Stephen Tryon Sr (1750 - 1821)

Born 6 Oct 1750 in Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Prudence (Bailey) Tryon — married 17 Nov 1774 in Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut

Husband of Desire (Dudley) Tryon — married 3 Oct 1784 in Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut

Descendants

Died 14 Aug 1821 at age 70 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Michael Tryon [send private message] and Michael Maranda [send private message]

Biography

Stephen was born in 1750 in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of David Tryon and Susanna Blevin.^[1]

He married Prudence Baley or Bailey in Haddam, Connecticut November 17, 1774.^[2] She died at the age of 29.

On October 3, 1784 he married a second time, to Desire Dudley.^[3]

In 1790 his household consisted of one fully adult male, two males under 16 and three females^[4] which closely fits what is known of this family. The 1820 census shows Stephen Sr.'s household consisted of one male over 45 and one female over 45: his second wife, Desire.^[5]

Stephen Sr. passed away in 1821.^[6][7][8][9]

Research notes

: There is a record of a Stephen Tryon marrying an Abigail Pearson in January of 1821. His probate papers prove that Desire was still living and was his widow. It is not possible that it was his son Stephen Jr. as Stephen Jr. died in April of 1820.

Stephen's will is somewhat perplexing, as he named several Spaulding children in his will. It has been assumed that these were children of his daughter Prudence by a first marriage, to Elisha Spaulding of New Hampshire. However, the marriage to Elisha by a Prudence Tryon took place several years after the marriage of another Prudence Tryon to Elijah Johnson. As Stephen does not specifically state in his will his relationship to the Spaulding children, they may not be grandchildren (or at least, not children of his daughter Prudence), but they could be nephew and nieces. This warrants further careful checking of records.

Text of Last Will and Testament

In the name of God amen ~ I Stephen Tryon of the Town of Middletown in the County of Middlesex sensible of my mortality being in a feeble state of health but of sound mind do make and ordain this my last Will.

Imprimis ~ I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Desire the use & improvement of one third of my real estate during her natural life & also one third of my personal estate for??n excepting thereupon only the articles her[e]in specifically disposed of, which my will is shall not be appraised & it is my will that a note I hold against Ignatius Perkins for the sum of one hundred & twenty Dollarz [sic] or thereabouts payable to my sd [said] wife shall be included & considered as a part of my sd [said] personal estate.

2 ~~ Having advanced to my son Stephen Tryon as much of my estate as his conduct towards me entitles him to receive my will is that he shall not have any part of my estate real or personal.

3~~ I give & bequeath to my daughter Prudence the wife of Elijah Johnson the use & improvement during her natural life of the two following pieces of land situate in sd [said] Middletown one is bounded northerly by Connecticut river easterly by land of Nathaniel George[?]’s widow M???? southerly by land owned by sd [said] George ????? by land conveyed by me to sd [said] Prudence & contains about two acres more or less – the other piece is bounded northerly by Connecticut river easterly by a public landing place southerly by land owned by Enoch Tryon westerly by land owned by Nathaniel George & contains two acres more or less & I give the f?? of sd [said] land subject to the ??? before mentioned as follows, one equal half thereof to Phinias Spaulding & the other equal half to his three sisters Susannah Tryon, Elizabeth & Prudence Spaulding to them their heirs & assigns forever.

4. I give & bequeath to Elizabeth Spaulding one looking Glass in the parlour ~ also one bed that was my mothers also one of my ewes to be put in possession of sd [said] Elijah Johnson who is to have the use & increase thereof until sd Eliza[beth] shall be of age when so Elijah shall deliver sd Eliza[beth] one of equal value also all the earthen ???? in the house that I have bot [bought] or that came by my first wife

Hereinbefore disposed of my will & that may remain after the payment of my debts & funeral expensez I give & bequeath equally to all the children or issue of my sd daughter Prudence to be retained or sold & the avails la[id] out to the best advantage of sd children by my executor according to his discretion. It is however to be known & understood that one equal half of the stock on the farm is the property of my sd son[-in-law] Elijah Johnson

6 - - - - And I do appoint Noadiah Rockwell Junr executor of this my last will & testament & do revoke all wills by me heretofore made

In witness where of I have hereto at Middletown set my hand & seal this 27th day of Jan[uar]y AD 1812.

[Signed] Stephen Tryon

Signed published & pronounced by sd Stephen Tryon to be his last will & testament in our presence who have subscribed our names in the presence of each other

Elijah Hubbard

Isaac Conchling

William Knap.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection): Middletown Vital Records 1651-1854, p. 269. Original record Middletown Vol. 1, p. 20 (Ancestry.com)
2. ↑ Early Connecticut Marriages: Book 1, p. 48 (Ancestry.com)
3. ↑ Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920: Volume 069 Part 2 Middletown, p. 489. Original Record Vol. 1, p. 50 (Ancestry.com)
4. ↑ 1790 US Federal Census; Census Place: Middleton, Middlesex, Connecticut; Series: M637; Roll: 1; Page: 421; Image: 370; Family History Library Film: 0568141 (Ancestry.com)
5. ↑ 1820 US Federal Census; Census Place: Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut; Page: 500; NARA Roll: M33_2; Image: 493 (Ancestry.com)
6. ↑ Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934: FHL Film Number 3215 (Ancestry.com)
7. ↑ Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934: Connecticut Newspaper Notices Vol 08, p. 60 (Ancestry.com)
8. ↑ U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930: New Haven Columbian Register, published 1 Sep 1821. Call number 485751. (Ancestry.com)
9. ↑ Stephen Tryon Sr.'s Find a Grave Memorial 70826245
10. ↑ Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999: Hartford Connecticut, Case Number: 3579; date: 1822 (Ancestry.com)