Thomas Hanford (July 22, 1621 – 1693) was a founding

settler A settler or a colonist is a person who establishes or joins a permanent presence that is separate to existing communities. The entity that a settler establishes is a Human settlement, settlement. A settler is called a pioneer if they are among ...

of Norwalk,

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. He was the first minister in Norwalk, and continued in charge of the settlement's church for forty-one years, until his death in 1693. In addition to his spiritual leadership, he also served as the civic leader and school teacher of the settlement.

Early life and family

He was born in Fremington (near Barnstaple),

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

shire,

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, on July 22, 1621, the son of Theophilus Jeffrey Hanford and Eglin Hatherly.

Life in America

His mother, Eglin Hatherly Hanford, with Thomas' sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth, departed from

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

aboard the ship ''Planter'' on April 8, 1635. They arrived in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

on June 7, 1635. Thomas followed his mother at a later time in order to finish his studies in England. However, it appears that he did not finish in England, as he completed his studies in

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1628–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around Massachusetts Bay, one of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of M ...

with

Charles Chauncy Charles Chauncy (baptized 5 November 1592 – 19 February 1672) was an Anglo-American Congregational church, Congregational clergyman, educator, and secondarily, a physician. He was the second President of Harvard University, Harvard. Life ...

, who later became the second president of

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

. By 1643, he was in Scituate, Massachusetts, which was founded by his mother's brother, Timothy Hatherly. He became a

freeman Freeman, free men, Freeman's or Freemans may refer to: Places United States * Freeman, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Freeman, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Freeman, South Dako ...

of Massachusetts in 1650. In 1651 he went to Roxbury, to teach school. He taught for four months, but became discouraged by his students and quit in June 1652, citing ill health.New Haven Town Records: General Court for New Haven, November 14, 1651, November 17, 1651, March 11, 1651/2, and June 7, 1652.

Life in Norwalk

In 1652, Hanford, being "an orthodox and approved minister," was invited to join the settlement at Norwalk as the first minister of the First Congregational Church. He was ordained in Hartford on May 18, 1654. The town gave him a lot of four acres, and built him a house. He was also given an island by a Winnipauk Indian named Sagamore, which today is called Sheffield Island. He is listed on the Founders Stone bearing the names of the founding settlers of Norwalk in the

East Norwalk Historical Cemetery __NOTOC__ Established in , the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery is Norwalk's oldest cemetery, and many of the area's first settlers are buried there. The cemetery is owned and maintained by the Third Taxing District, formally known as the East Nor ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanford, Thomas 1621 births 1693 deaths Burials in East Norwalk Historical Cemetery Settlers of Norwalk, Connecticut 17th-century New England Puritan ministers People from North Devon (district) Settlers of Connecticut First settlers of New England