William Wadsworth (26 February 1594 oss.

Long Buckby Long Buckby is a large village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. In 2020 the parish of Long Buckby, which includes the hamlet of Long Buckby Wharf, was estimated to have a population of 4,303. Long Buckby is hill top village, l ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

– 15 October 1675

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

) was an early pioneer of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

, a founder of Hartford, Connecticut and the

patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...

of numerous and prominent

Wadsworth Wadsworth may refer to: People * Wadsworth (surname) * Wadsworth (given name) Places * Wadsworth, Illinois, United States, a village * Wadsworth, Kansas, United States * Wadsworth, Nevada, United States, a census-designated place * Wadswo ...

descendants of North America, including the poet

Ezra Pound Ezra Weston Loomis Pound (30 October 1885 – 1 November 1972) was an expatriate American poet and critic, a major figure in the early modernist poetry movement, and a Fascism, fascist collaborator in Italy during World War II. His works ...

.Moody, David. A. ''Ezra Pound: Poet''. Oxford University Press, 2007, p. xiii.

Origins

William's exact origins have challenged descendants and researchers over the centuries. Recent researchers have postulated that the William Wadsworth, who is born 1594 in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire, England and baptized on 26 February 1594, the son of William and Elizabeth Wadsworth, is one and the same as the subject of this article. This is not proven, though his age, place and

onomastics Onomastics (or, in older texts, onomatology) is the study of the etymology, history, and use of proper names. An ''orthonym'' is the proper name of the object in question, the object of onomastic study. Onomastics can be helpful in data mining, w ...

point strongly to this connection.

New England

William Wadsworth's name appears on the top of a list of those who have taken the "Oath of Allegiance" and desired to be "transported to New England", dated 22 June 1632. William Wadsworth is found, again, at the top, on the list of 123 passengers on the ship ''Lion,'' who arrived in

Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeastern United States. History Since ...

Massachusetts Colony The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the Thirteen Colonies, thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III of England, William III and Mary II ...

on Sunday, September 16, 1632. He states his wife and three children are with him. Soon after his arrival to Boston he moved to "Newtowne" now

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

. He was made a

Freeman Freeman, free men, or variant, may refer to: * a member of the Third Estate in medieval society (commoners), see estates of the realm * Freeman, an apprentice who has been granted freedom of the company, was a rank within Livery companies * Free ...

of this town on 2 November 1632. He built his home on the west side of Holyoke Street near

Harvard Square Harvard Square is a triangular plaza at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street and John F. Kennedy Street near the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The term "Harvard Square" is also used to delineate the busin ...

. He was chosen to be on the Board of Selectmen for Newtowne, and held this position from 1634 to 1635.

To Hartford

William Wadsworth was one of the original

Founders of Hartford, Connecticut The History of Hartford, Connecticut has occupied a central place in Connecticut's history from the state's origins to the present, as well as the greater history of the United States of America. Founders Here is a partial list of the 163 men and ...

. In 1635 Rev.

Thomas Hooker Thomas Hooker (July 5, 1586 – July 7, 1647) was a prominent English colonial leader and Congregational minister, who founded the Connecticut Colony after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He was known as an outstanding spea ...

and his followers from Chelmsford, England had arrived to Newtowne and soon, after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts, made up their minds, in council, to move westward. In June 1636, William moved with his family and others of the congregation to a settlement they named

Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

. He was an original proprietor of the town. His home-lot, in 1639, was on the west side of the map from Seth Grant's to Sentinel Hill, extending along what is now the south side of Asylum St., from Trumbull St. to Ford St. At Hartford, William was active in the community and held prominent public office positions throughout his life. William was chosen "Townsman" of Hartford in 1642, 1655, 1661, and again in 1673; he was also chosen Constable in 1651; he was the town's List and Rate Maker in 1668; he was elected Deputy Constable nearly every session between October 1656 and May 1675 robably due to age and failing health William died in 1675. His will was dated 16 June 1675 and it was inventoried on 18 October 1675 at a value of £1677. 13. 9. (approx. $300,000 US).

Family

William Wadsworth married 1st) Sarah Talcott (1600 - 24 Oct 1643) of

Braintree, Essex Braintree is a town and former civil parish in Essex, England. The principal settlement of Braintree District, it is located northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester. According to the 2011 Census, the town had a population of 41,634, ...

and had the following children: * Sarah Wadsworth (1626 - 04 Oct 1648) m. John Wilkock, Jr. on 17 Sep 1646 * William Wadsworth (1628 – d. young) *

John Wadsworth John Wadsworth (1850 – 10 July 1921) was a British trade unionist and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal or Lib-Lab politician. Born in West Melton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Wadsworth worked as a coal miner and was elected checkweighman. He j ...

, Hon. (1630 - 06 Nov 1689) m. Sarah Stanley on 14 Apr 1652 * Mary Wadsworth (1632 – 1685) m. Thomas Stoughton in 1656 William married 2nd) Elizabeth Stone (2 October 1621 – 1682) on 2 July 1644 at

and had the following children: * Elizabeth Wadsworth (17 May 1645 - 12 Mar 1715) m. John Terry on 27 Nov 1662 * Samuel Wadsworth (20 Oct 1646 – Aug 1682) unmarried *

Joseph Wadsworth The Charter Oak was an unusually large white oak tree growing on Wyllys Hyll in Hartford, Connecticut in the United States, from around the 12th or 13th century until it fell during a storm in 1856. According to tradition, Connecticut's Roya ...

, Capt. (1647 – 1729) m. Elizabeth Talcott * Sarah Wadsworth (17 Mar 1649 - ) m. Jonathan Ashley * Thomas Wadsworth (1651 – Sep 1687) m. Elizabeth * Rebecca Wadsworth (1653 - )

Descendants

The following persons are the descendants of William's sons Hon. John Wadsworth or his half brother Capt. Joseph Wadsworth of

Charter Oak The Charter Oak was an unusually large white oak tree growing on Wyllys Hyll in Hartford, Connecticut in the United States, from around the 12th or 13th century until it fell during a storm in 1856. According to tradition, Connecticut's Roya ...

fame. *

Daniel Wadsworth Daniel Wadsworth (1771–1848) of Hartford, Connecticut, was an American amateur artist and architect, arts patron and traveler. He is most remembered as the founder of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in his native city. Early life and ed ...

(1771 – 1848) *

Decius Wadsworth Decius Wadsworth (January 2, 1768 – November 8, 1821) was a Colonel in the U.S. Army before and during the War of 1812. He graduated from Yale College in 1785 with Honors. He was a renowned military organizer, engineer and inventor. In 1812, he ...

(1768 - 1821) *

Elijah Wadsworth Elijah Wadsworth (November 14, 1747 – December 30, 1817) was a captain in the American Revolutionary War and a major general in the War of 1812. He was a prominent military officer, Ohio pioneer, local organizer and leader, and wealthy land ...

(1747 - 1817) *

Frederick Wadsworth Frederick Elijah Wadsworth (March 7, 1786 in Litchfield, Connecticut – February 3, 1869 in Edinburg, Ohio) was an Ohio militia officer, businessman, banker, and politician. Family Frederick was born in 1786 at the family home in Litchfield ...

(1786 - 1869) * George Wadsworth (1893 – 1958) * James Wadsworth (1768 - 1844) * James Wadsworth (1730 – 1816) *

James S. Wadsworth James Samuel Wadsworth (October 30, 1807 – May 8, 1864) was a philanthropist, politician, and a Union general in the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded in battle during the Battle of the Wilderness of 1864. Early years Wadswor ...

(1807 – 1864) * James Wadsworth (1819 - 1891) *

James Wolcott Wadsworth James Wolcott Wadsworth (October 12, 1846 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – December 24, 1926 in Washington, D.C.) was an American farmer, soldier and statesman. Early life He was the son of Civil War General James Samuel Wadsworth (1807� ...

(1846 – 1926) *

James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. (August 12, 1877June 21, 1952) was an American politician, a Republican Party (United States), Republican from New York (state), New York. He was the son of New York State Comptroller James Wolcott Wadsworth, and the ...

(1877 – 1952) *

James Jeremiah Wadsworth James Jeremiah "Jerry" Wadsworth (June 12, 1905 – March 13, 1984)"James J(eremiah) Wadsworth." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. was an American politician and diplomat from New Yor ...

(1905 – 1984) *

Jeremiah Wadsworth Jeremiah Wadsworth (July 12, 1743 – April 30, 1804) was an American sea captain, merchant, and statesman from Hartford, Connecticut who profited from his position as a government official charged with supplying the Continental Army. He re ...

(1743 – 1804) *

Martha Wadsworth Brewster Martha Wadsworth Brewster (April 1, 1710 – ) was an 18th-century American poet and writer. She is one of only four colonial women who published volumes of their verse before the American Revolution and was the first American-born woman to pu ...

(1710 - 1757) * William Wadsworth (1765 - 1833) * Harrison Wadsworth Jr. (1924 - 2010)

Notes

References

*"Original Distribution of the Lands in Hartford Among the Settlers," Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, Volume XIV, Hartford: The Society, ed. Albert Bates, 1912 *"Two Hundred and Fifty Years of the Wadsworth Family in America" by Horace Andrew Wadsworth, Eagle Steam Joe Printing, Boston, 1883 *"The Original Proprietors" Reprint of Society of The Descendants of the Founders of Hartford, Inc., Mary King Tolcott, 1986 *"Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut" Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Lucius Barnes Barbour, 1977 *"The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884" Boston: Edward L. Osgood, Publisher, J. Hammond Trumball, 1886 *"A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records: 1635 - 1700: Vol. I by Charles W. Manwaring, R.S. Peck & Co., 1904 *"Result of Some Researches Among the British Archives for Information Relative to the Founders of New England" by Samuel G. Drake, New England Hist. And Gen. Register, 1860 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wadsworth, William 1594 births 1675 deaths Founders of Hartford, Connecticut English emigrants Wadsworth family Ezra Pound People from Long Buckby