Jonathan Sturges (1740 - 1819)

Born 23 Aug 1740 in Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Deborah (Lewis) Sturges — married 26 Oct 1760 in Christ's Church, Fairfield, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 4 Oct 1819 at age 79 in Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

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Biography

Jonathan Sturges is Notable.

Birth

Ann & Samuel Sturgis's son Jonathan Sturgis, b. 23 Aug 1740 in Fairfield, Connecticut. (Barbour Collection)

grad Yale 1759

He was not one of of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, as has been reported in "The History of Fairfield", Vol. 1, Page 413.

Burial

Old Burying Ground, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut

"He sustained with high reputation from an early period a number of most important offices in the gift of his native States and was an efficient member of Congress under the Confederation, which vindicated the rights and obtained the Independence of the United States, Wise and prudent as a Statesman inflexibly upright as a Judge, a faithful Friend, and affectionate parent and above all an exemplary Christian. His friends have an assured hope that in his sudden death he passed into glory and received the welcome of his Devine Master." (Perry)

At the time of his death, he had 42 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren.

Probate

His will is dated 17 November 1818 and proved on 11 December 1819 in Fairfield.^[1]

His inventory was completed on 22 January 1820.^[2]

In 1821, his estate distribution was set out to the widow, Deborah, the children of David Sturges, decd. (David Sturges, John Sturges, and Phebe Hayes), Lewis B. Sturges, Barnabas Lothrop Sturges, Josiah Sturges, Sarah, wife of William Lockwood, Anna, widow of William Beers, Deborah, wife of George Hoyt, Elizabeth, wife of Stephen Miller, Lucretia, wife of Benjamin M. Watson, and Priscilla, wife of David Ely.^[3]

In 1839, his estate distribution was ordered to be set out to Lewis B. Sturges, Barnabas L. Sturges, Josiah Sturges, Oliver Sturges, Sarah Lockwood, widow of William Lockwood, Ann Beers, widow of William P. Beers, Deborah Hoyt, widow of George Hoyt, Elizabeth Miller, widow of Stephen Miller, Lucretia B Watson, widow of Benjamin M. Watson, and Priscilla Ely, wife of David Ely.^[4][5]

Sources

1. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 28-29, 1798-1829”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G92K-TG8Q  : 7 August 2022), FHL microfilm 007627297, image 209-211, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 28, 1798-1829, Pages 395-399.
2. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 28-29, 1798-1829”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G92K-TG8Z  : 7 August 2022), FHL microfilm 007627297, image 215-216, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 28, 1798-1829, Pages 408-409.
3. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 30-31, 1807-1835”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L92K-Y93Y-7  : 19 August 2022), FHL microfilm 007627302, image 34-36, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 30, 1807-1827, Pages 49-52.
4. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 32-33, 1835-1847”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L92K-TY4Q  :17 October 2022), FHL microfilm 007627298, image 182, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 32, 1835-1839, Pages 326-327.
5. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 32-33, 1835-1847”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L92K-TYW2 :17 October 2022), FHL microfilm 007627298, image 193-194, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 32, 1835-1839, Pages 349-351.

• The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records (NEHGS, Boston, 2011) Vol. Fairfield, Page 106. Birth record.
• Last Will & Testament: Incorrectly indexed as "Jonathan Stergus"
• Wikipedia: Jonathan_Sturges
• A Letter To George Washington from the Fairfield Committee of Inspection (14 May 1776)
  • "Jonathan Sturges (1740–1819) practiced law in Fairfield and in 1775 became judge of the probate court for the Fairfield district. He also represented the town in the Connecticut general assembly 1773–84 and 1786, served in the Continental Congress in 1786, and was a U.S. congressman 1789–93."
• A Leter From George Washington to Jonathan Sturges (16 May 1776)
• The First Extant Parish Record of Christ's Church, Fairfield
• Schenck, Elizabeth Hubbell. The History of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut (J.J. Little & Co., Astor Place, New York, 1904) Vol. 2, Page 461.
  • Vol. 2, Page 507: "The First Extant Parish Record of Christ's Church, Fairfield, Record of Baptisms.", "Aug. 3, 1783 Cato, a male child, and Luce, a female, two negro children offered by Jonathan Sturges."
• Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934
• Connecticut Journal (New Haven, Connecticut, Tuesday, October 12, 1819) Vol. LII. Issue: 2711. Page 2: "Died. At Fairfield, Hon. Jonathan Sturges, age 80."
• Register of Pedigrees and Services of Ancestors (Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., Hartford, Conn., 1941) Page 378, Page 755.
• Jacobus, Donald Lines. History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (Genealogical Publishing Company, 1930) Vol. 2, Page 925, 934-5.
• 1790 United States Federal Census, Connecticut, Fairfield County, Fairfield, Page 14: Jonathan Sturges, 4 men, 1 boy, 6 white females, 3 slaves.
• NEHGR: Brief Memoirs and Notices of Prince's Subscribers, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1856) Vol. 10.
  • Page 150: "grad. Y. C. 1759, and became a distinguished civilian, having been successively State Senator, Judge of the Superior Court, Member of Congress from Connecticut from 1785 to 1787, and from 1789 to 1793."
• Child, Frank Samuel. An Old New England Church, Established Religion in Connecticut (Fairfield Historical Society, Fairfield, Conn., 1910)
  • Page 85: "Judge Sturges was associated with Col. Silliman, Andrew Rowland, Job Bartram and Thaddeus Burr in representing the town at a county Congress which considered the subject of Independence and War. Mr. Sturges stood upon the porch of Thaddeus Burrr's house with Mr. Burr and Mr. Silliman when a sealed packet was brought to them by a Boston messenger announcing the fight at Lexington."
• The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (NYGBS, 1919) Vol. 50, Page 230.
• Loomis, Dwight. The Judicial and Civil History of Connecticut (Boston History Co., Boston, 1895) Page 561.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #7371803
• Perry, Kate E., The Old Burying Ground of Fairfield, Conn. (American Pub. Co., Hartford, Conn., 1882) Page 106a.
• Dexter, Franklin Bowditch. Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College (Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn., 1896) Vol. 2, Page 614.
• "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F747-1MN : 11 February 2018), Jonathan Sturgis, 23 Aug 1740; citing ; FHL microfilm unknown.