Founders of Windsor, Hartford, CT

In 1633 William Holmes of Plymouth had sailed past the Dutch guns at Dutch Point and founded a trading post at Windsor. In 1635 sixty families set out for Windsor, little knowing of the hardships awaiting them. These Windsor settlers had first arrived in Boston in 1630 aboard the ship "Mary and John." After a few years of residence in Dorchester in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, differences between the new immigrants and their hosts led to the former's emigration to Windsor. Starting their journey in late autumn, the settlers ran into cold weather and a scarcity of food. The river froze, thereby preventing a supply ship from reaching them. Part of the group had to make an overland trek back to the Bay Colony. Fortunately, with the help of local tribes, those who remained were able to hold out until warmer weather arrived.
The settlement itself was on the west side of the Connecticut River across from the mouth of the Scantic River. In 1637, out of the fear of possible attack by Pequots, the newcomers built a fence around a part of their settlement north of the Farmington River.

Palisado Green, Palisado Avenue. This green marks the center of the palisaded area of the old settlement. In the center of the green is the "Ship Monument to Original Settlers," a tablet with a rendering of the ship "Mary and John." The monument marks the site of the settlement's first meeting house and lists the names of the original settlers.

1633-1635

Founders of Windsor, Hartford, CT

The following is a list of the Founders of the town of Windsor, amended and approved by the Descendants of the Founders of Ancient Windsor, Inc. as of June 1996.

George Abbot Benedictus Alford Samuel Allen Matthew Allyn Thomas Barber John Bartlett Margaret (Barret) (Huntington) Stoughton Thomas Bascomb Thomas Bassett John Benett Richard Birge Capt. John Bissell Elder John Branker Jonathan Brewster Thomas Buckland William Buell Joshua Carter George Chappel Daniel Clarke Dea. Henry Clarke Joseph Clarke Capt. Aaron Cooke Thomas Cooper Nicholas Denslow Thomas Dewey Thomas Dibble John Dumbleton John Drake John Dyer John Eels Bygod Eggleston Wiolliam Filley Thomas Ford Henry Foulkes Lt. Walter Fyler Dea. William Gaylord Francis Gibbs William Gilbert Jeremiah Gillett Jonathan Gillett Nathan Gillett Matthew Grant Thomas Gridley Edward Griswold Matthew Griswold Thomas Gunn

William Hannum John Hawkes Anthony Hawkins William Hayden Gov. John Haynes William Hill John Hillier Thomas Holcombe Lt. William Holmes Mary Holt Elder William Hosford John Hoskins Simon Hoyte Samuel Hubbard Rev. Ephraim Huit William Hulbert George Hull John Hurd Humphrey Hydes Joseph Loomis Roger Ludlow Henry Lush Thomas Marshfield Ann Marshall Thomas Marshall Major John Mason Mary (Merwin) (Tinker) Collins Miles Merwin Simon Mills Thomas Moore Thomas Newberry Thomas Newell Richard Oldage Thomas Orton John Osborn Sgt. Nicholas Palmer Thomas Parsons Elias Parkman Edward Pattison George Phelps William Phelps George Phillips Humphrey Pinney Eltweed Pomeroy Samuel Pond John Porter

Edward Preston Matthew Rainend Philip Randall Jasper Rawlins John Reeves John Rockwell Dea. William Rockwell Dr. Bray Rossiter John St. Nicholas Robert Saltonstall Richard Samos Matthias Sension (St. John) Nicholas Sension Richard Sexton Sgt. Thomas Staires Aaron Starke Francis Stiles Henry Stiles John Stiles Thomas Stiles Ens. Thomas Stoughton George Stuckey John Talcott John Taylor Stephen Terry Thomas Thornton William Thrall John Tilley Peter Tilton Michael Try Frances (Unknown) (Clark) (Dewey) (Phelps) Richard Vore Rev. John Warham Richard Weller Richard Whitehead Arthur Williams John Williams Roger Williams Lt. David Wilton Robert Winchell Elder John Witchfield Henry Wolcott John Young [Our grandfathers in Red our uncles in Green, cousins in Blue.]