Simon Hoyt

I originally thought Simon HOYT (1590 – 1657) was Alex’s 12th Great Grandfather; one of 8,192 in this generation of the Shaw line.  However, I now believe that John’s one-time 2nd great – granddaughter Dorothy COLBY was not the daughter of Anthony COLBY II, but instead was the daughter of his cousin Isaac COLBY and Martha PARRATT

Immigrant Ancestor – Hoyt Coat of Arms

Simon Hoyt was born 20 Jan 1590 in West Hatch, Somerset, England. His parents were Michael HOYT and Ruth SMITH. He married Jane STOODLEY 4 Nov 1617 in Marshwood, Dorset, England.   He did NOT marry Deborah Stowers 2 Dec 1612 in Upway Dorchester, Dorset, England.   Simon came to America aboard the Lions Whelp. [the same vessel as carried our anchor immigrant Thomas MINER]. He landed at Salem in 1628 or 1629, and shortly afterward went to Charlestown, Mass. to live, as one of the first settlers.    Simon died 1 Sep 1657 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut.

Deborah Stowers was born 1 May 1593 in Dorchester, Dorset, England. Her parents were Walter Stowers and [__?__].  Some say Deborah died 1634 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass.

Susannah Smith died in Feb 1674.  Some say that parents were Richard Smith and Rebecca Buswell.  But more thorough research  shows that her parents are unknown.  From  Findagrave for Sussanah “There is no primary evidence discovered as yet identifying the family name of Susanna, wife of (1) Simon Hoyt and (2) Robert Bates. In particular, she is not known to have been “Susanna Smith”.

A record made by the Reverend John Lothrop of Scituate, Massachusetts in 1637 listed the houses there by heads of household from 1634 to 1637. There is an entry for “The Smiths. Goodman Haits brother.” No other entry in this list was prefaced by the word “the” such as “the Hoyts”. All of the households in Scituate except for three, including “The Smiths”, were numbered, perhaps indicating that those three were not land owners.

It is improbable that the entry in question referred to a “Mr. Smith”. This otherwise unknown head of household, apparently the brother-in-law of Simon Hoyt (“Hait”) of Scituate, was instead likely the town “smith” or blacksmith. After Simon died, she married Robert Bates. (b. 1620 – d. 11 Jun 1675 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT)”

Children of  Simon and Jane:

Information for children of Simon of New England with West Hatch Simon and (Jane Stoodley’s ) children’s information inserted, with baptisms. from West Hatch parish church records

	Name	Born	Married	Departed
1.	John HOYT	12 Mar 1614 West Hatch, Somerset, England	Frances TEWKSBURY . Mary Jewell 1644 Amesbury, Essex Co, Mass . Mary Elizabeth Brundage Purdy 14 Oct 1658 Fairfield, Fairfield, CT.	1 Sep 1684 Rye, Westchester, New York.
2.	Walter Hoyt	9 Jun 1616 bapt. 29 Nov 1618) West Hatch, England	Elizabeth St. John 1643 Windsor, Fairfield, CT . Rhoda Tinker 1652 in Windsor, Hartford, CT	1698 Windsor, Fairfield, CT
3.	Thomas Hoyt	20 Sep 1618 West Hatch, England	Elizabeth Russell 20 Aug 1633 Stamford, CT	9 Sep 1656 Stamford, CT
4.	Deborah Hoyt	9 Aug 1620 West Hatch, England		3 Jun 1628 Upway, Dorset, England
5.	Nicholas Hoyt	10 Nov 1622 bapt. 7 May 1620 West Hatch, England	Mrs. Susannah Joyse 12 Jun 1646 Windsor, CT	7 Jul 1655 Windsor, CT
6.	Alexander Hoyt	bapt. 28 Dec 1623 West Hatch, England		9 May 1627 Upway, Dorset, England
7.	Ruth Hoyt	Jan 1625 West Hatch, England		9 May 1627 Upway, Dorset, England
8.	Agnes Hoyt	bapt. 18 Oct 1626 West Hatch Dorchester, Dorset, England

.
Children of Simon and Susannah Smith

	Name	Born	Married	Departed
9.	Mary Hoyt	20 Sep 1635	Luke Hill 6 May 1651 Windsor, Hartford, CT . Thomas Lyon
10.	Moses Hoyt	1637 Stamford, Fairfield, CT	Elizabeth Budd c. 1659 Fairfield, CT
11.	Sarah Hoyt	1639 Stamford, CT	Samuel Finch c. 1663
12.	Joshua Hoyt	1641 Windsor, Hartford, CT	Mary Bell c. 1664
13.	Samuel Hoyt	1643 Fairfield, Fairfield, CT	Hannah Holly 16 Nov 1670 Stamford, CT . Rebecca [__?__] 1710-1713 . Hannah Slawson 20 Sep 1714 Stamford, CT
14.	Benjamin Hoyt	2 Feb 1644 Windsor, CT	Hannah Weed 5 Jan 1670 Windsor, CT
15.	Miriam Hoyt	1645 Stamford, Fairfield, CT	Samuel Firman (Forman) 25 Mar 1662 Fairfield, CT . Richard Harcourt 1683 Fairfield, CT
16.	Hannah Hoyt	1649 Windsor, Hartford, CT

Most of his children inherited his propensity for changing residence, and in twenty years after his death no one of the name of Hoit (Hoyt) remained in any of the seven towns, except Stamford . The family seems to have been adventurous, rather than restless, and in most cases well-to-do.

Simon Hoyt was an early settler in seven different colonies in New England , in most of them one of the first. He was hardly located in one, before he gave up his farm and home and began to clear another part of the wilderness for a new home.  There were few pioneers who moved more often than he.

1st Charlestown was founded in 1628, and settled 4 Jul  1629, by Thomas Graves, Increase Nowell, Simon HOYT, Rev. Francis Bright, Ralph, Richard and William Sprague and about 100 others who preceded the Great Migration.

2nd He removed to Dorchester in 1632 or earlier. He was appointed “to see to the fences for the east field” at Dorchester , 8 Oct 1633, and in January following had a grant of marsh land.

3rd Early in 1635 he left Dorchester and located at Scituate, where he and his wife joined the church, 19 Apr 1635.   Here he built his house between September, 1634, and October, 1636.

4th He next moved to Windsor, Connecticut , about 1639 , where he had a grant of land, 28 Feb 1640.   His house was on the east side of the river near what is still known as Hoyt’s Meadow.

5th and 6th He sold his land at Windsor in 1648 and moved to Fairfield, Connecticut , before 1649.   6 Mar 1649, he had a grant of land in Farfield.

Windsor CT Founders Memorial – Simon Hoyt is listed on the middle panel

7th Between 1649 and 1657 he had settled at Stamford, Connecticut , and here he died, according to Stamford records,  1 Sep 1657.

Five of the children of Simon Hoyt gave receipts for their portions of Simon’s estate. On 1 Feb 1674 Moses Hoyt, Joshua Hoyt, Samuel Hoyt, Benjamin Hoyt, Thomas Lyon, Samuel Finch and Samuel Firman came to an agreement “concerning the distribution of the estate of our deceased mother Susanna Bates”

Source: “The Great Migration Begins, Sketches, PRESERVED PURITAN”

The following is copied from: “The Benedict Family History News”; Formerly “The Benedict Family News”; Volume IV Number 3 Winter 1997, pp. 29 – 42; Editor: Mary Alice Benedict Grindol:  See link for footnotes

“The Spring 1995 and Spring 1996 Hoyt Issue has received new research on Simon Hoyt by Robin Bush, an English researcher hired by Roy Olson, its editor.

Mr. Bush found Hoyt baptismals in West Hatch near Taunton, Somerset, England. Walter Hoyt was baptized 29 November 1618 and Nicholas Hoyt was baptized 7 May 1620. This indicates that Simon the immigrant was from Somerset, England. Also found was a marriage 4 November 1617 for Simon Hoyt to Jane Stoodlie at Marshwood, Dorset, England. This fits for the age of Walter Hoyt, Simon’s first child. It was previously believed that Simon Hoyt, from Upwey, Dorset, England had married Deborah Stowers.

Mr. Bush checked the Upwey Parish Registers and found the registers survive only from 1654. He found the Bishop’s transcripts for the Parish only from 1731. The Dorchester Parish (Holy Trinity) survives from 1559, All Saints & St. Peter’s Parish records are from 1653. None of these have bishop’s transcripts before 1730/31. None of these parish records have any trace of Simon Hoyt or baptisms of his children. Mr. Olson hopes to continue further research in England.”

This is an analysis of information published in Hoyts’ Issue and material from primary sources in the United States in one place so that researchers interested in Simon Hoyt and his family don’t have to rely on gathering bits and pieces, some of it erroneous, on the internet. Many thanks to Sharon Dulcich for her efforts in getting the information in the Spring 1995 and Spring 1996 Hoyts’ Issue.

Simon Hoyt has many descendants and therefore many people interested in his background. The major source used for this family’s history has been David W. Hoyt’s A Genealogical History of the Hoyt, Haight, and Hight Families.   This, like many other 19th and early 20th century genealogical books, has been regarded as an authority. Unfortunately most of these books were not researched and/or written by people with the professional-level genealogy skills needed to properly gather and evaluate evidence. Many amateur genealogists have understandably taken such published information as fact and have republished it and have spread it across the internet. The body of knowledge of the Simon Hoyt family has suffered greatly from this.

In England

In 1995 a researcher in Engand named Robin Bush looked in records there for evidence of Simon. One would have expected to find corroboration of the claim in David Hoyt’s book that Simon married Deborah Stowers and had four children baptized in Upway (correct spelling “Upwey”), Dorsetshire. Instead it became apparent that marriage and baptism records have not been available for Upwey before 1654 since at least 1831. In any case they are not known to exist today and cannot be consulted.

Robin Bush found records at West Hatch, Somersetshire, of the baptisms of four children of Simon Hoyt. Walter and Nicholas are among them and the immigrant Simon is known to have had sons with these names. The supposed Upwey family also had sons Walter and Nicholas.

Further investigation into the background of Massachusetts Bay immigrant Nicholas Stowers, who supposedly lived near Upwey, might prove interesting. Bush says that the baptism dates for Walter and Nicholas correspond to the ages of Walter and Nicholas of MA/CT. I am not very familiar with information on Nicholas, but Walter’s approximate age is given in a probate document and corresponds to a birth year of 1618.

Regarding a man named Micheal Hoyt (variously spelled) Bush cites a Manor Court record dated 18 July 1599 that concerns his occupation of rented land, apparently in West Hatch, with his children Richard, Simon, Anne, Thomasine (Thamazine, etc.) and Elizabeth. This document refers to “the customary rent and services and works of scouring and ditching the lords’ rivers” connected with their tenancy. This apparently is the earliest such record, leading Bush to think this was when the family arrived in West Hatch. Michael later occupied other properties. He also served town offices much the same as those in New England. He was a juryman and often foreman of the homage jury in the Hallimote Court and Manor Court between 1606 and 1620. Homage juries were composed of tenants who reported to the courts on misdemeanors and deaths among the tenants. Hallimote Court records say he was a reeve (keeper of animals on behalf of the town) in 1612/13. In 1613 he had five stray sheep in his custody. He was elected a tythingman (tax collector) at West Hatch in 1614, but he was still a reeve, given that in the same year he was holding a horse that was to be given to the lords as fee for someone’s tenancy.

Simon “made default of the suit of court” in 1616, 1618 and twice in 1620. Michael stated in Hallimote Court records that in 1617 he surrendered his 1599 rental lands to the use of Simon. Manor Court records say that Michael and Simon were on the homage jury in 1619. Simon acknowledged to his fellow jurymen and the court that he cut down 6 oak trees on his land and sold them outside the manor, which was against custom. On his father’s pledge Simon paid a 20 shilling fine at the next meeting of the court. Simon was a juryman again in 1620.

Quoting Bush from the same source as the last, “A view was taken between the land of Alexander Hearne called Barleidge and the land of Simon Hoyte called ‘Long Medow.’ It was found that the boundary was ‘an old ditch.’ Simon Hoyte was ordered to make a sufficient fence between his meadow called ‘Long Medow’ and the land of Walter Curry before 28 Oct. on pain of 5 s.”

Michael’s wife at the time of his death was probably Agnes. The West Hatch Manor Court refers to her as a widow who was holding a tenement of the same description as Michael’s and that she was to pay a fee to the lords in 1628 with Richard Hoyt (name of the oldest son of Michael) as one of her pledges. Bush suggests that Michael’s son John was born to a second wife about 1608. A Hundred Court record  of 1620 says that the court ordered Richard Hoyt to bring his brother John to be sworn to the assize. Bush says that this was usually done when a boy reached the age of 12, but how diligent was this in practice?

Was John born shortly after Michael’s 1599 record of tenancy (in which John doesn’t appear)? Michael’s daughter Thomasine (variously spelled) was baptized in 1581/82. She had at least one older sibling (Anne is listed before her in court records. I am assuming that lists of children are by age as they are in probate records). If Anne was the first born, say in 1580, and John was the last in say 1600, that would span the average 20 year period of a married woman’s fertility. Perhaps Richard was ordered to bring John to court because he had not previously. However John would have been 20 and Richard probably would not have been involved. If John’s was a late and last birth of Michael’s wife he could have still been a minor in 1620 if he was born say 1603 or 4. In any case no marriage records have been found for Michael and his wife is not named in the one baptism record. It is notable that daughters named Agnes were born to Simon and Richard Hoyt in West Hatch.

Bush further cites account rolls for West Hatch that mention Simon Hoyt’s payments to the manor for new grants of tenements through 1631, and by 1632/33 his name was crossed out and replaced by another. He acquired two tenements in 1627/28, not long before Simon the immigrant most likely left England. If the latter is the same as West Hatch Simon he would have signed away the properties when he was in either Charlestown or Dorchester, MA. He had become a freeman in 1631, so he may have felt sufficiently established in the Massachusetts Colony to undo his real estate ties in England. Bush notes that the above court entries are all under the subheading of the manor tything of West Hatch. This makes a fairly certain connecton between the Simons – the son of Michael of West Hatch, the father of Walter and Nicholas of West Hatch and the immigrant to Massachusetts Bay.

Bush found a marriage record at Marshwood, Dorset, of Simon Hoyt and Jane “Stoodlie” in 1617. Marshwood is not so far from West Hatch (about 10 miles) to negate the possibility that this couple had Walter and Nicholas, but Simon was otherwise in West Hatch. Marshwood records reveal only that there were Stoodley (variously spelled) baptisms in the early 17th century, indicating that Jane’s family probably was established in the area when she was married.

John Stoodley was among the free tenants of Marshwood manor in 1626-41 and Walter “Stoodleigh” was a member of the homage jury for Whitchurch Hundred, near Marshwood, in 1626. Given the appearance of Walter among Simon’s children, perhaps Walter Stoodleigh was Jane’s father or brother.

The name Michael is found among the children named in the will of Thomas Hoyt of Seavington St. Mary, Somersetshire (1576) and his wife Isabel (1587). That town is about 9 miles from West Hatch and about 2 1/2 miles from South Petherton, where Michael’s daughter was baptized. Thomas’ will mentions several of his grandchildren, but none by Michael. Isabel’s will does mention that Michael had children. This accords with the idea that Michael’s oldest daughter (and first child?) may have been Anne, born say 1580. There is no further evidence cited to make a strong connection between Thomas of Seavington St. Mary and Michael of South Petherton/West Hatch.

Robin Bush doesn’t give a list of all the sources he consulted, although it is apparent that he looked at a number of unnamed records that did not reveal Hoyt information. Are there more records that can be researched in that region of England?  For instance, does Michael appear in any other South Petherton area records? All of Michael’s children before 1599 may have been born there. Are there Manor Court records for the area similar to those covering the town of West Hatch?

In New England

Simon Hoyt appears on a list, with Nicholas Stowers and the Sprague family, of those who were the first to live in Charlestown in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.(15) The date given for the list, which appears in the town records, is 1628, but scholars are confident that the document was made somewhat later. Although a few families were living in the vicinity of what became Charlestown by 1628, the so-called Higginson Fleet of ships which sailed in the Spring and Summer of 1629, sent by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, carried some if not most of the people named on that list. A statement has been proliferated that the Hoyts came over on the ship Abigail in 1628. There is no extant list of passengers on that trip of Abigail nor any other evidence to specifically place the Hoyts on it. John Endicott, Governor of Massachusetts Bay, approved the removal of the Spragues and “three or four others” to explore and settle what became Charlestown. Given the probable proximity of their origins in England, Simon may not only have sailed with them but joined them as one of those others to Charlestown. On the above-mentioned list, Simon is listed one name away from the Spragues.

Simon appears on the first list of “Names of such as tooke the Oath of Freemen” of the colony, dated 18 May 1631,  and is presumed to have been in Dorchester. The first record found of Simon in that town is from 1633, leaving in question where he was in 1631. On 3 April 1633 Dorchester town records state that a double-rail fence with mortices in the posts was ordered to be put up by the cow-owners of the town, 20 feet of length per cow. Simon’s fencing was to be 40 feet.  On 8 October of the same year he was appointed a fenceviewer for the “east field.”   On 6 January of the following year he was included in a division of “marsh and swamp.”  He was elected a fenceviewer for the “north field” on 24 May 1634.   On 2 June he was in another division of marsh and swamp, a parcel of about 8 acres on the north side of the “neck.” On 10 February 1634/35 he was ordered to keep one bull with the heifers on the “neck of land,” for which he was to be paid.  This action surely was taken to make calves and that Simon was to oversee the process. The last mention of Simon as a Dorchester resident was on 17 February 16(34/?)35, when it was ordered that “the lott of medow that was Symon Hoytes next to boston side Joyning to John Witchfield shall be devided betwixt Mr. Rodger Williams and Gyles Gibbes.”

Simon and his family moved to Scituate, Massachusetts, by the time he and his wife joined the church there on 17 April 1635. Given the last two references to Simon in the Dorchester town records, the move can be placed between 10 February (perhaps 17 February) and 17 April 1635. Rev. Lothrop of Scituate listed the house lots and their occupants from the time he arrived in November? of 1634 to December? of 1636, the months being unclear.   Simon had a house lot there between those dates. Dean’s history of Scituate indicates that “Goodman Hoyt” was granted land in the “Greenfield” section of Scituate between April? and June? of 1635, although it is not clearly stated and there are no sources cited in this work.   However, given all this evidence it is reasonable to say that the Hoyts moved to Scituate in late Winter of 1635 and had established themselves sufficiently enough to join the church and build or buy a house there within the next 4 months.

The time of Simon’s removal to Windsor, Connecticut, is not known, but speculated to have been between 1636 and 1639, when groups of settlers from Massachusetts Bay went there. He apparently does not appear in Scituate town and church records after 1635-1636. In 1677 Matthew Grant recorded that there were 2 children born to Simon in Windsor (how accurate was this over 30 years after the fact?), suggesting that he moved there with the 1639 party headed by Rev. Huit.

He was surely there by 7 May 1640, when the Particular Court of Connecticut ordered that “Simon Hoyette and his family are to be freed fro watch & ward until there be further Order taken by the Courte.”(27) The reason for this may be found in where Simon was granted land in Windsor. He appears in an inventory of land ownership dated 28 February 1640/41.  He had been granted “fourscore” acres of upland and meadow and the same amount on the north side of the “rivulet,” with 30 acres of the latter designated for his son Walter. A copy of this record describes the property as being on the east side of the “rivulet” (presumably what is now the Farmington River), but given the meandering of the river, it might have been open to interpretation. This area became known as Hoyt’s Meadow and was enough distant from the main settlement known as the Palisado to excuse Simon and Walter from guard duty. A record of January 1659/60 says he had a “long seat” in the Windsor church, for which he paid 6 shillings.  He had died in Stamford, Connecticut, by this time. The record refers to pews associated with houses and their original owners, although the latter are not named, and Simon was likely among them.

Simon supposedly sold his homestead lot in “Hoyt’s Meadow” in 1646.(30) He owned a house lot and 2 1/2 acres bordering the common in Fairfield, Connecticut; 5 acres at “Sascoe [Sasco, Sasqua] Neck” on “Hoit’s Island” and land purchased from John Green.(31) This land is listed in an inventory for the town of Fairfield dated 6 March 16(48/?)49. He may have bought some of it near the time he sold his Windsor land in 1646 and made his move in that year. Sasco Neck is now part of the town of Southport.

Simon’s death is recorded in the Stamford town records as having occurred on the 1st day of the 7th month 1657, translating to 1 September 1657.  An inventory of his estate was taken on 9 October 1657. This Fairfield Co. probate item is given here as it was transcribed for David Hoyt’s book. It is described as worn and partially torn. The end of it is clearly missing.

[O]cto 9: 57 An Inventory of ye Estate of Simon Hoyte taken by ff[illegible] Rich Law Entry 24: 3 mo 1659

Impmus 8 Cowes 15-
It [Item] 2 oxen 15-
It 4:2: years 10-
It 1:3:yearold com tine 03-
It 1 yearl-g 01-
It one Horse 10-0
It one mare & Colt 20-0
It one yearl-g colt with time 12- O – 0
It p Land 30-0-0
It one Homelote & a mill 30- 0 – 0
It in puter 01-
It in brass, 1: pan 1 : pot, 1 : mortter, 2 : cittills 02-
It in Iron, 1: pot, 2 lesser pots 03
It more Iron, axes, howes Chaines 05
It armes, 1 gun, 3 swords 2: barrells 02-08
It in woollen Cloathes 05-06
It one hat & lether Jacket 00-07
It one paire sheets & 43 yards new cloth 07-09
It too Chests, 2 wheeles 01-02
It in Coops ware 01-03
It in Turners ware 00-03
It three Earthen pots 00-
It one sadle & roapes & tow comes 01-
It in beding 06-
It [sivory?] &c marking Iron 00-
It one colter & old Iron 00-
It in Indian Corn, 10: bushells 01-
It 25 bushells wheat 05-
It 80: ib: of tobaca 01-
It cart & plow & wheeles 02-
It two yoaks 00-
It in Debts, Due 05-
It in Hey six load 05-
It in pease 40 bushells 07-
It 14 swine 20-
It 2 hides 00-

[total] 233-

It in Debts ow-g 01
It oweing 25 bushells wheat 05-
It owing 00-

Several receipts are said to have been in Simon’s probate file for the distribution of his estate. They refer to Joshua Hoyt receiving portions from his brothers Moses (2 April 1666), Samuel (April 1665) and Benjamin. Samuel Finch, on behalf of his wife, received their portion in April 1665 and Samuel Firman gave his portion to his mother-in-law on 25 March 1662. Other receipts are probably missing, but the signature of “Joen” Hoyt can be found as witness to Moses’ signature. The John Hoyt who witnessed Moses’ signature could have been Simon’s son or grandson.

It is clear that Simon’s children were by two wives. There is no primary evidence found identifying the family name of his second wife Susannah. There is a record made by Rev. John Lothrop of Scituate apparently in 1637 that lists the houses by heads of household of that town since his arrival in 1634. There is an entry for “The Smiths. Goodman Haits brother.” No other entry is prefaced by “the,” such as “the Hoyts.” All the households except 3, including “The Smiths,” are numbered, which may indicate those three were not land owners. It is unlikely that this was a Mr. Smith. He was very likely the town blacksmith. Susannah and her heirs (among whom are not the English-born children of Simon) are named in an agreement regarding the distribution of her estate.

At the time of her death she was Susannah Bates, probably the wife of Robert Bates of Stamford. Her heirs were her children Moses, Joshua, Samuel and Benjamin Hoyt, and the husbands of her daughters Mary, Sarah and Miriam (namely Thomas Lyon, Samuel Finch and Samuel “ffirman”). The inventory was presented at court on 24 May 1659.

child of Simon? perhaps out of wedlock:(35)

Christopher, bur. 22 August 1618

Children

1. John HOYT (See his page)

2. Walter Hoyt

Walter’s first Elizabeth St. John was born 1620 in Upway, Dorset, England. Her parents were Matthias St John and Sarah Hoyt. Elizabeth died 21 Nov 1694 in Fairfield, Fairfield, CT.

Walter’s second wife Rhoda Tinker Hobbs Taylor was born 16 Jun 1611 in New Windsor, Berkshire, England. Her parents were Robert Tinker and Mary Merwin. She first married 1 Nov 1631 in New Windsor, Berkshire, England to Thomas Hobbs (b. 1610 in New Windsor, Berkshire, England – d. 1633 in New Windsor, Berkshire, England). Next she married 1639 in Windsor, Hartford, CT to John Taylor (b. 1605 in Haverhill, Suffolk, England – d. 24 Nov 1645 in Windsor, Berkshire, Mass.) Finally, she married Walter Hoyt 1652 in Windsor, Hartford, CT. Rhoda died 1694 in Norwalk, Fairfield, CT.

3. Thomas Hoyt

Thomas’ wife Elizabeth Russell was born 1622 in Upway Dorchester, Dorset, England. Her parents were John Russell and [__?__]. Elizabeth died 6 Jun 1662 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT.

5. Nicholas Hoyt

Nicholas’ wife Mrs. Susannah Joyse was born 1626 in Windsor, Hartford, CT. Susannah died 4 Jul 1655 in Windsor, Hartford, CT.

Nicholas owned property in Windsor, CT. “The following entries are found on the first book of Windsor Land Records, p. 114, the next page after the one assigned to Walter Hoyt [his brother]:-‘Nicholas Hoyt, hath granted from the Plantation Sevety seven acres of Land more or Less, bredth four scoore and seven rod, Length on Hundred and forty, Bounded west by Walter Hoyt, South by the Rivulett, North and East by the Common. also Twenty acres more or less, Bounded South by Walter Hoyt, North by Richard Sammoy and west by the Rivulet. Also Ten acres more or Less, beredth Twenty rod, Length fourscore, Bounded East by walter Hoyt, North by Richard willer, South by william Thrall and west by the Common. Nicholas Hoyt, hath Purchased of Bagget Egelston his Dewelling house and home Lott, Eleven acres more or Less, as it Lyes Bounded North by John Tayler, South by Elias Parkman, and East by a way that Divides it and aaron Cook. Also in Hoyts Meadow Eleven acres more or Less, as it is bounded west by Mathias Sention, East by Elias Parkman, and North by Simon Hoyt.’ ”

Nicholas was involved in a court case about Slander in 1650 in Hartford, CT “On the ‘Records of the Particular Court’ at Hartford we find the following entries:
7th March, 1649-50 “Action of slaunder to the damage of 20th,” Tho: Stanton plaintiff, Nicho:Hoite defendant. “The defendt pleading want of witnesses to cleare his case wch hee could produce if he had a longer time, the Courte graunts him liberty to the next particular Courte except they see cause to call it sooner.”
28 March, 1650. “The Jury findes for the defendt coste of courte.” Execution delivered 3d June 1650, for 6s. costs.
15 May, 1650. Another action for slander against Nicholas Hoite, by Bray Rosseter, “about the truth of his oath taken in the last courte.” Verdict “for the defendt: costs of the court,” “wch was Hoites wife 2 dayes 2ss.”

9. Mary Hoyt

Mary’s first husband Luke Hill was born in 1613 in England. Luke died in Simsbury, Hartford, CT.

Mary’s second husband Thomas Lyon was born in 1621.  His first wife was Martha Johanna Winthrop, the only child of Elizabeth Fones Winthrop and her husband Henry Winthrop, second son of Governor John Winthrop of theMassachusetts Bay Colony. Martha had been born May 9, 1630 at Groton Manor, the Winthrop home in England, and as an infant sailed to the Massachusetts Bay Colony with her mother, arriving November 2, 1631.  In the early 1640’s, the young Martha moved with her parents to their newly-acquired property encompassing the area known now as Old Greenwich in Fairfield County, CT. Martha married Thomas Lyon circa 1647, and they had one child, Mary Lyon, born August 1649. Having battled frail health for some years, Martha (Winthrop) Lyon died in her early twenties, likely in 1653. Thomas Lyon remarried in 1654 to Mary Hoyt, daughter of Simon Hoyt of Stamford, CT.   Thomas Lyon died in Greenwich in 1690, and was buried in the old Lyon family burying ground at Byram Neck. His will left extensive land holdings in the area to his children, including his son Thomas Lyon.

Mary’s second husband Nehemiah Sargent

Thomas Lyon House Greenwich, CT

The Thomas Lyon House, at 1 Byram Road, was built ca. 1690-95 and is considered to be the oldest unaltered structure in Greenwich, Connecticut The restoration of the house, a Colonial saltbox, is the primary project of the Greenwich Preservation Trust, a not-for-profit organization that grew out of the Thomas Lyon House Committee formed by the Byram Neighborhood Association. Its heritage dates back to the family of Thomas Lyon (1621-1690), one of the earliest settlers of Fairfield County, and particularly his son, Thomas Lyon (1673-1739) who, with his wife Abigail and their children, were the initial occupants. The house stayed in the family line of Abigail and Thomas Lyon in to the 20th Century.

10. Moses Hoyt

Moses’ wife Elizabeth Budd was born 1641 in Fairfield, Fairfield, CT. Her parents were John Budd and Katherine Browne Elizabeth died 1712 in Eastchester, Westchester, New York

11. Sarah Hoyt

Sarah’s husband Samuel Finch was born 1636 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT. His parents were John Finch and Martha [__?__]. Samuel died 23 Apr 1698 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT.

12. Joshua Hoyt

Joshua’s wife Mary Bell was born May 1646 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT. Her parents were Francis Bell and Rebecca [__?__]. Mary died 29 Dec 1724 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT.

In his 24 May 1689 will Francis Bell named daughter Mary Hoyt.

13. Samuel Hoyt

Samuel’s first wife Hannah Holly was born 18 Apr 1651 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT. Her parents were John Holly and Mary Waitstill. Hannah died 7 Dec 1710 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT.

Samuel’s second wife Rebecca [__?__] died 8 Dec  1713 in Stamford CT.

Samuel’s third wife Hannah Slawson was born 1645 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT. Her parents were George Slauson and [__?__]. She first married 1660 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT to John Gold (b. 1645 in New Haven, CT – d. 14 Jul 1712 in Stamford, CT) Hannah died 27 Jan 1730 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT.

14. Benjamin Hoyt

Benjamin’s wife Hannah Weed was born 1650 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT. Her parents were Jonas Weed and Mary Hoyt. Hannah died 9 Nov 1711 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT.

15. Miriam Hoyt

Miriam’s first husband Samuel Firman (Forman) was born 1635 in Oyster Bay, Nassau, New York. Samuel died Apr 1682 in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.

Miriam’s second husband Richard Harcourt was born 1626 in Hempstead, Nassau, New York. Richard died May 1696 in Oyster Bay, Livingston, New York.

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Sources:

http://www.simonhoyt.com/simonhoyt1.html

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=7818083&st=1

http://dougsinclairsarchives.com/hoyt/shoyt.htm

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~coonealogy/217.htm

http://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Lyon-family-descendant-tours-historic-home-674508.php

1. Richardson, Douglas, “English Ancestry of the Merwin and Tinker Families of New England, Part Two: John Tinker of Boston and Lancaster, Massachusetts and Windsor and New London, Connecticut”, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Society, Vol. CXLIX, Oct. 1995) , p. 401-432.

2. Richardson, Douglas, “English Ancestry of the Merwin and Tinker Families of New England, Part One: Miles Merwin of Windsor & Milford, Connecticut”, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, (Boston: New England Historic and Genealogical Society, Vol. CXLIX, Jul. 1995), p. 295-311.

3. Hoyt Issue, Roy F. Olson, Editor, 360 Watson Rd., Paducah, KY 42003

4. Emily Warren Roebbing, The Journal of The Rev. Silas Constant (1903).