William Andrews, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

WILLIAM¹ ANDREWS, HARTFORD FOUNDER was born abt. 1593 in England, and died bef. 08 Aug 1659 in Hartford, CT (inventory). He married ABIGAIL GRAVES Bef. 1632 in England. She was born abt. 1610 in England, and died 26 Mar 1683 in Hartford, CT.

The ancestry, origin of William Andrews. He removed to Cambrige in the Massachusetts colony was in 1634 and to Hartford in 1637. Donald Lines Jacobus states in “Families of Old Fairfield” that William Andrews may have been the brother of Francis Andrews of Hartford and John Andrews of Farmington. According to Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary and Mary Talcott’s Original Proprietors, William Andrews came from Cambridge, Massachusetts where his wife Mary died 19 January 1639/40. However, Donald Lines Jacobus maintained that these were two separate men (TAG 35:55).

William Andrews was an original proprietor of Hartford, and in the land inventory of February 1639/40 he originally held: one acre and one rood on which his dwelling house stood with other outhouses, yards, and gardens located on the road from the Mill to the South Meadow; two acres of upland; another eighteen acres of upland; two roots and twenty-five perches in the Little Meadow; eight acres in the South Meadow; four acres, three roods and twenty perches lying in Hockanum (later East Hartford); six acres in the Great Swamp; and six acres and three roods lying in Hockanum. He later acquired an additional three parcels of land.

William Andrews was the first schoolmaster of Hartford, teaching from 1643 until 1656 and was the town clerk from 2 Mar 1651/ to 1658.

He made his will on 1 April 1659 and the inventory of his estate was taken 8 August 1659.

Genealogy: only known: “Descendants of William Andrews of Hartford” (typescript in the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, of questionable value)