James Fitch, Major: Ancestry Family Tree Genealogy

Generation: 1

James Fitch, Major was born on 2 Aug 1649 in Norwich, New London, CT (son of Rev. James Fitch and Abigail Whitfield); died on 10 Nov 1727 in Canterbury, CT.

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James married Alice Bradford on 8 May 1687 in Norwich, New London, CT. Alice (daughter of Major William Bradford) was born in 1662 in Plymouth, MA; died on 15 Mar 1745 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. [Group Sheet]

Generation: 2

Rev. James Fitch was born in 1622 in Bocking, Essex, England (son of Thomas Fitch); died in 1702 in Lebanon, New London Co, Connecticut.

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Notes:

He was Chaplain of the regiment from the Norwich, Connecticut area in King Phillip's War.
From Burpee's text we find that the Reverend studied in Hartford with Thomas Hooker and Samuel Stone (James' brother Joseph married Stone's daughter Mary). He was ordained a pastor in Saybrook, and subsequently moved to Norwich. Connecticut Trilogy tells us that a company of Saybrook planters, "under the spiritual direction of the Reverend Fitch" and the assistance of John Mason, purchased land just above the Indian fort.
He apparently spent some energy on helping the Indians. He is mentioned petitioning on behalf of them to the Royal Commission headed by Governor Dudley of Massachusetts. And, of course,he saw it as his mission to convert the heathen to Christianity. From Trilogy comes:

But he did not make any great headway until in 1676 when a
great drought ruined all the crops. The Mohegans called in
the services of a medicine man but all his whirlings and
howlings did not draw down a drop of moisture. [Chief]
Uncas then appealed to the white man to see what his God
could do. The Reverend Fitch saw his chance. He promised
to try if Uncas would give credit where credit was due
in case of success. Then the planters set a day for
prayer. They prayed and they prayed but not a cloud veiled
the brassy sun until just as it was going down, and then
a tiny one drifted across its face. For several days
it was overcast. And then came the deluge. It rained
and it rained and it rained. And then it rained some
more.

Indian stories with Fitch involved continue. During early land grabs, one of Chief Uncas' minions, somewhat drunk, set fire to the Norwich jail. For retribution, Fitch and company were given an additional 100 acres of Mohegan land. This and other land acquisitions gave them quite a parcel. Fitch, Mason and the others proceeded to survey the rattlesnake-infested land and assign Home-Lots. It is said that this was the first settlement in America to be so surveyed and planned before families actually moved in (Trilogy, p. 164).

Rev. married Abigail Whitfield in Oct 1648 in Norwich, New London, CT. Abigail (daughter of Rev. Henry Whitfield and Dorothy Sheaffe) died on 9 Sep 1659 in Norwich, New London, CT. [Group Sheet]

Abigail Whitfield (daughter of Rev. Henry Whitfield and Dorothy Sheaffe); died on 9 Sep 1659 in Norwich, New London, CT.

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Children:

1. James Fitch, Major was born on 2 Aug 1649 in Norwich, New London, CT; died on 10 Nov 1727 in Canterbury, CT.
Abigail Fitch was born in Aug 1650 in Seabrook, CT; and died.
Elisabeth Fitch was born in Jan 1651 in Seabrook, CT; and died.
Hannah Fitch was born in Sep 1653 in Seabrook, CT; and died.
Samuel Fitch was born in Apr 1655 in Seabrook, CT; died in 1725.
Dorothy Fitch was born in Apr 1658 in Seabrook, CT; and died.

Generation: 3

Thomas Fitch (son of Thomas Fitch and Mary Mauch); died on 20 Jan 1686.

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Children:

Thomas Fitch and died.
Joseph Fitch and died.
2. Rev. James Fitch was born in 1622 in Bocking, Essex, England; died in 1702 in Lebanon, New London Co, Connecticut.

Rev. Henry Whitfield was born in 1597 in Mortlake, Surrey, England (son of Thomas Whitfield and Mildred Manning); died in Sep 1657 in Winchester, England.

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Immigration: Jul 1639, New England

Notes:

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The Reverend came from England to America in the ship Hector with Eaton and Davenport, and with "considerable money in his pocket and, in the back of his mind, the purpose of founding areligious hierarchy of his own." (Connecticut Trilogy p. 240). He and his party arrived at Menunkatuck, or Guilford. The Indian "queen bee" Shaumpishuh relinquished this land in return for adozen each of coats, shoes, pots, hatchets, knives, porringers, and, finally, a dozen looking-glasses and two pairs of stockings.
The Reverend and his company then built Guilford's Old Stone House, is reputed to be the oldest stone dwelling in America (see Trilogy). Apparently, it still stands and is a somewhatrestored status. It is probable that Whitfield's daughter(s) were married here.
Whitfield and his wife Dorothy went back to England around 1651, but Old Stone continued to be a place of worship for some time to come.

Rev. married Dorothy Sheaffe in 1618 in England. Dorothy (daughter of Edmund Sheaffe and Elizabeth Cotton) and died. [Group Sheet]

Dorothy Sheaffe (daughter of Edmund Sheaffe and Elizabeth Cotton); and died.

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Children:

3. Abigail Whitfield died on 9 Sep 1659 in Norwich, New London, CT.
Dorothy Whitfield and died.
Sarah Whitfield died in 1675 in America.
Thomas Whitfield and died.
John Whitfield died in in England.
Nathaniel Whitfield and died.
Mary Whitfield and died.
Henry Whitfield died on 28 Feb 1634 in Ockley, Surrey, England.
Rebecca Whitfield and died.

Generation: 4

Thomas Fitch was born about 1562 in Brazen Head, Lyndersill, Essex, England (son of Thomas Fitch and Anne Bartley); and died.

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Notes:

The Avery collection also lists alternates to this and the preceding generation. She notes that George Fitch and Joan Thurgood may have been in place of Thomas Fitch and Mary Mauch. In addition, Roger Fitch and Margery (unknown) may have been in place of Thomas Fitch and Anne Bartley (the preceding generation). Her notes make reference to both sets, although the generations earlier than these two in question seem to be certain, at least in her notes.

Thomas married Mary Mauch. Mary (daughter of John Mauch) and died. [Group Sheet]

9.
Mary Mauch (daughter of John Mauch); and died.
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Children:

4. Thomas Fitch died on 20 Jan 1686.

12.	Thomas Whitfield (son of Robert Whitfield and Agnes Atwood); and died. Other Events: _UID: A15A8BE5B3CA4660B3392BDF147BB4CE953A Thomas married Mildred Manning in Jan 1584 in London, England. Mildred (daughter of Henry Manning and Catherine Kirkner) and died. [Group Sheet]

13.

Mildred Manning (daughter of Henry Manning and Catherine Kirkner); and died.

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Children:

John Whitfield was born in in England; and died.
Frances Whitfield was born in in England; and died.
Bridget Whitfield was born in in England; and died.
Elizabeth Whitfield was born in in England; and died.
Katharine Whitfield was born in in England; and died.
Lucy Whitfield was born in in England; and died.
6. Rev. Henry Whitfield was born in 1597 in Mortlake, Surrey, England; died in Sep 1657 in Winchester, England.

14.
Edmund Sheaffe and died.
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Edmund married Elizabeth Cotton. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet]
15.
Elizabeth Cotton and died.
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Children:

7. Dorothy Sheaffe and died.