' - ^ ' , » N .<^^• -Ij.^ v^^ . >, *^.**^^^ ..^ .V o " a »• I. o V> - ^^' 0-A ^^ c* -..i" A <^ 'ow* ,G^ \5 "-., s* A <. -^.^' .G^ . -^^n^ y4 /•'-i-.\ ,^°.-^A //M-^,\ / y^;<^^ /.'•• ^<v •<J,* .^ /^^^A,% '\^C,'^^ "'^%'°^ ^^^"^ -^^^''° A^-% :^M#: /=,^ \ A <^ 'o.T* G^ '= o " ^oV" " ' "V «, „ o O,^ ^ av .:^^'^ liS^^ r<^ .<^ N O - o o ^ '^^ ''M ^^^^•- ^ ^.^V\' ;^^^l£^ Vc^^^<i- ::^^v ^..^ o'- o I > THE STOCKING ANCESTRY on which surnames came into recog- The date usually accepted as that were more names borrowed from nized use is A D looo. Thev generally indicate on which their wearers resided, and they, therefore, origi- estates was In of time, the use of surnames nal landed proprietors. process to the and trades, extended to natural objects, and later on, professions characteristics. On the accession of and even to personal traits and he caused to be in William the Conqueror to the English crown, published, metes in his new kingdom, with their 1083-86 a survev of the demesnes varieties of tenures, classes of persons, and bounds, description of lands, historical matters. From these kinds of monev, statistical accounts, and of the crown, the num- William ascertained a knowledge of the possessions and best sources ot revenue ber of land-holders, the military strength, Book. It was the first record This was known as Domesday publication the the nation; in two volumes, it forms until published at the cost of records of those ancient times, and fixes present dav the basis of historical and the domiciles of all the then families of position respectability. or Stockmg-ham, Among these ancient families was that of Stocking-ha, the old ham used by the suffix ham being the old Saxon Iteim, Enghsh home. Hence Stockmg-ham was Chaucer, from which comes the modern the home of the Stockings. after the death ot On the return of Edward III. from Palestine in 1273, a fresh about the his father Henrv II.. he caused to be made inquiry of which had demesnes of the crown, and of its rights and revenues, many the turbulent been usurped bv the clerg>' and laity during preceding made on oath of each hundred heads of reign The inquisition being of the families this roval record was called Rotiili Himdrcdomm (Rolls name of the Stockings De Hundreds). In 'this record is found the •• thus the estate of the family, which Stocking, the De" (of or from) fixing and not in Scotland or Domesday Book locates in Suffolk. England, Wales, as some traditions have asserted. the first and only one From this ancient family came George Stocking, His name was of the name known to have emigrated to America. spelled As no of the Stocken, Stockin, and Stocking, indifferently. subject to cross the high seas English crown could secure the royal permission to the and without first taking the oath of allegiance king pariiament, with a cer- and that of conformity to the Established Church, together their ministers that he tificate from a justice of the peace and from parish . , / ,0 ^^^^ ^ 2 The Stocking Ancestry to do so were compelled to leave was "no subsidy man," all who refused manner. George Stockmg, his the country in a virtually surreptitious and members of the of wife and four children, were Dissenters, party in the and Rev' Thomas Hooker. Thev sailed from England ship Gnfiin, a house at and there he landed in Boston in 1633. George built Cambridge, arisen among the different con- lived for two years, when dissensions having a new company and congregation gregations of the colonv, Hooker organized for the Connecticut River Valley, the of one hundred souls, and struck out two weeks, women on horseback, the men on foot. The journey occupied the of the noble river, in which time their eyes were gladdened by sight Hartford. and on its banks thev founded beautiful records that the Stockings were a It will be seen from the following and that the spirit of emi- long-lived, and enterprising family, hardy son successive generations. George's only gration was inherited by many of a numerous removed to Middletown, Conn., and became the progenitor swarmed eastward into Massachusetts, and and vigorous posterity, who of courage and fear- westward through unbroken forests, pioneers patient homes were bounded by the Atlantic and less perseverance, until their the Gulf of Mexico. Pacific Oceans, by Upper Canada and educational, and political They have been largelv interested in religious, in faith, and Whigs, Free-Soilers, matters, the majority being Methodists Few families have had so many centena- and Republicans in politics. nbt as in it was as patriots, and rians, and though some have died prison, to have been the defendant criminals. Not one of them is thus far known in a criminal proceeding. and Anna had: 1 George Stocking Bethia Hopkins. (2) Deacon Samuel, m. May 27, 1652, of Hartford, Conn. (3) Sarah, m. Samuel Olcott, of Hartford, Conn. (4) Lydia, m. John Richards, Benton. (5) Hannah, m. 1649, Andrew about emigrated to America in George wash, in Suffolk, England, 1582, a house at Mass., where, in 1635, he built 1633, and settled in Cambridge, streets. He was made a the corner of the Holyoke and Wmthrop present Hooker, the of the Rev. Thomas freeman May 6, 1635. Joining company the intervening wilder- one hundred in number, he traveled on foot through was one of the founders ness to the Connecticut River m 1636. and ongmal the distri- a In general of the city of Hartford, and prominent proprietor. -on the south side of the road bution of land, he received twenty acres, The Stocking Ancestry 3 made later fiom George Steel's, to the south meadow," other grants being he is on. On the death of Anna, whom he had married in England, understood to have m. 2d Agnes (Shotwell) Webster, widow of John Web- took from the first an active in local ster, governor of the colony. He part of in and '62; affairs; was selectman in 1647; surveyor highways 1654, from in 1660, chimney viewer in 1659, and was excused mihtary duty loi and his name owing to "great age." He d. May 25, 1683, aged years, to the of Hooker's is inscribed on a large monument erected memory in the old Center Church in party, and which now stands burying-ground Hartford. Last will and testament of George Stocking : "15 July, 1673. "George Stocking of Hartford upon the River of Connecticut planter Wife all dos in this my last Will and Testament Give unto Anne my my & land housings bam orchards homelott upland and meadow swamp catties and all other estate for her to use during the time of her life, and after her decease to be disposed of as follows. I doe give to my daughter do also Lidia Richaids the wife of John Richards The sum of ;^i4. and of Samuel Olcott the sum of give to my dau Sarah Olcott the wife ;^io. that is to Andrew I doe also give unto the six children of Andrew Benton, Benton, Benton. Jr., John Benton, Samuel Benton, Joseph Benton, Mary divided them I doe and Dorothy Benton, the sum of ;^i2. to be among will is that these hereby give unto Hannah Camp one Mare My legacies decease. will also be discharged within one year next after my wifes My barn in unless is that my wife shall keep the housing and repair something estate to more than ordinary befall any of them, the remainder of my to my son Samuel Stocking and make him my executor. The land pay house. I desire its due proportion to the Ministry of the New Meeting Gregory Wollerton and St Bull to be overseers "George Stocking (seal) "Witness "Gregory Wollerton "George Grave, Sen." 2 Samuel and Bethia Hopkins had: (6) Hannah, b. October 30, 1654. d. before 1683. unm. Left (7) Samuel, b. October 19, 1656. d. December 2, 1697. an estate of £327 to his brothers, John, George, and Daniel, and two sisters. The Stocking Ancestry (8) Bethia, b. October lo, 1658. m. October 16, 1675, Thomas Stow, of Middletown, Conn. (9) John, b. September 24, 1660. "A distracted person." unm. (10) Lydia, b. Jan. 20, 1662. m. Joseph Howell, of Southampton, L. I. (11) George, b. February 20, 1664. m. Elizabeth . (12) Ebenezer, b. February 2^, 1666. d. befoie 1697. (13) Steven, b. March 23, 1673. d. before 1697. (14) Daniel, b. April 14, 1677. m. August 27, 1700, Jane Mould, of New London, Conn. Deacon Samuel was b. in England; emigrated with his father in 1633, and in 1650 rem. from Hartford to Middletown, Conn., where he became one of its foundeis, and was one of the three signers of the Indian deed of Middletown. He was the first deacon in the Middletown church, organized in 1668, and was representative in the state assembly in 1658, '59, '65, '69, '74, '77, and '81. His house stood in Upper Middletown. now the town of Cromwell. Deacon Samuel d. December 3, 1683, and his widow m. 2d James Steele, of Hartford. Samuel was a sergeant in King Philip's war. He was an extensive ship builder and owner. His estate, inventoried at ;^648-o8-o8, was divided among all his children then living, the land on the east side of the Connecticut River being left to his sons George and Ebenezer, and £^ in cash to his pastor. Rev. Nathaniel Collins. Bethia was the dau. of John and Jane Hopkins, and granddaughter of Samuel Hopkins, one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact, in 1620. He was a membei of Capt. Miles Standish's military company, February, 1621; was sent by Gov.