Thomas Gridley (abt. 1679 - bef. 1754)

Born about 1679 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Wilcoxson) Gridley — married 31 Oct 1704 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut Colony

Husband of Sarah (Root) Gridley — married 5 Dec 1734 in Farmington, Connecticut

Descendants

Died before 1754 before about age 75 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut Colony

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Biography

Thomas was born about 1679. He was the son of Samuel Gridley.^[1][2]

He is mentioned as the second son of Samuel Gridley in his father's will.^[1][3] He is also mentioned in his brother Samuel Gridley Jr.'s will as a brother.^[3]

He married Hannah Wilcoxson in 1704.^{[4][5][2][6][7]} She passed away in 1733.^[8][6][7]

He was then married to Sarah Root in 1734.^[9][7][2]

List of his family mentioned in his will from 1753.^[7][10] They appear to be his 2nd wife Sarah, and his children by his 1st wife Hannah (based on their birth before Hannah's death).

• wife Sarah
• son Timothy
• son Samuel
• son Elnathan
• grandson Eliphalet Wadsworth, son of Nathaniel Wadsworth, Jr
• daughter Esther Hart, wife of Howkins Hart
• daughter Johanah Thomson
• daughter Phebe Lewis, wife of Josiah Lewis
• daughter Ruth Gridley

According to Barbour, he passed away in 1758.^[11][12][2]

His will was dated in 1753^[10] and proven in 1754.^[7] See the research notes for a discussion on the death date inconsistency.

Research Notes

Death date - The Barbour Collection^[11] indicates a death date of 18-Nov-1758. However, the Welles book^[7] says the 1753 will was probated in 1754. Since a will wouldn't get probated before his death, then one of those sources is incorrect. The death date on this page is marked as "bef 1754" (before probate) until such time as the correct date and source can be identified.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Link to his father's will
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Preston book: Page 119 linked here.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Manwaring, Connecticut Probate Book: Volume II, Page 210 linked here.
4. ↑ Barbour Collection: Vol. 1, Page 4

   Name: Thomas Gridley

   Marriage Date: 31 Oct 1704

   Marriage Place: Farmington, Connecticut, USA

   Spouse: Hanah Wilcokson

   Spouse Residence Place: Stratford

5. ↑ Preston book: Page 327 linked here.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Jacobus, Fairfield book: Page 691 linked here.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5} Mathews, Governor Thomas Welles Book: Volume 1, Page 371-372 linked here.
8. ↑ Barbour Collection: Vol. 5, Page 50

   Name: Hannah Gridley, Gridlee

   Death Date: 19 Nov 1733

   Death Place: Farmington, Connecticut, USA

   Spouse: Thomas

9. ↑ Barbour Collection: Vol. 5, Page 539

   Name: Thomas Gridley

   Marriage Date: 5 Dec 1734

   Marriage Place: Farmington, Connecticut, USA

   Residence Place: Farmington

   Spouse: Sarah Root

   Spouse Residence Place: Farmington

10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Link to the Will of Thomas Gridley 08-Mar-1753.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Barbour Collection: Vol. 11, Page 577

    Name: Thomas Gridley

    Death Date: 18 Nov 1758

    Death Place: Farmington, Connecticut, US

12. ↑ "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSK-L3YM : 21 September 2019), Thomas Gridley, ; citing Death, , Compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut; FHL microfilm 008272232.

• The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records - White, Lorraine Cook, ed. (Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, 1994-2002)
• Manwaring, Charles William, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Vol II, R. S. Peck & co., printers : Hartford, Conn., 1904.
• Preston, Belle, Bassett-Preston ancestors : a history of the ancestors in America of Marion Bassett Luitweiler, Howard Murray Bassett, Preston Rogers Bassett, Isabel Bassett Wasson, and Helen Bassett Hauser, children of Edward M. and Annie (Preston) Bassett, Tuttle Morehouse & Taylor Co. : New Haven, Conn., 1930.
• Jacobus, Donald Lines, and Fairfield Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution. Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter, History and genealogy of the families of old Fairfield, Vol I Part VI, Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor : New Haven, Conn., 1930.
• Mathews, Barbara Jean, The Descendants of Governor Thomas Welles of Connecticut And his Wife Alice Tomes, 3rd Ed., Welles Family Association : Wethersfield, Connecticut, 2015.

See also:

• Named in birth record of his daughter, Hesther Gridley.
• Marriage to Hannah also mentioned in the Orcutt, Stratford book on page 1346, but that source isn't listed as a Great Migration reliable source.
• Marriage to Sarah also mentioned in the Root book on page 320, but that source isn't listed as a Great Migration reliable source.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Daniel Thompson for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Daniel and others.