T HE S TOCKING A NCE S T RY II The date usually accepted as th at on wh i c h surnames came into recog . o D 1 0 0 0 . y o o ni ze d use is A . The were m re generally names b rr wed from wh i c h or estates on their wearers resided , and they , therefore , indicate igi of r nal landed proprietors . In process of time , the use su names was to on o extended natural obj ects , and later , to the professi ns and trades , and even to personal traits and characteristics . On the accession of to William the Conqueror to the English crown , he caused be published , in 1 0 8 —8 6 i 3 , a survey of the demesnes in his new k ngdom , with their metes o r and b unds , description of lands , varieties of tenures , classes of pe sons , o o . es kinds of m ney , statistical accounts , and hist rical matters From th e t k o o of William ascer ained a nowledge of the p ssessi ns the crown , the num - y ber of land holders , the militar strength , and best sources of revenue . m B ok This publication was known as D o esday o . It was the first record two published at the cost of the nation ; in volumes , it forms until the of hi ri of present day the basis sto cal records those ancient times , and fixes ! the domiciles of all the then families of p osition and respectability . i o - h a or - Among these ancient fam lies was that of St cking , Stocking ham , ffi ham o he i m ham the su x being the old Sax n , the old English used by h ome - o . Chaucer , from which comes the m dern Hence Stocking ham was the home of the Stockings . 1 2 of On the return of E dward I I I . from Palestine in 7 3 , after the death u his father , Henry I I . , he caused to be made a fresh inq iry about the o f an d ~ re ve n ues demesnes the crown , and of its rights , many of which had been usurped b y the clergy and laity during the preceding turbulent reign . The inquisition being made on oath of each hundred heads of Rotuli Hundredorzun f amilies , this royal record was called ( Rolls of the Hundreds ) . In this record is foun d the name of the Stockings De “ o f o of Stocking , the De ( or fr m) thus fixing the estate the family , which B f n ot Domesday ook locates in Suf olk , England , and in Scotland or d Wales , as some tra itions have assert ed . o From this ancient family came Ge rge Stocking , the first and only one n of the name k own to have emi grated to America . His name was spelled o S to c ki n l n k i n di fieren t . o St cken , , and Stoc ing , y As subj ect of the English crown could secure the royal perm ission to cross the high seas w o i to ithout first taking the ath of alleg ance the king and parliament , o r o and that of c nfo mity to the Established Church , t gether with a cer ti ficate from a justice of the peace and from their parish ministers that he The S tocki n g A n ce stry n o wh o so o was subsidy man , all refused to do were c mpelled to leave o . o the c untry in a virtually surreptitious manner Ge rge Stocking , his o wife , and f ur children , were Dissenters , and members of the party of ri n . o oo . G i Rev Th mas H ker They sailed from England in the ship fi , and o o 1 6 o u o landed in B st n in 3 3 . Ge rge b ilt a h use at Cambridge , and there he f or two e r di ff con lived y ars , when dissensions having a isen among the erent re ati on s o o o o g g of the col ny , Ho ker rganized a new company and c ngregation of on e o out hundred s uls , and struck for the Connecticut River Valley , the o on men o . w men horseback , the on f ot The j ourney occupied two weeks , o in which time their eyes were gladdened by the sight of the n ble river , and on its banks they founded beautiful Hartford . It will be seen from the following records that the Stockings were a - hardy , long lived , and enterprising family , and that the spirit of emi ’ rati on o g was inherited by many successive generations . George s nly son o o . o o rem ved to Middlet wn , Conn , and became the pr genit r of a numerous o o o and vig rous p sterity , who swarmed eastward int Massachusetts , and o westward thr ugh unbroken forests , pioneers of patient courage and fear o less perseverance , until their h mes were bounded by the Atlantic and f a o o . Pacific Oceans , by Upper C nada and the “Gulf Mexic i o They have been largely interested in relig ous , educati nal , and political o - matters , the maj ority being Meth dists in faith , and Whigs , Free Soilers , ’ and Republicans in politics . Few families have had so many centena ' e e an d n ot rians , and though some hav di d in prison , it was as patriots , as on e to criminals . Not of them is thus far known have been the defendant in a criminal proceeding . 1 Geo rge Stocki ng and A nn a had : 2 2 1 6 2 . ( ) Deacon Samuel , m . May 7 , 5 , Bethia Hopkins o of . (3 ) Sarah , m . Samuel Olc tt , Hartford , Conn f o . o ( 4 ) Lydia , m John Richards , Hartf rd , Conn 1 6 t . ( 5 ) Hannah , m . 49 , Andrew Ben on o f 1 8 2 Ge rge was b . in Su folk , England , about 5 , emigrated to America in 1 6 s 1 6 i 3 3 , and settled in Cambridge , Mas , where , in 3 5 , he bu lt a house at the corn er of the present Holyoke and Winthrop streets . He was made a h om aS ' Hooker 6 1 6 . T , freeman May , 3 5 . Joining the company of the Rev on e on o hundred in number , he traveled fo t through the intervening wilder 1 6 6 of ox i i n al ness to the Connecticut River in 3 , and was one the g founders di stri of t . the city of Hartford , and a prominen proprietor In the general “ buti on of w n tv land , he received t e acres , on the south side of the road The S tocki n g A n ce stry 3 ’ o o o fi m George Steel s , to the s uth mead w , other grants being made later f on . o On the death Anna , whom he had married in England , he is d oo . 2 o underst d to have m Agnes (Sh twell) Webster , widow of John Web t o . s er , g vernor of the colony He took from the first an active part in local ' f 1 6 o of i n 1 6 6 2 af airs ; was selectman in 4 7 ; survey r highways 5 4 , and ; 1 6 o 1 6 6 0 chimney viewer in 5 9 , and was excused fr m military duty in , ! 6 8 1 (1. 2 1 1 0 owing to great age . He May 5 , 3 , aged years , and his name ’ is inscribed on a large monument erected to the memory of Hooker s . old - r party , and which now stands in the Center Church burying g ound in Hartford . Last will and testament of George Stocking 1 1 6 5 July , 7 3 . George Stocking of Hartford upon the River of Connecticut planter dos in this my last Will and Testament Give unto Anne my Wife all my housings barn orchards h omelott upland and meadow swamp land o cattles and all ther estate for her to use during the time of her life , and d t after her decease to be disposed of as follows . I oe give o my daughter r f 1 do l o Lidia Richa ds the wife o John Richards The sum of £ 4 . and a s t 1 0 give o my dau Sarah Olco tt the wife of Samuel Olc ott the sum of £ . doe o of o to r I also give unt the six children Andrew Bent n , that is And ew r. o o o Benton , J , John Benton , Samuel Bent n , J seph Benton , Mary Bent n , t doe o of 1 2 . o o and D rothy Benton , the sum £ be divided am ng them I hereby give unto Hannah Camp one Mare My will is that these legacies n e o be discharged within o e year n xt after my wifes decease . My will als is that my wife shall keep the housing and barn in repair unless somethi ng o of m re than ordi nary befall any of them . the remainder my estate to son k my Samuel Stoc ing and make him my executor . The land to pay o its due proporti n to the Ministry of the New Meeting house .