William Wadsworth ★

1600s–1630s

Born around 1601. Crossed to New England aboard the Lyon in 1632, became a freeman of Massachusetts Bay that November, and was a selectman of Newtowne (Cambridge) before moving with Thomas Hooker's congregation in 1636 to found Hartford, Connecticut.

1640s–1660s

Married at Hartford on 2 July 1644. Built up one of Hartford's larger landholdings and from 1652 served as one of its deputies to the Connecticut General Court. Helped settle the boundary between Stonington and Pequot territory in 1666.

1670s

Still a deputy in 1675, when he wrote his will in May; died on 15 October that year, leaving an estate valued at over 1,677 pounds.

Building Hartford

William Wadsworth crossed the Atlantic aboard the ship Lyon in 1632 and was admitted a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony that November, settling first at Newtowne (now Cambridge), where he was a selectman in 1634–1635. In June 1636 he moved with the Rev. Thomas Hooker's congregation to found Hartford, Connecticut, where he was an original proprietor and built one of the town's larger landholdings — dozens of parcels acquired piece by piece over four decades, including meadow, pasture, and woodland purchased from neighbors like Richard Lord and Stephen Hart. He was chosen a townsman of Hartford in 1642, 1655, 1661 and 1673 and its constable in 1651. He served for over two decades, from 1652 to 1675, as one of Hartford's deputies to the Connecticut General Court, and in his later years sat on the colony's Indian Commission and War Committee, helping negotiate the boundary between Stonington and Pequot territory in 1666.

A Substantial Estate

William wrote his will in May 1675, providing an annual income for his wife Elizabeth and dividing his considerable property among his children: his son Samuel received the family homestead, his son Joseph a house and land purchased from Daniel Pratt, and his son Thomas the lands beyond the Great River along with an unfinished barn. William died on October 15, 1675; his estate was inventoried at over 1,677 pounds — a substantial sum for the period, with more than 1,000 pounds of it in real estate spread across meadows, pastures, and a farm at Hockanum purchased from Governor Haynes.