Montgomery / Trowbridge - Person Sheet
Montgomery / Trowbridge - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Trowbridge 
[9, pg. 123], 7432
[9, pg. 123], 7432Birth3 Sep 1633, Exeter, Devonshire, England [9, pg. 123]
DeathNov 1688, West Haven, Connecticut, USA [9, pg. 123]
Misc. Notes
Note concerning his death: [9, pg. 123]
“The Inventorle of the estate of Mr William Trowbridge late of Newhaven deceased intes-
tate was exhibited in Court, proved by oath of Apprisers according to law and approved for
record, and power of administration ot said estate granted to Elisabeth ye widdow & relict
ol the said deceased & to Thomas Trowbridge the son ot ye deceased & Samuel Smith. . . .
The Children are William Trowbridge, Thomas Trowbridge, of age ; Elisabeth. Margaret &
James of age : Hannah 20 years old ; Samuel & Abigaile. twins, about 18 years old ; Mary
16; Joseph about 12 years old." [New Haven Probate Records, vol. 2, p. 109: vol. 4. pp.
275, 279.]
According to [9, pg. 123-124]:
===
“William Trowbridge was brought in childhood by his parents from England,
first to Dorchester in the Massachusetts Bay colony, and then to the plantation
of New Haven. When his father was called back to England, he and his brothers
were left in charge of his father's former servant, Henry Gibbons. The latter
mismanaged the property left for the boy’s support, and after a time they were
taken away from him by the town authorities and put under the care of Sergt.
Thomas Jeffrey and his wife, and in their home William and his brothers passed
their boyhood. His schoolmaster was Mr. Ezekiel Cheever.
Soon after reaching his majority William Trowbridge made an attempt to
bring Gibbons to an account for his stewardship. His efforts were continued
over a series of years, but gained little result during his father's lifetime. A
few years after the latter's death Gibbons made some restitution, as has been
printed on a previous page.
‘William Trowbridge propounded to ye Court if he might have an account of his
father's estate that was left in New Haven, and for this end presented two letters from
his father, one dated March 6, 1655, the other March 4, 1658, wherein his father writes,
that he marvells that there is not an account of it given. It was told him that some time
has been spent in searching ye records, but it could not be cleared, wherefore he paying
the Secretary then ye Secretary would afford him what help he could therein to cleare it."
‘January 3, 1664, William Trowbridge having had a warrant for Henry Gibbons to
answer him in an action of y« case, was now called to enter his action. He required of
Henry Gibbons an account of his father's estate that was left with him when he went
for England. Wm. Trowbridge was asked by what authority he made this demand? He
showed a letter of attornie from his father, which being read was allowed and accepted.
Henry Gibbons said that he had given him an accompt as well as he could, but the estate,
he said, was taken out of his hands by order of the authority here, & therefore it must
be referred to ye records. But the records having been looked into formerly and matters
not found so cleare as was desired & there being much business at this tyme, the case was
referred to another time.’
‘At a County Court held at New Haven June 10, 1674,’ before James Bishop, assistant
and moderator, the assistants, commissioners and a jury, in the case of Trowbridge vs.
Gibbons. ‘Wm. Trowbridge of New Haven or his lawful attornie, plaintif, Henry Gib-
bons of the same place, defendant, in the action of the case for an accompt of the estate
of Mr. Thomas Trowbridge of Taunton in the realm of England mentioned in his letters
of Attornie dated ye 19th of January, 1662, and sometime in ye possession or trust of ye
said Henry ye defendant disposed of & not accounted for.’
‘In the action wherein Wm. Trowbridge is Plaintif & Henry Gibbons Contra Defend-
ant : after the Records of the transaction about the estate were read. The Court saw not
cause to admit the protest. In which the plaintif seemed to rest satisfied.’
William Trowbridge is usually described in the public records of that time as
a "planter," and later on as a "husbandman." In 1664 he appears to have been
master of the sloop Cocke, making voyages out of New Haven. In July, 1667,
he sold his house and lot in the village of New Haven, and probably about that
time became one of the first residents in the parish of West Haven. He probably
built a house on that part of the "Lamberton Farm" that through his wife
eventually came into his possession.*** His share was one-sixth of the Lamberton
farm, and it included all the land between the present Campbell and Washington
avenues from Brown street (the site of the piano factory) nearly to Long Island
Sound. He also owned 144 acres on the Sound near Oyster river.
William Trowbridge was nominated a freeman of the colony of Connecticut
on May 13, 1669. He lived on his farm in West Haven the remainder of his life.
He made gifts to his children during his lifetime of much of his real estate, so
that the inventory of his estate mentions but 55 acres of "second division" land
and a small amount of personal property. He made no will. He and his wife
were admitted members of the First Church in New Haven on April 28, 1686.”
*** This writing witnesseth that I Shuliael Painter of Newport in ye Colony o£ Rhode Island
have sold unto my brother-in-law William Trowhridge o£ New Haven all my right." &c. "in a
farm at New Haven on which the said William Trowbridge now liveth. May 4. 1677.” [New
Haven Land Records, vol. 1. p. 52.]
===
“The Inventorle of the estate of Mr William Trowbridge late of Newhaven deceased intes-
tate was exhibited in Court, proved by oath of Apprisers according to law and approved for
record, and power of administration ot said estate granted to Elisabeth ye widdow & relict
ol the said deceased & to Thomas Trowbridge the son ot ye deceased & Samuel Smith. . . .
The Children are William Trowbridge, Thomas Trowbridge, of age ; Elisabeth. Margaret &
James of age : Hannah 20 years old ; Samuel & Abigaile. twins, about 18 years old ; Mary
16; Joseph about 12 years old." [New Haven Probate Records, vol. 2, p. 109: vol. 4. pp.
275, 279.]
According to [9, pg. 123-124]:
===
“William Trowbridge was brought in childhood by his parents from England,
first to Dorchester in the Massachusetts Bay colony, and then to the plantation
of New Haven. When his father was called back to England, he and his brothers
were left in charge of his father's former servant, Henry Gibbons. The latter
mismanaged the property left for the boy’s support, and after a time they were
taken away from him by the town authorities and put under the care of Sergt.
Thomas Jeffrey and his wife, and in their home William and his brothers passed
their boyhood. His schoolmaster was Mr. Ezekiel Cheever.
Soon after reaching his majority William Trowbridge made an attempt to
bring Gibbons to an account for his stewardship. His efforts were continued
over a series of years, but gained little result during his father's lifetime. A
few years after the latter's death Gibbons made some restitution, as has been
printed on a previous page.
‘William Trowbridge propounded to ye Court if he might have an account of his
father's estate that was left in New Haven, and for this end presented two letters from
his father, one dated March 6, 1655, the other March 4, 1658, wherein his father writes,
that he marvells that there is not an account of it given. It was told him that some time
has been spent in searching ye records, but it could not be cleared, wherefore he paying
the Secretary then ye Secretary would afford him what help he could therein to cleare it."
‘January 3, 1664, William Trowbridge having had a warrant for Henry Gibbons to
answer him in an action of y« case, was now called to enter his action. He required of
Henry Gibbons an account of his father's estate that was left with him when he went
for England. Wm. Trowbridge was asked by what authority he made this demand? He
showed a letter of attornie from his father, which being read was allowed and accepted.
Henry Gibbons said that he had given him an accompt as well as he could, but the estate,
he said, was taken out of his hands by order of the authority here, & therefore it must
be referred to ye records. But the records having been looked into formerly and matters
not found so cleare as was desired & there being much business at this tyme, the case was
referred to another time.’
‘At a County Court held at New Haven June 10, 1674,’ before James Bishop, assistant
and moderator, the assistants, commissioners and a jury, in the case of Trowbridge vs.
Gibbons. ‘Wm. Trowbridge of New Haven or his lawful attornie, plaintif, Henry Gib-
bons of the same place, defendant, in the action of the case for an accompt of the estate
of Mr. Thomas Trowbridge of Taunton in the realm of England mentioned in his letters
of Attornie dated ye 19th of January, 1662, and sometime in ye possession or trust of ye
said Henry ye defendant disposed of & not accounted for.’
‘In the action wherein Wm. Trowbridge is Plaintif & Henry Gibbons Contra Defend-
ant : after the Records of the transaction about the estate were read. The Court saw not
cause to admit the protest. In which the plaintif seemed to rest satisfied.’
William Trowbridge is usually described in the public records of that time as
a "planter," and later on as a "husbandman." In 1664 he appears to have been
master of the sloop Cocke, making voyages out of New Haven. In July, 1667,
he sold his house and lot in the village of New Haven, and probably about that
time became one of the first residents in the parish of West Haven. He probably
built a house on that part of the "Lamberton Farm" that through his wife
eventually came into his possession.*** His share was one-sixth of the Lamberton
farm, and it included all the land between the present Campbell and Washington
avenues from Brown street (the site of the piano factory) nearly to Long Island
Sound. He also owned 144 acres on the Sound near Oyster river.
William Trowbridge was nominated a freeman of the colony of Connecticut
on May 13, 1669. He lived on his farm in West Haven the remainder of his life.
He made gifts to his children during his lifetime of much of his real estate, so
that the inventory of his estate mentions but 55 acres of "second division" land
and a small amount of personal property. He made no will. He and his wife
were admitted members of the First Church in New Haven on April 28, 1686.”
*** This writing witnesseth that I Shuliael Painter of Newport in ye Colony o£ Rhode Island
have sold unto my brother-in-law William Trowhridge o£ New Haven all my right." &c. "in a
farm at New Haven on which the said William Trowbridge now liveth. May 4. 1677.” [New
Haven Land Records, vol. 1. p. 52.]
===
Research
More information about this peron and their family avaliable in [9, pg. 213].
MPW: In particular, [9, pp. 40 ff.] contains detailed discussion of Thomas Trowbridge and his wife Elizabeth Marshall, married 24 Mar 1627. This source treats this couple as the parents of William and some siblings, but I have chosen not to include this couple in the current collection because I cannot be completely sure that they are connected. I am in no way claiming that they aren’t, but I want to be very careful not to include ancestors who are “only wishful thinking” on the part of a researcher. I suggest that anyone who reads these notes and is interested in further details should consult this source. It is very interesting.
This Thomas Trowbridge is claimed to be the son of John Trowbridge, a wealthy merchant of Taunton, Somersetshire. An overview of the reconstructed John Trowbridge family can be seen on [9, pg. 36.]. The author of this source starts a detailed discussion about the beginnings of the Trowbridge family in this area.
In October 2025 there is a webpage that provides a sort of summary of [9]. The author is from a different branch of the Trowbridge family, but this page is probably a good way to get an overall impression of what the source is about.
MPW: In particular, [9, pp. 40 ff.] contains detailed discussion of Thomas Trowbridge and his wife Elizabeth Marshall, married 24 Mar 1627. This source treats this couple as the parents of William and some siblings, but I have chosen not to include this couple in the current collection because I cannot be completely sure that they are connected. I am in no way claiming that they aren’t, but I want to be very careful not to include ancestors who are “only wishful thinking” on the part of a researcher. I suggest that anyone who reads these notes and is interested in further details should consult this source. It is very interesting.
This Thomas Trowbridge is claimed to be the son of John Trowbridge, a wealthy merchant of Taunton, Somersetshire. An overview of the reconstructed John Trowbridge family can be seen on [9, pg. 36.]. The author of this source starts a detailed discussion about the beginnings of the Trowbridge family in this area.
In October 2025 there is a webpage that provides a sort of summary of [9]. The author is from a different branch of the Trowbridge family, but this page is probably a good way to get an overall impression of what the source is about.
Cited in