Capt. John WALWORTH

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Capt. John Walworth was a shipwright, farmer and trader, as well as a ship owner, and plied the trade with the Barbadoes. We find the following item in Calkins History of New London, Conn., dated September, 1738:
"A sloop from New London is lost at Nevis, being upset in a hurricane; all on board perished. John Walworth, of Groton, owned both the sloop and cargo. John Mumford was the Captain and Thomas Comstock, mate."

John was appointed Cornet of a troop of dragoons in the 8th Regiment of the Colony of Connecticut by a resolution of the General Assembly, May 10, 1744, and was afterwards promoted to the rank of captain. His commission as Cornet was dated at Harford, May 25, 1744, bearing the seal of the Colony and signed by Governor Law. A copy of this is on file among the archives of the State Library at Albany, NY., together with a record of the Revolutionary services of his son, Benjamin.

John, like his father, had a lease on Fisher's Island for a number of years. In 1748, the year of his death, the Groton Town records record the following inventory:

4 negro slaves, a herd of nearly 50 horned cattle, 812 sheep, a stud of 32 horses, mares, and colts, 77 ounces of wrought plate and other valuable articles.

John, like his brothers, died a wealthy man.

John married Sarah B. DUNN in Nov 1718 in New London, New London, Connecticut, USA. Sarah was born in 1700 in Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island; died on 05 Nov 1778 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Samuel WALWORTH was born on 15 Jan 1725 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; died on 5 May 1773 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; was buried in Wightman Cemetery.
2. John B. WALWORTH was born on 19 Mar 1726 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; died in Hoosick, New York.
3. Sylvester WALWORTH was born in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; died on 6 Sep 1781 in Battle of Fort Griswold, Connecticut.
4. William WALWORTH was born in 1734 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut.
5. James WALWORTH was born in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut.
6. Abigail WALWORTH was born in 1740 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; died on 14 Jul 1765.
7. Philena WALWORTH was born in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut.
8. Sarah WALWORTH was born in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; died in Yates County, New York.
9. Benjamin WALWORTH was born on 11 Nov 1746 in Groton, New London Co., Connecticut; died on 26 Feb 1812 in Hoosick, New York.

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"Hyde Genealogy": This William Walworth came to New London about 1689, from the neighborhood of London, England at the request of Gen. Fitz John Winthrop, for the purpose of introducing English farming upon fisher's Island, then owned by Winthrop. Soon after his arrival he married Mary Seaton, who came out in the same vessel with him. They settled upon fisher's Island, of which he was for several years the lessee. He and his wife and their eldest child, Martha, were baptized at New London, by the Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall, 24 Jan. 1692. Shortly before his death, William Walworth obtained a tract of land in that part of New London which is now Groton: upon which his widow lived and brought up his children respectably by her great industry and energy of character, after his death. He died in 1703, at Groton. She survived him, and died 14 Jan. 1752, at New London, in the 49th year of her widowhood, aged 84. They had four sons and three daughters, the eldest of whom was only 12 years old at their father's death....

William, a prominent farmer at Groton Manor, England, well known to the Winthrop family, was induced by Governor Winthrop of connecticut, to come to America to introduce to the Colonists the English system of cultivation. thus, William became the first lessee and settler upon Fisher's Island. He converted the virgin wilderness into fertile farm land and made the island his residence. to it, he carried a young wife and it became the birthplace of his older children. He remained on the island with his family for nine years, after which he felt it necessary to remove them to the mainland at Groton, Conn., to avoid the dangers of the Indians and the French Privateers. After removing to Groton, he came into possession of large grants and purchases of land and, at the time of his death, left a large estate of his family.

William married Mary Abigail SEATON in 1690 in New London, Connecticut. Mary was born in 1669 in London, London, England; died on 14 Jan 1753 in New London, New London, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Mary, an only child, at the death of her father, in London, England, was left an orphan. Her father was the second son of a wealthy family, but, by English law, received nothing by inheritance, the bulk of his parent's estate going to his older brother. Mary took a bold step of her own, that of emigration, and came to New London at the same time and on the same ship with William, and soon after arriving became the bride of William.

Mary descended from one of the earliest and most distinguished families of Scotland. The "History of Scotland" by Buchanan and Watkins, records "Seatons" throughout its pages. The date of their earliest existence there has not been established but, as early as 1057 A.D., they are mentioned in said history. It records an Alexander Seaton, nobleman, as early as 1330, and mention is made of Mary Queen of Scots as having found shelter in the house of Lord Seaton at Niddy in East Lothian after her escape from Lock Liven Castle in may, 1568. Therefore, historians indicate that the Seaton family was one of high standing, held a high social position, and became allied with the most powerful of their time.

Mary was a woman of rare ability and, following the death of William which occurred thirteen years after marriage, she reared her seven young children and managed her estate with unusual wisdom. She survived William by forty-nine years, death occurring in 1752, at the age of eighty-three.