Luke Hill

Born Abt in England. He married May 6, 1651, in Windsor, Connecticut. He died Abt.

The Rivulet Ferryman

Luke Hill was born around 1613 in England and settled in Windsor, Connecticut, buying a home lot in 1655 and additional land over the following years. From 1667 he operated the Rivulet Ferry in Windsor — his wife Mary famously joined him at a town meeting that year to complain about his inadequate pay, successfully persuading the freemen to raise it. Luke moved to Massaco (Simsbury) around 1669, one of its earliest freemen, and rebuilt his homestead at Hope Meadow after it was destroyed in King Philip's War; the town later built its meeting house near his home. He was trusted enough by his neighbors that his son-in-law's will named him guardian for a granddaughter and executor over his own children's inheritance. Luke wrote his will in February 1694, leaving the bulk of his estate to his son John in exchange for care in his old age, and was granted a tax exemption for his age and service the following year. He died around 1696.