Thomas Tanner Sr. (abt. 1694 - bef. 1750)

Born about 1694 in Lyme, New London, Connecticut [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Borden) Tanner — married 3 Jan 1717 in East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut

Descendants

Died before 19 Jun 1750 before about age 56 in Cornwall, Litchfield, Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Brad Foley [send private message], Cathryn Hondros [send private message], and Randy Beebe [send private message]

Biography

John Tanner and his second wife, Rebecca Spencer, were the parents of at least one son, Thomas Tanner. Mary Banning Friedlander asserts in her My American Heritage, genealogy found on her RootsWeb genealogy that, "The proof that this Thomas {Tanner} was the son of John and Rebecca comes from two deeds: the first was on 8 March 1725 (East Haddam Deeds 2:568) in which John Tanner assigned his rights and title to the land John Kennard had bought, showing that he was the son of Rebecca and the second was on 24 October 1732 (EHD 3: 347) in which he sells land that was bought by "my honored father John Tanner", showing he was the son of John. The proof that Martha was the daughter of John Borden comes from a land deed of 28 November 1728 (Lyme LRs , 4:70) in which Thomas Tanner and wife. Martha Tanner sell to John Borden all claim to the land of the widow of the estate "of our honorable Father, John Borden of Lyme."

2019-06-09 What is known about Thomas Tanner:

1. ) Son of John and Rebecca Spencer Borden of East Haddam, Conn.
   1. ) Thomas was not the Son of Wm Tanner of North Kingstown, Conn., but possibly his nephew
   2. ) Will need to leave a Thomas (Virtual) Tanner placeholder under Wm to avoid future errors from 1905 George Tanner published Genealogy.
2. ) Lived in East Haddam, Conn. from 1715 to 1730. (Most probably born in Lyme Conn. as this appears to be the dwelling place of his parents at the time of his birth.) No evidence has been found to indicate he ever lived in Rhode Island.
3. ) Married Martha Bolden at East Haddam in 1717 and first five children were born in East Haddam.
4. ) Around 1730, he sold all of his land holdings in East Haddam, and moved to Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Conn.
5. ) An additional five children were born to Thomas and Martha at Cornwall
6. ) Thomas died sometime prior to the Nineteenth day of June AD. 1750, when his widow Martha signed the Administrative bond for his estate. On May 16, 1753, the residue of his Cornwall, Litchfield, Conn., estate was distributed to his eight living children and his widow, Martha.
7. ) The tombstone inscription of William Tanner, the son of Thomas and Martha Tanner, buried at Cornwall, Litchfield, Connecticut, provides a birth date which matches the birth date for William Tanner, son of Thomas and Martha Tanner, given in the Barbour, East Haddam, Conn. vital records affirming the Cornwall, Litchfield, Conn. Tanners and the East Haddam, Conn. Tanners were one and the same family.

Genealogical Records

The following section of this profile provides detailed information found in the various cited sources. The purpose of this section is to provide the reader access to the information contained within the cited sources; to identify source data conflicts and identify the origin of data errors; and, finally, to provide a platform to analyze, cross-correlate, and comment on important aspects of the cited historical data record.

Vital Records

1. Primary Source, The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, East Haddam 1743-1857, Vol 9 ^[1]: Data Extract from Barbour at Ancestry Record 1062 #516530 or Coralyn Brown transcription East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut Vital Records from Barbour Collection: for Thomas Tanner family:

1. ) East Haddam, CT. Barbour Vital Record: Page 363: or Here, free: Thomas Tanner and Martha ____, were married Jan 3, 1716/7 at East Haddam, Conn.
   1. ) Children of Thomas and Martha Tanner:
      1. ) William, son of Thomas & Martha, b. 15 March 1719.
      2. ) Mehittabell, dau. of Thomas & Martha, b. 21 Dec 1721.
      3. ) Rebeckah, dau. of Thomas & Martha, b. 6 Jan 1724/5.
      4. ) Martha, dau. of Thomas & Martha, b. 28 Dec 1727.
      5. ) Elizabeth, dau. of Thomas & Martha, b. 14 April 1730.

• Primary Source, Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 The Barbour Collection, Vol 23., Litchfield Vital Records ^[2] The Litchfield, Conn, Barbour Collection cites following vital records for Thomas Tanner:

1. ) Litchfield, Conn. VR; page 237: Children born to Thomas and Martha Tanner at Litchfield Connecticut:
   1. ) Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Martha, b. June last 1735
   2. ) John, son of Thomas and Martha, b. Feb 4, 1732/3
   3. ) Ruth, daughter of Thomas and Martha, b. Sept 28, 1740
   4. ) Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Martha, b. Feb 8 1737/8

• Primary Source, Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 The Barbour Collection, Vol 7., Cornwall, Connecticut Vital Records ^[3] Data extract from Ancestry Record 1034 #527163:

1. ) Barbour Vital Record of Cornwall, Conn.; Page 400 Vital records for the family of Thomas Tanner Sr. of Cornwall, Connecticut:
   1. ) Hannah Tanner, married Moses Dean, both of Cornwall, 29 April 1757.
   2. ) Mehitable Tanner, dau of Thomas & Martha, died 17 July 1749.
      1. ) Submit Tanner, dau of Mehetible, b. 15 July 1749; d. same month 18th day.
   3. ) Ruth Tanner married Benjamin Dean, 14 Oct 1762, by Rev. H. Gold.
   4. ) Tommas Tanner {Jr}, son of Tommas & Martha, was born 30 June 1743.
      1. ) Thomas Tanner, of Cornwall, married Mrs. Anna BALDWIN, of Goshen, 30 Oct. 1765 by Abel Newell.
   5. ) William Tanner, of Cornwall, married Hannah NEWCOMB, of Kent, 23 March 1749, by Rev. Cyrus Marsh of Kent.
2. ) Barbour Vital Records of Cornwall, Conn.; Page 400 Image Children of Pierce Walter and Martha {Tanner} Walter: {Pierce Walter is known to be the husband of Martha Tanner, daughter of Thomas & Martha Tanner Sr. from the 1750 Probate records of Thomas Tanner Sr. ^[4]}
   1. ) John Walter, son of Pierce & Martha, b. 14 Jan 1754
   2. ) Mary Walter, daughter of Pierce & Martha, b. 19 Oct 1756.
      1. ) Mary Walter, daughter of Pierce & Martha, d. 20 March 1757.
   3. ) Sarah Walter, daughter of Parce & Martha, b. 24 Feb 1752.
3. ) Barbour Vital Records of Cornwall, Conn.; Page 407, 408 Image: Children of John White and Elizabeth {Tanner} White: {John White is known to be the husband of Elizabeth Tanner, daughter of Thomas & Martha Tanner Sr. from the 1750 Probate records of Thomas Tanner Sr. ^[4]}
   1. ) Betty White, dau of John & Elizabeth, b. 20 Dec 1761.
   2. ) Diana White, dau of John & Elizabeth, b. 14 Mar 1755.
   3. ) Ruana White, dau of John & Elizabeth, b. 25 Jan 1754; d. 30 Jan 1754.
   4. ) Ruth White, dau of John & Elizabeth, b. 1 Sept 1757.
   5. ) Thomas White, son of John & Elizabeth, b. 17 Jan 1752.
4. ) Barbour Vital Records of Cornwall, Conn.; Page 407, 408 Image: William Tanner of Cornwall, married Hannah NEWCOMB, of Kent; 23 March 1749, by Cyrus Marsh of Kent.
   1. ) Children of William and Hannah:
      1. ) Ebenezer, son of William and Hannah was born 20 Jan 1757.
      2. ) Ephraim, son of William and Hannah was born 17 June 1754.
      3. ) Tryal, son of William and Hannah was born 20 Dec 1751.
      4. ) William, son of William and Hannah was born 28 Jan 1762.

• Secondary Source, Torrey, Clarence Almon; U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, ^[5] Data extract:

1. ) Pre-1700 Marriages; Ancestry.com Image 742 of 1022: Marriage records for John Tanner:
   1. ) John Tanner (d. after 1705) and first wife Rachel CHAMPION (165_ - ) ?Lyme CT.
   2. ) John Tanner and second wife Rebecca (Spencer) Kenard. w John d. 1689, after 1689, or ca 1699?, Lyme CT.

Death Records

• Primary Source, (burial); Tertiary Source (biography), Find A Grave Index ^[6] Data Summary:

1. ) Find A Grave: Memorial #113961953: Thomas Tanner was born in 1705 at Rhode Island and he died in 1750 (aged 44–45) at Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut. {Editorial, the find a grave birth date is incorrect; Thomas would have had to have been born prior to about 1695 in order to be old enough to marry Martha Borden on Jan 3, 1716/7 at East Haddam, Conn. ^[1]
   1. ) Marriage. Thomas Tanner married Martha Borden (1700 – unknown)
   2. ) Children:
      1. ) William Tanner (1719–1763)
      2. ) Ruth (Tanner) Dean (1740–1812)
      3. ) Thomas Tanner (1743–1818)
2. ) BURIAL. Thomas Tanner had a Non-Cemetery Burial, Specifically: Most likely buried in CONNECTICUT.
   1. ) Find a Grave Notes: "Thomas was born in Rhode Island between 1705-1710. He married Martha (last name not known) between 1728-1730. They moved to Cornwall in 1740. Not much is known of his life. He died in 1750 at about 45 years old. In May 1951 his widow was appointed administrator of his estate. Their children were: "
      1. ) William b. 1718/19 in Rhode Island, married Hannah Newcomb Mar. 23, 1749 (DISCREPENCY: his birth was given as 1729 by Elias Tanner, which does not match his age at death given on his tomb stone. But if the age given on his marker is correct, William would have been born about 10 years before his parents were married. One of these dates appears wrong); {This observation from the find a grave notes is correct; the error is that Thomas and Martha were married on Jan 3, 1716/7 ^[1] rather than in 1728-1730 as asserted by Elias Fitch Tanner.}
      2. ) Mehetable b. about 1733 in Rhode Island. She had a child named Submit, born July 15, 1749. Mother and child died three days later and were buried in the same grave;
      3. ) Hannah b. about 1735, married Moses Dean of Cornwall on May 17, 1757 (Apr. 29 per Elias);
      4. ) Thomas b. in Cornwall June 30, 1743, married Anna Baldwin Oct. 30, 1765.
   2. ) Inscription, "{No Tombstone Photo}"

Burial Record of Son, William Tanner, (Date of Birth from tombstone affirms this is the same William Tanner cited in the East Haddam Vital Records):

• Primary Source, (burial); Tertiary Source (biography), Find A Grave Index ^[7] Data Summary:

1. ) Find A Grave: Memorial #109884207: William Tanner, son of Thomas Tanner (1705–1750) and Martha (Borden) Tanner (1700 – unknown), was born 15 May 1719 at Rhode Island, and he died 27 Jun 1763 (aged 44) at Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut.
   1. ) Siblings:
      1. ) Ruth (Tanner) Dean (1740–1812)
      2. ) Thomas Tanner (1743–1818)
   2. ) Marriage. William Tanner married Hannah Newcomb (1728–1806) in 1749.
   3. ) Children:
      1. ) Ebenezer Tanner (unknown–1819)
      2. ) Consider Tanner (1750–1819)
      3. ) Tryal Tanner (1751–1833)
      4. ) Ephraim Tanner (1754–1801)
2. ) BURIAL. William Tanner was buried in the Cornwall Cemetery at Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA Show Map; PLOT--near top of hill, old section of the cemetery
   1. ) Find a Grave Notes: "Find a grave lists the children of William Tanner and provides a commentary on some of the confusing and conflicting information found in the Tanner Genealogy by Elias Tanner ^[8] and the "Historical Records of the Town of Cornwall", by Theodore Gold (page 189). Notes that Hannah married Elisha Hatcha after Wm Tanner's death. "
   2. ) Tombstone Photo: Inscription, "In Memory of MR. WILLIAM TANNER, who died JUNE27, 1763 In his 45th year." {Tombstone affirms the birth date of ~1718 affirms this is the same William Tanner, son of Thomas cited in the East Haddam, Conn. Vital Records ^[1]}

Probate Court Records

• Primary Source, Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, ^[4] Data Extract from Ancestry Record 9049 #1894263:

1. ) Probate Administration: Image 412 of 1368: Probate bond,
   1. ) Know ye all Men by the Presents that We Martha Tanner and Israel Moss of Cornwall in the County of Hartford, in the Colony of Connecticut, in New England are holden and firmly bound and obligated unto Ebenezer Marsh Esq. Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Litchfield in the County & Colony aforesaid. Nineteenth day of June AD. 1750.
2. ) Probate Record, Thomas Tanner Estate: Image Cornwall, May 16th, 1753. Whereas we the Subscribers, being appointed by a court of Probate, holden at Litchfield, ye May 8th 1753 to be Distributors of the Estate of Thomas Tanner late of Said Cornwall Deceased. According to Said Appointment we no do under oath According to the best of our judgement Distribute, Divide and set forth Said Estate to the widow and to the Several Children of the Said Deceased in the following form and order:
   1. ) To the widow one third part of the Estate, viz one third part of the Houfe and 2 pieces of Land. Boundary Description, House includes about 13 acres with an access right of way for land given to the children. The two pieces of land are described and noted to be 3 Acres and 31 rods
   2. ) To William Tanner, the Eldest Son of the Deceased, two ninths part of the remainder of the estate. Land boundary description, containing 6 & 1/3 acres. Also part of the homestead, viz 3 acres and 8 rods. Also another 59 Acres, total distribution valued at £220 (old Tenor)
   3. ) The Homestead set of Elizabeth White, boundary description.
   4. ) To Martha Walter, wife of Pierce Walter of Cornwall, one ninth part, ...boundary description... 6 acres & 2 rods, valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   5. ) To Elizabeth White, wife of John White of Cornwall, one ninth part of the estate; 6 acres & 2 rods, ...boundary description... valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   6. ) To John Tanner, son of Said deceased, one ninth part of the estate and house, consisting of 6 acres & 2 rods, ...boundary description... valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   7. ) To Hannah Tanner, Daughter of the Said Deceased, one ninth part of the estate and house, consisting of 7 acres, ...boundary description... valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   8. ) To Sarah Tanner, Daughter of the Said Deceased, one ninth part of the estate and house, consisting of 6 acres & 2 rods, ...boundary description... valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   9. ) To Ruth Tanner, Daughter of the Said Deceased, one ninth part of the estate and house, consisting of 8 acres & 2 rods, ...boundary description... valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   10. ) To Thomas Tanner, another son of Said Deceased, one ninth part of the estate and house, consisting of 6 acres & 2 rods, ...boundary description... valued at £110 (old Tenor).
   11. ) {Editorial (RRB): the absence of Mehetible and Rebeckah in the distribution of the estate, suggests they had died, without heirs, prior to this 1753 of the probate hearing.}

Evidence Linking Thomas Tanner of E Haddam and Cornwall as same person

1. ) The Tombstone of William Tanner, son of Thomas Tanner, bears the inscription, "In Memory of MR. WILLIAM TANNER, who died JUNE 27, 1763 In his 45th year." which affirms the Wm Tanner buried in Cornwall, Ct., was born on same (1718) date as William Tanner, son of Thomas and Martha Tanner cited in East Haddam Barbour Vital records ^[1] i.e. 1718/9 (and not in 1729 as per Elias Tanner Genealogy), therefore linking the Cornwall Tanners and the East Haddam Tanners as the same family group.

Biographic and Genealogical References

• Secondary Source, Elias Fitch Tanner Genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Tanner, Sr., of Cornwall, Connecticut, ^[8] Data Extract:

1. ) Thomas Tanner Genealogy, Page ix: Special Introduction:
   1. ) Several traditions prevail respecting the origin of our branch of the American Tanners. The common one is that three brothers early came over from England and settled in New England, from one of whom our line has sprung. A more definite tradition says, that of three brothers in England, the oldest inheriting the property remained at home, while his two younger brothers, Thomas and William, sought their fortunes in the new world, one settling in Massachusetts and the other in Rhode Island. And early records of Tanners are found in both of these colonies.
   2. ) But we suppose that the ancestors of our line, originally of West England or Wales, emigrated to Rhode Island about 1640-50, soon after the first settlement of the colony, being dissenters from the strictness of the Puritans and sympathizing with the liberal principles of Roger Williams and his companions. These English Tanners or their near descendents settled in Westerly, East and West Greenwich, Providence and Newport, Rhode Island. About a century later they began to migrate into the "up country/" Connecticut and New York, where several names and lines of them are known.
2. ) Thomas Tanner Genealogy, Page 1-2: THOMAS TANNER, SR. He is the first known ancestor and founder of the family; was born in Rhode Island about 1705-10. {Editorial, no evidence has been found to support this assertion.} Married Martha between 1728-30; and moved to Cornwall Conn.; in 1740; bringing considerable stock and personal property; and becoming one of the first settlers and farmers of the town. He is believed to have had four children, two sons and two daughters, but little; however, is known of his life. After enduring the hardships of the wilderness and of a pioneer life; he died in his prime in 1750; and about 45 years old. He left a young family and a widow, who in May; 1751; was appointed administrator of his estate to settle an indebtedness.
   1. ) Children of Thomas and Martha Tanner Sr.:
      1. ) William, born about 1729; in Rhode Island. Married Hannah Newcomb of Kent, March 23; 1749. Settled in Cornwall and had six children; Consider, Tryal, Ephraim, Ebenezer; William and Joseph. {Editorial: this assertion is incorrect; William Tanner, son of Thomas and Martha, was born 15 March 1718/9 at East Haddam, Connecticut, ^[1] }
         1. ) Of his life or death little is known. See appendix (A) for outline history of his descendants.
      2. ) Mehetabel was born about 1733 in Rhode Island; and July 15, 1749; had a child "Submit," both mother and child dying three clays later, and were buried in the same grave. {Editorial: daughter, Mehetible Tanner was born 21 Dec 1721 at East Haddam, Connecticut ^[1]}
      3. ) Hannah, born about 1735, married Moses Dean of Cornwall, April 29, 1757, where she settled and had two children. I have been able to learn nothing more of her or the family.
         1. ) Her children were: Ezra, born Jan. 3, 1758, and Benjamin, born Nov. 29, 1760.
      4. ) THOMAS TANNER, JR. Thomas — the fourth child of Thomas and Martha Tanner and immediate founder of our line — was born in Cornwall on June 30, 1743, and when 18 he enlisted in the French and Indian war and served two years. He married Anna Baldwin October 30, 1765, settled in his native town, followed the carpenter's trade, and raised a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters.
3. ) {Editorial: there are several genealogical data items asserted in this publication which may be proven to be incorrect. First, the date of birth for Thomas Tanner Sr. was not 1705-1710. He was married to Martha ____ in East Haddam, Conn on Jan 3, 1717; ^[1] if he were born on 1705 he would have been 12 at the date of the wedding. His date of birth is unknown, but an good estimate to correspond to this 1717 marriage would be about 1695. Second Thomas Tanner's first son William was born 15 March 1719 at East Haddam, Connecticut, ^[1] and his daughter Mehetable was also born in East Haddam on 21 Dec 1721, ^[1] rather than Rhode Island as asserted by Elias Tanner. Third, the only known marriage records for the parents of Thomas Tanner are in Lyme, Conn, and it is recorded that he lived in East Haddam until about 1730, hence it is exceedingly probable that he was born in Lyme Connecticut, not Rhode Island. ^[5][1] Fourth, Thomas Tanner was the father of 10 Children; 3 sons and 7 daughters. ^[1]}

• Secondary Source, Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970, ^[9] Data extract from Ancestry Record 2204 #454877:

1. ) SAR application: Lineage Image 391 0f 467: SAR lineage of Warren Kearns Westcott born Oct 20 1901 in Salt Lake City, Utah:
   1. ) Son of: Frank Judson Westcott born in Russel, New York on 12 Oct 1858 and his wife Margaret Kraus, born in Woodstock, Canad on 5 July 1867.
   2. ) Grandson of: Orin Westcott and Catherine McGraer
   3. ) Great-Grandson of: John Westcott and Catherine Tanner
   4. ) Great-Great-Grandson of: Ira Tanner Sr. (1st son of Thomas Tanner Jr.) and Julia Fitch.
   5. ) Great-Great-Great-Grandson of: Thomas Tanner Jr. (4th child of Thomas and Martha Tanner) and Anna Baldwin. Thomas Tanner Jr. was the ancestor who served in the Revolutionary War.
   6. ) Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandson of: Thomas Tanner Sr. (b. 1705, d. 1750) and Matha Tanner. {Editorial Note: the incorrect DoB is found in the Elias Tanner Genealogy ^[8] }

• Secondary Source, A history of the William Dean Family of Cornwall, Conn. and Canfield, Ohio, ^[10] Data Extract:

1. ) Dean Genealogy, Page 33: or at Ancestry Record 61157 #1655178 : Reuben and Ann (Carter) Dean were the parents of:
   1. ) {Second Son} Benjamin Dean; b. May 1734; d. 13 Aug 1815 at Canfield, Ohio; married at Canfield, OH on 14 Oct 1762, Ruth Tanner b. ____, d. 11 May 1812. She was the daughter of Thomas Tanner Sr. of Cornwall, CT, b. 1705 in Rhode Island. {Incorrect data from Elias Tanner Genealogy ^[8]
   2. ) {Fourth Son}: Moses Dean, m. Hannah Tanner, dau of Thomas Tanner Sr. of Cornwall, married Moses Dean on 17 May 1757.

Published Genealogy with incorrect parental assertion

• Secondary Source, Rev George Tanner, William Tanner of North Kingston, Rhode Island and His Descendants, ^[11] 1905 Genealogy of the William Tanner family. Data Extract:

1. ) Tanner Genealogy; Page 10: Children of William Tanner, the immigrant, of South Kingstown, gathered from old records. The order of birth is not known until we come to Francis (6). It seems highly probable that William of North Kingstown, RI., was the first born, and Benjamin the next:
   1. ) William
   2. ) Benjamin
   3. ) Thomas, assumed to be a son who settled about 1730 in Litchfield County, Connecticut and about 1740 in Cornwall, of that County; he had three sons, William, Thomas, and John. (For Thomas, see Genealogy of Thomas Tanner of Cornwall, by Rev Elias F. Tanner, A.B. 1893). {Editorial: Author George Tanner notes that the listing of Thomas Tanner as a son of William, is an assumption without proof. Later discovery of Primary documents affirms Thomas to be the son of John Tanner of Lyme, Connecticut. Also note that in his second Tanner Genealogy, published in 1910, George Tanner listed Thomas Tanner as an assumed grandson of William Tanner via his son Benjamen--also an incorrect assumption.}
   4. ) John,
   5. ) Avis
   6. ) Mary
   7. ) Francis
   8. ) Nathan
   9. ) Anna
   10. ) Rebecca
   11. ) Elizabeth
   12. ) Abigail.

• Secondary Source, Rev. George Tanner DD., William Tanner, Sr. of South Kingstown, Rhode Island and His Descendants, ^[12] Data extract:

1. ) Wm Tanner Genealogy, Page 6, 7: Wm Tanner married second Mary Babcock, dau of Job Babcock of Westerely RI, and wife Jane Crandall. Children by this marriage:
   1. ) Benjamin, b. Dec 24, 1672 (Tombstone Record). Thomas assumed to be a son, who settled about 1730 in Litchfield County, Conn. and about 1740 in Cornwall, Conn. He had three sons, William, Thomas, and John. For Thomas see Genalogy of Thomas Tanner by Rev. Elias F. Tanner
2. ) Wm Tanner Genealogy, Page 460: In Kent Co. Tenterdum (Eng) were Tanners Thomas, William, and John, descendants of whom have been requested to communicate with their solicitors. While the author was unable to verify the story, it is at least worth of consideration.
   1. ) ... We have also assumed that Thomas Tanner, who settled in Litchfield, Co., Conn. was a son of William Tanner, who thus may have preserved the name of his brother. {Editoral; Actually with the additional known information on Thomas, this would suggest John, the father of Thomas was a brother to William and Thomas}

Research Notes

1. 2022-01-09: Removed Rebecca (Unknown) Willey (abt.1724-abt.1807) as a daughter of Thomas Tanner because the May 16th, 1753 distribution of the intestate estate of Thomas Tanner excludes daughters Mehitable and Rebeckah. This distribution includes all other children of Thomas Tanner, including the identification of his married daughter's spouses, therefore providing powerful primary source evidence that both Mehitable and Rebeckah were deceased (likely without heirs) prior to this May 16th, 1753 estate distribution. ^[4] The tombstone of Rebeccah Willey, wife of Joseph, confirms she was alive until 1807, and therefore provides strong evidence that Rebeccah Willey and Rebeccah Tanner, daughter of Thomas, were NOT the same person. Zero primary or reliable secondary source information has been found to connect Rebeckah Tanner as Rebecca the wife of Joseph Willey.
2. 2022-01-08: (RRB) follow up needed, define, clarify, and pinpoint the evidence linking Thomas as a son of John. Done. The research and evidence may be found in Mary Banning Friedlander's Rootsweb genealogy--access available at the very end of this profile.
3. Looks like a duplicate Thomas Tanner; also wife Martha Martha (Borden) Tanner. Merge appears to be warranted after a more thorough study.
4. 2019-06-08: Original GED import linked Thomas to a wife Jane Shelby; a thorough search of indexed files found no connection Thomas Tanner and a Jane Shelby so the link was severed. Shelby-11 continues to exist as an orphaned profile.
5. ) The following definitions and syntax conventions apply to the preceding text of this profile:
   1. ) A Primary Source contains data that was recorded by the person in the profile; or by someone known to or with first hand knowledge of that person, during the person's lifetime, death or within two generations thereafter.
   2. ) A Secondary Source is a genealogical reference created as the result of a extensive study of available source material and it provides some evidence of the source documentation used to generate the text data.
   3. ) A Tertiary Source is a genealogical data source which is a collection of genealogical information that does not cite Primary or Secondary information sources, and the data may be factual or hearsay.
   4. ) Braces {Editorial Note Example} are used to insert editorial comments; that is to say, information or clarification that is not contained in the original, cited source material.
6. ) Enabling the ad blocker in your web browser may remove the hot links to Ancestry.com references. Turn off your ad blocker to enable access to the Ancestry.com hot-links.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} White, Lorraine Cook, The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, East Haddam Vital Records 1743-1857, Vol 9. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002. Available:

   1. ) Index to online availability of all 55 Volumes of the Barbour Collection.]
   2. ) Scanned copy of East Haddam Barbour Collection at Ancestry.com fee required
   3. ) Free onlline transcription by Coralynn Brown (Barbour East Haddam) Use Instructions: once at the site, you will need to scroll down to TANNER]

2. ↑ Litchfield Vital Records 1719-1854. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 ('The Barbour Collection) Barbour Vital Records, Litchfield, Conn. Ancestry Record 1034 #129541 database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.
3. ↑ Barbour Collection, Cornwall Connecticut Vital Records 1740-1854. Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (The Barbour Collection) [https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1034&h=527163 Ancestry Record 1034 #527163 database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, Ancestry Record 9049 #1894263 database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Connecticut State Library (Hartford, Connecticut); Probate Place: Hartford, Connecticut.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1985. Available at:

   1. ) On line at Ancestry Record 3824 #69553 Ancestry.com Operations Inc Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012.
   2. ) Print edition. This manuscript is still in print and may be available at Amazon.com or Abebooks.com or other rare booksellers.

6. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 June 2019), memorial page for Thomas Tanner (1705–1750), Find A Grave Memorial no. 113961953; Maintained by maggie e. (contributor 48100925) Non-Cemetery Burial, who reports a Most likely buried in CONNECTICUT.
7. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 June 2019), memorial page for William Tanner (15 May 1719–27 Jun 1763), Find A Grave Memorial no. 109884207, citing Cornwall Cemetery, Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by maggie e. (contributor 48100925) .
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Tanner, Elias Fitch; Genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Tanner, Sr., of Cornwall, Connecticut, with brief notes of several allied families, also short sketches of several towns of their early residence, Lansing, Mich, Darius D. Thorp, Printer and Binder, 1893.
9. ↑ Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970, Ancestry Record 2204 #454877 database on-line. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.
10. ↑ Dean, Bailey Sutton and Dean James Ernest; A history of the William Dean Family of Cornwall, Conn. and Canfield, Ohio : containing the direct descent from Thomas Dean of Concord, Mass., together with a complete genealogy of William Dean's descendants, The Press of The F.W. Robert Co., Cleveland, Ohio, 1903.
11. ↑ Tanner, Rev George C. DD, William Tanner of North Kingston, Rhode Island and His Descendants, Faribault, Minn., published by the author, 1905. Public Domain. [https://archive.org/stream/gardinersofnarra00robi#page/56/search/Ezekiel Pages 33- 37] Also available at Ancestry.com here
12. ↑ Tanner, Rev George, D.D., William Tanner, Sr. of South Kingstown, Rhode Island and His Descendants, Self Published, Printed by the Press of the Northfield News, Inc, Northfield, MN, 1910

Other Sources

• "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F74W-ZFC : 11 February 2018), Tommas Tanner in entry for Tommas Tanner, 30 Jun 1743; citing Cornwall Twp, Litchfield, Connecticut; FHL microfilm unknown.

Web based Genealogies

• FamilySearch profile for Thomas Tanner.

• RootsWeb Genealogy for Rebeckah Spencer; Excellent, well-researched genealogy for the early Tanner family by Mary Banning Friedlander