James Fitch (abt. 1622 - 1702)

Born about 24 Dec 1622 in Bocking, Essex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Abigail (Whitfield) Fitch — married 16 Oct 1648 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

Husband of Priscilla (Mason) Fitch — married 2 Oct 1664 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 18 Nov 1702 at about age 79 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut

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James Fitch migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 2, p. 532) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

James Fitch immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Emigration

He came to America in 1638 on the ship 'Defense' along with Rev. Hooker, who had decided to go to America and start a church. (source needed) James immigrated with his mother and brothers circa 1638. The exact number of the brothers that came over has not been definitely ascertained. Thomas, Joseph, and James can be clearly traced.

From his tombstone, we know his year of birth, immigration at the age of sixteen, and seven years of theological instruction at Hartford. This is all that is known of him prior to his ordination at Saybrook in 1646.

James' father left money in his will for James to attend Cambridge. Instead, it seems, he was taken under the wings of Rev. Thomas Hooker of Chelmsford, a friend of his father's, who was also mentioned in the will. James finished his theological training at Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut under the Rev. Thomas Hooker and Rev. Samuel Stone. A new church was built at Saybrook, and he was ordained as its first minister in 1646. In 1659, the congregation at Saybrook obtained permission to establish a new settlement at Norwich, Connecticut. Rev. Fitch left to become the minister in Norwich. His wife Abigail died shortly before leaving. Several of his letters, treatises and sermons survive. He served as a chaplain for colonial troops in conflict with hostile Indians and later helped in resettlement programs for "surrenderers". He learned the language of the Indians and went among them, teaching them and winning their friendship, even though the Mohegan sachems refused to come to his belief. Large tracts of land were conveyed to him either in trust or as absolute grants; a tract five miles in length and one in breadth, located in the present town of Lebanon, was conveyed by Owaneco to Mr. Fitch, and on this land some of his children settled. ^[1]

In 1660, Rev. Fitch, the first pastor of the church of Saybrook, with the greater part of his church, moved from Saybrook to Norwich. He continued to be pastor of said church at Norwich until, by reason of his age and infirmity, he resigned his said office about 1696. In 1702 he moved to Lebanon, and soon after died.

He had nine sons and five daughters. One or more of his sons settled in Lebanon. Those of the name in the vicinity of Windham, Lebanon, Canterbury, Preston, Norwich, and Montville are his descendants. Those in the western part of Connecticut descended from his brother Thomas, who settled in Norwalk.

Several of his letters, treatises, and sermons survive. He served as a chaplain for colonial troops in conflict with hostile Indians and later helped in resettlement programs for 'surrenderers.' He preached the election sermon in 1674, and it is the oldest election sermon of the Connecticut ministry which has been saved, and perhaps was the first one preached. In addition to his clerical labors, he educated several young men for the ministry; among those who received at least a part of their ministerial training from him were the Rev. Samuel Whiting of Windsor; Rev. Taylor of Westfield; Rev. Adams of New London.

The reputation of the senior Fitch did not rest on his theological writing, however, but on his vigorous missionary work among the Indians of Connecticut, particularly the Mohegans. Having mastered the Indian language, Fitch worked diligently to convert the famous chieftain Uncas and his son Owaneco. For a time the work among 'those poor heathen' was so promising that the General Assembly of Connecticut acknowledged a readiness to 'encourage Mr. Fitch in the work,' and he received funds from the United Commissioners. During King Philip's War, Fitch was particularly useful to the colony, maintaining the loyalty of the Mohegans and accompanying the colony's forces into battle.

Spouses and Children

James was twice married and had fourteen children. His first wife was Abigail Whitfield, whom he married on 1 Oct 1648. They had six children. She died on 9 Sep 1659. ^[2]

He married, as his second wife, Priscilla Mason. This was on 20 October 1664. James and Priscilla Fitch had eight children. ^[2]

All the children except Elizabeth are referred to as among the living in the will of their father, made February 1696.

Dealings with the Native Americans

The following records are from the book, "History of Norwich, Connecticut" by Frances Manwaring Caulkins, publ. by the author in 1866.

"The conversion of these Indians was a cherished object with the Rev. Fitch. He continually sought opportunities for sowing the seed, and his earnest faith and large-hearted charity made him hopeful of the harvest. He cultivated an intercourse with the tribe, and made use of every opportunity for acquiring their language. Rev. Fitch, having a great purpose in view, pursued the study of the native tongue with a system and a fair measure of success. After a few years, he was able not only to instruct in private, or with an interpreter, but could speak in a way to be understood and appreciated in assemblies of the tribe. With the sachems and chiefs, Christianity was never popular . . but among the poorer, gentler, and more scattered families, particularly among the tributaries and those adopted from other tribes, who were often oppressed by Uncas, Mr. Fitch found willing ears and accessible hearts. Here the gospel seemed to come as into a prepared place, bringing with it peace and comfort. Mr. Fitch rejoiced over these poor people as over lost children that had been found, and collected them into a small community, settling over them instructors and guardians from among themselves, whom he himself taught and trained for their office. The war with Philip commenced in June 1675 and raged about fifteen months. Mr. Fitch was an active agent and valued counselor of the government. . . Uncas came to consult with Mr. Fitch, and Mr. Fitch visited the Pequots to see if all was right in that quarter. the Indians consented to join the English, but apparently with a doubtful mind, and inclined to take that side only because it was the strongest. Of Uncas the English had at first deep distrust. He professed great friendship in his consultation with Mr. Fitch, but the latter thought it prudent that he should be induced to commit himself as soon as possible, by some act of hostility against Philip. The sachem saw where his interest lay, and consented to engage in immediate action. Before the end of July, fifty Mohegan warriors, staunch and well caparisoned, under the command of Owaneco, who had two other sons or near relatives on Uncas with him, were ready to start for Boston, there to offer their services against the Picasset chief. They paused in Norwich to obtain letters from Mr. Fitch and Lieut. Mason, and then proceeded to the Bay. . . On the 25th of January, 1676, Major Treat left New London on a second expedition into the wilderness, with a force of about 300 men. Mr. Fitch accompanied him as a chaplain, - Uncas and his warriors as scouts. . . The Council, therefore, appointed three Commissioners, Samuel Wyllis, James Richards, and John Allyn, to hold a general Indian convention at Norwich on the second Wednesday of December, and there, in concert with Mr. Fitch, as one of them, 'to received, dispose and settle all surrenderers according to order. . . Feb. 1, 1676-7. A motion was made by the Rev. Mr. Fitch with reference to a place of residence for those Indians who are listed surrenderers, where they might be entertained and accommodated with lands for their improvement in order to their comfortable living till such time as some other way may be made open for them. . . . The kind-hearted Mr. Fitch labored hard for his poor Indians, yet with unsatisfying results. Out of the hundreds that surrendered during the war, only one village consisting of about thirty families was actually established, and this was on a reservation, laid out by the town for this express purpose, between the rivers Shetucket and Quinebaug, where Owaneco and his people had formerly sojourned. . . .Mr. Fitch, in his report of the business to the General Court, observes: ' I am sufficiently informed there is a considerable number more abiding with Uncus, who are doubtless willing to come and settle with the others but are merely hindered by Uncus.'

"The summer of 1676 was remarkable for a long-continued drought. . . At length, they applied to Mr. Fitch, entreating him to intercede with the Lord of the harvest to refresh their drooping fields with the customary showers. Of this drought and the successful prayer for rain, an account is given under Mr. Fitch's own hand, which he calls 'a true narrative of that providence.' [prayer to be entered] . . . The sachem's recognition of the mighty power of God, in the successful prayer for rain, was in 1676. But in May 1678, Mr. Fitch depicts his character in colors of the blackest dye. He accuses him of hostility to the English, and hatred of their rulers, laws, and religion; of cunning, malice, robbery, oppression, and breaking of pledges."

Land Records

The following records are from the book, "History of Norwich, Connecticut" by Frances Manwaring Caulkins, publ. by the author in 1866.

Thomas Meeks, son of Thomas of New Haven, and there born in 1635, married June 30, 1677, Hannah, daughter of Rev. James Fitch. He settled upon a farm belonging to Rev. Fitch, east of the Shetucket. A tract of twenty acres, 'where his house stands,' was confirmed to him July 16, 1680, as a free gift from Mr. Fitch to his daughter. When King Philip's War was over, a part of this tract was assigned to the Indian fugitives, called Surrenderers; in May 1678, Rev. Fitch reported to the government that twenty-nine families of this class had settled upon it under the supervision of the English."

The Patent of the Town of Norwich, A.D. 1685 lists "Mr. James Fitch senr, Capt. James Fitch" as two of the proprietors of the township of Norwich and grants them land.

He was disabled by a stroke of the palsy in 1694 and replaced, temporarily, in the Norwich pulpit by his son, the Reverend Jabez Fitch, who had just completed his studies at Harvard. The record shows:

'At a town meeting Sept. 12, 1694. Inasmuch as it hath pleased God to lay his afflicting hand upon our Reverend pastor Mr. James Fitch that at present he is disabled with respect to the work of the ministry among us - Wherfore the towne appoint Left. Thomas Leffingwell, Left, William Backus, Simon Huntington Senr. Thomas Adgate and Richard Bushnell a Committee to treat with Mr. Jabez Fitch with respect unto his succeeding of his father in the work of the ministry among us.'

Aug. 29, 1698. The preamble of a vote alludes to the melancholy fact that the town is 'yet destitute of a preaching minister;' and nine persons were designated as a committee, who, in concert with the Rev. Mr. Fitch, were authorized to look out for a pastor. This reference to Rev. Fitch shows that his mind still retained its vigor and that his people were in the habit of resorting to him for counsel and direction. Nor were they unmindful of his support. After he was disabled from service, a rate was annually collected for his use, amounting to forty, fifty, and one year to seventy pounds. There can be little doubt that he was favored also with many free-will offerings, and that his people were studious to please and gratify him in the choice of a successor. . . The church organization in the days of Mr. Fitch not only extended over the nine-miles-square but took in the new settlements of Windham and Canterbury."

Death and Burial

James retired to what later became Lebanon, New London, Connecticut where he died and was buried at the old Trumbull Cemetery. There is a large gravestone at the site with an elaborate Latin inscription, said to have been written by his son, the Rev. Jabez Fitch (see below excerpt from book with regard to this), and a smaller footstone in English.

The translation of the Latin inscription is roughly: "In this grave are deposited the remains of that truly reverend man, Mr. James Fitch. He was born in Bocking, in the County of Essex, in England, the 24th day of December, in the year of our Lord 1622; who after he had been most excellently taught the learned languages came into New England at the age of sixteen, and then spent seven years under the instructions of those very famous men, Mr. Hooker and Mr. Stone. Afterward he discharged the pastoral office 14 years at Saybrook. Thence he removed with the major part of his Church to Norwich, where he spent the other years of his life in the work of the gospel. In his old age indeed he was obliged to cease from his public labors by reason of bodily indisposition and at length retired to his children at Lebanon, where after spending nearly half a year, he slept in Jesus in the year 1702, on the 18th day of November, in the 80th year of his age. He was a man as to the smartness of his genius, the solidity of his judgment, his charity, holy labors, & every kind of purity of life, & also as to his skill & energy of preaching, inferior to none." ^[3]

Crest and Coat of Arms

Fitch, Rev. James, and Thomas, his father. Hartford and elsewhere, Connecticut. Arms: Vert, a chevron between three leopard's faces or. ^[4] Also (the ancient arms of ffyytche): Gold a roundel between three crosslets fitched sable. Crest: A leopard's face gold in his mouth a sword proper the hilt gules.

Research Notes

“He was the first minister at Saybrook, Conn., (1646) and sharing the leadership with his father-in-law, Major John Mason, led his flock through the wilderness to found the new colony of Norwich, Conn. (1660). In his later years he retired to Lebanon, Conn., (1702) which he founded and named in memory of the ‘lofty cedars of Lebanon’ famed in the Bible as being used by Solomon to build the Temple.”^[5]

The Fitch family is a long and illustrious one that has been well studied. See the website for details on the books that have been written by John T. Fitch on the history and genealogy of this family.^[6]

Event: a founder of Lebanon and Norwalk, Connecticut, with his father-in-law

Type: Moved to

1696 Lebanon, New London, Connecticut, USA^[7]

Event: first pastor of the First Church of Norwich, held office for 56 yrs

Place: Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA^[8]

Event: per Cotton Mather "the holy, acute and learned Mr. Fitch"^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ History of New London County, Connecticut: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men, by Duane Hamilton Hurd, publ. 1882
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} The Signers of the Mayflower Compact and Their Descendants, by Henry Whittemore, publ. 1889
3. ↑ The National Magazine: (Cleveland) a Monthly Journal of American History, Volumes 18-19; publ. by Magazine of Western History Publishing Company, 1893.
4. ↑ Fitch: Early Generations, located at Baronage.co.uk web.archive link
5. ↑ Fitch, Roscoe Conkling. A History of the Fitch Family (College of Arms, London, England. Haverhill, Mass.: Record Pub. Co., 1930), Page 96
6. ↑ http://fitchfamily.com/
7. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Boston, Little, Brown and Company, 1862) Page vol II, pg 168
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Notes on Persons and Places in the Ancient Town of Norwich (1909) pg 2

See also:

• History of Norwich, Connecticut, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins, publ. by the author in 1866
• Descendants of the Rev. James Fitch, Vol. 1. John T. Fitch with the assistance of Patricia M. Geisler, publ. 1996 by Picton Press, Camden, Maine.
• A Fitch Family History - English Ancestors of the Fitches of Colonial Connecticut. John T. Fitch, publ. 1990 by Picton Press, Camden, Maine.
• New England Families, Vol. III, Genealogies and Memorials, p. 1343.
• Dexter, Franklin Bowditch. Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College (Holt, 1885) Vol. 1, Page 383
• _____ Vol I-III, Records 2956-2965
• Clemens, William Montgomery, American Marriages Before 1699 (Pompton Lakes, NJ, USA: Biblio Co., 1926)
• Connecticut Deaths and Burials 1772-1934
• The National Magazine A Journal Devoted to American History (The National History Company, New York, 1893) Vol. 19, Page 214
• Manual of the Congregational Church of Old Saybrook, Conn., 1888 (Charles A. Kirtland, Deep River, Connecticut, 1888) Page 4
• Hollister, Gideon. The History of Connecticut, From the First Settlement of the Colony to the Adoption of the Present Constitution (Case, Tiffany & Co., Hartford, 1857) Vol. 1, Page 508
• Fitch, John G., Genealogy of the Fitch family in North America, published 1886. Reference pages 16-18. Wives, children listed on pages 16-18, additional details on other pages.
• Town and Miscellaneous Records of Saybrook, Connecticut (FamilySearch) Page 2.

• "James Fitch married Abigail Whitfield daughter of Henry Whitefiled of Guilford, October 16, 1648."

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 March 2021), memorial page for Rev James Fitch (24 Dec 1622–18 Nov 1702), Find A Grave: Memorial #10842545, citing Old Cemetery, Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .