was a prosperous and respected resident of Northampton. He was selectman of Northampton 27 April 1658. He was killed by Indians during the Northampton raid in King Philip’s War.

Genealogy: None known on Robert Bartlett or the Bartlett line of Northampton