Sarah (Unknown) Leete (abt. 1619 - 1673)

Born about 1619 in England

Wife of William Leete Sr — married 7 Apr 1670 (to 10 Feb 1673) in Connecticut

Descendants

Died 10 Feb 1673 at about age 54 in New Haven, Connecticut

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Biography

Sarah, surname unknown, was born Abt. 1619, and died February 03, 1672/73 in New Haven, CT. She married Henry RUTHERFORD.

2nd marriage: Governor William Leete

The immigrant ancestor of the Leets, LEET of Chautauqua county. New York, was William Leete, bom in Huntingdonshire, England, in 1611, where he was bred to the law, and served for a considerable time as a clerk of the bishop's court, at Cambridge. In this capacity he saw much of the oppression and cruelty practiced upon the conscientious Puritans, and was led to examine thoroughly their doctrines and practice. The result was that he himself became a Puritan, and resigned his office. He came to New England with Rev. Henry Whitfield's company, signed the plantation covenant, June i, 1639, and, for forty years, served his brethren in the stations which his ability and education happily fitted him for. He was an assistant, 1643- 57, and from 165 1 to 1658 the magistrate of the town, and one pf the court of magistrates for the jurisdiction of the New Haven colony for a much longer period. In 1658 he was chosen deputy governor of the colony, which dignity he held until the union with the colony of Connecticut, in 1664. Upon the union he was elected magistrate, and then in Connecticut, from 1669 to 1676, deputy governor.

On the death of Governor Winthrop, in 1676 he was chosen governor, which office he held until his death at Hartford, Connecticut, April 16. 1683. Dr. Trumbull says of him: A man of figure, a rigid Puritan, and a stem Republican. For forty years he was magistrate, deputy governor or governor of one of the colonies. In both colonies he presided in times of the greatest difficulty, yet always conducted himself with integrity and wisdom, so as to meet the public approval. He was the chief magistrate of the county court of New Haven county after its formation in 1664, and held that office until his removal to Hartford on his election to the office of governor. After that time he remained there, managing the affairs of the government of the whole colony until his death in 1683, full of years and honors. His tombstone was discovered about 1830, at Hartford, while removing some earth that had been allowed to accumulate in the ancient burial yard at that city. He was one of the first settlers of the town of Guilford, with Rev. Henry Whitfield, "a great divine and a man of wealth, and was one of the pillars of his church.

He had three wives, the first, Ann , being the mother of his children. They were married in England, and his son John is said to have been the first white child born in Guilford. This was in 1639, shortly after its settlement. He married (second), 1671, Sarah, widow of Henry Rutherford, (third) Mary, widow of Rev. Nicholas Street, and former widow of General Francis Newman.^[1]

Gov. William (Leete) of G m (2) 7 Apr 1670 (New Haven Vital Records) Sarah wid. Henry Rutherford.

[45] Marriages in Newhaven

Mr William Leet & Mrs Sarah Rotherford were marryed by James Bishop Aprill 7th 1670.

Sarah married first, Henry Rutherford. She married second, William Leete on 7 Apr 1670 in Connecticut. Sarah Leete died 10 Feb 1673/4 in Connecticut.

"Instructions about Mrs. Leete's will taken by her sister." Bequests were made to her husband Wm. Leete, to Mr. Streete, to daughter Hall, to granddaughter Sarah Trowbridge, to the rest of the children of Thomas and Sarah Trowbridge, and to son Caleb. Caleb was given use of the property for life. Thomas Trowbridge was given the management of Caleb's estate "because of weakness of his intellect." Mr. James Davids [the alias used in New Haven by regicide John Dixwell] and Widdow Joans in court 12 Feb 1673, took oath to the writing.^[2][3]

Sources

1. ↑ Leete, in Jacobus, Donald Lines. Families of Ancient New Haven. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1974), 5:1085.
2. ↑ “New Haven Probate Records, Vol. 1-2, 1647-1703”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L92K-G9NG-N : 7 March 2021), New Haven, Connecticut, FHL microfilm 007626739, image 96-97. New Haven Probate Record, 1647-1687, Vol. 1, Part 1, page 163-164.
3. ↑ "Abstracts of the Early Probate Records of New Haven, Book 1, Part I, 1647-1687." New England Historical and Genealogical Register. 81:126,127. 1927. link American Ancestors p. 127

• New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Vital Records of New Haven, 1649-1850. (Hartford [Connecticut]: Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, 1917-1924), 1:30.
• Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, by William Richard Cutter, 1912, page 88-89
• New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey, page 460

Acknowledgments

• WikiTree profile Sarah-291 created through the import of clements.GED on Jul 9, 2011 by John Clements.