Historical Resources In putting together this website, we’ve drawn material from several key sources, both old-fashioned books and information that has migrated to the web, either as digital books (such as old books scanned by Google or other library holdings that have been scanned and posted, such as those found in Open Library), or through other authors’ compilations. Here is a…
Month: July 2013
Lines family in Woodbridge
Ralph Lines was one of the first settlers of the land now known as Woodbridge, arriving in the early 1660s. According to page 181 of The Descendants of Thomas Dickerman: “[Yale] President Stiles says that Stephen Goodyear, “a rich settler bought of the town [of New Haven] a tract of a thousand or twelve hundred acres of land in the fertile valley to…
Cooper family in Woodbridge
John Cooper, came to New Haven with the founders, Eaton and Davenport, and died in 1689. According to page 139 of The Descendants of Thomas Dickerman: “New men now came to the front to guide the affairs of the community, and they were men of a different kind ; not so great, but more practical in dealing with everyday concerns. The founders were scholars, thinkers,…
Bradley family in Woodbridge
William Bradley arrives in New Haven in the early 1650s. “According to the family tradition we are descended from William Bradley, an officer of Cromwell’s army, who came to Connecticut about 1650, and was the first settler of the town of North Haven. His son was Abraham Bradley, a deacon in the church of New Haven.” — from page 582…
Willis Doolittle House
The historic the Willis Doolittle House is a property in Woodbridge currently owned by the South Central CT Regional Water Authority (RWA). According to the CT Trust for Historic Preservation, the house is “facing demolition” (see the listing on their website). The house is located on a 436.9 acre parcel at 2040 Litchfield Turnpike. The Willis Doolittle House was included in…
History of Woodbridge
An excerpt from: History of New Haven, Connecticut CHAPTER VI THE TOWN OF WOODBRIDGE Bv Reverend S. P. Marvin. Published in 1892 — Location and Natural Features — Geology and Mineralogy — Flora — Industries — The Regicide Judges — Amity Society — Union Society — Chapel — Ministers — — Burial Grounds — Prominent Citizens — List of Early Inhabitants —…
Ancient Families of Woodbridge
The first European settlers began to live in Woodbridge in the mid-1600s Among the first families to arrive were: Sperry – Richard Sperry begins to live on the land known then as Sperry’s Farm (now Woodbridge) working as a “gardener” (another term for farmer at the time) on land purchased prior to May 1648 by Stephen Goodyear, First Deputy Governor of…