Thomas Thompson, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

THOMAS¹ THOMPSON, HARTFORD FOUNDER (JOHN^A) was born bef. 1610 in Burford, Shropshire, England, and died 25 Apr 1655 in Farmington, CT. He married ANNE WELLES 14 Apr 1646 in Hartford, CT, daughter of HARTFORD FOUNDER THOMAS WELLES and ALICE TOMES. She was born abt. 1620 in Burmington, Warwickshire, England, and died bef. 02 Dec 1680 in Farmington, CT (probate).

Thomas Thompson was a carpenter, whose date of emigration to the American colonies and specifically to where is unknown. He is held to be a Founder of Hartford, though first mention of him is 28 March 1640, only a month after the Founder “deadline” of February 1639/40, when he was a witness to a document for Governor Wyllys. Where he was living in Hartford is unknown, and he is not listed in the Hartford land inventory of February 1639/40. He might have been one of those who built George Wyllys’s house. He did own two acres on the east side of the Great River, which he sold to Thomas Stanley. As a carpenter, he may have dwelt in the manor house of George Wyllys, where he might have come to know his future wife Anne Welles, who dwelt in her father’s house diagonally across the road from the Wyllys estate.

On 16 May 1646 Thomas Welles conveyed to Thomas Thompson and his wife one half of his farm and buildings in Farmington comprising a home lot of seven acres, thirty acres of meadow, and ninety acres of arable land in consideration of the marriage of Thompson and Welles’ daughter Anne.

Thomas Thompson removed to Farmington soon after this date, where he became one of the “the seven pillars of the church” 13 October 1652. He was Deputy to the General Court from Farmington in 1650, and was Constable in 1653.

He made his will April 1654, which was proved May 1656.

Genealogy: no published genealogy known