 1622 - 1702 (80 years)
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| Name |
Rev. James Fitch [1, 2] |
| Born |
1622 |
Bocking, Essex, England  [3] |
| Gender |
Male |
| _UID |
75D3C87D1D5F44C896E012FCAE80B43BB61A |
| Died |
1702 |
Lebanon, New London Co, Connecticut |
| Person ID |
I72 |
Bradley - Post |
| Last Modified |
2 Aug 2013 |
| Family 1 |
Abigail Whitfield, d. 9 Sep 1659, Norwich, New London, CT |
| Married |
Oct 1648 |
Norwich, New London, CT [4] |
| Children |
| | 1. James Fitch, Major, b. 2 Aug 1649, Norwich, New London, CT , d. 10 Nov 1727, Canterbury, CT (Age 78 years) |
| | 2. Abigail Fitch, b. Aug 1650, Seabrook, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 3. Elisabeth Fitch, b. Jan 1651, Seabrook, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 4. Hannah Fitch, b. Sep 1653, Seabrook, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 5. Samuel Fitch, b. Apr 1655, Seabrook, CT , d. 1725 (Age ~ 69 years) |
| | 6. Dorothy Fitch, b. Apr 1658, Seabrook, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
|
| Last Modified |
4 Jan 2021 |
| Family ID |
F39 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family 2 |
Prissilla Mason, d. Yes, date unknown |
| Married |
Oct 1664 |
Norwich, New London, CT [5] |
| Children |
| | 1. Danell Fitch, b. Aug 1665, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 2. John Fitch, b. Jan 1667, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 3. Jeremiah Fitch, b. Sep 1670, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 4. Jabez Fitch, b. Apr 1672, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 5. Anne Fitch, b. Apr 1675, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 6. Nathanell Fitch, b. Oct 1679, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 7. Joseph Fitch, b. Nov 1681, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 8. Eleazer Fitch, b. 14 May 1683, Norwich, New London, CT , d. Yes, date unknown |
|
| Last Modified |
4 Jan 2021 |
| Family ID |
F66 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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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).
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| Sources |
- [S5] Story of Connecticut, 974.6., , Vol. II, pp. 533, 596; and see.
- [S6] Trilogy, , pp. 163-168.
- [S38] Directory.
- [S8] CT Archives-Norwich, , 1-40.
- [S7] Norwich Records, , p. 39.
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