COMMEMORATIVE
RECORD
BIOGRAPHIES PORTRAITS
Hartford County Connecticut
Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1901
WILLIAM GAYLORD (a
Huguenot, who was driven from France on account of his religious views),
the founder of his family in America, was born supposedly in Exeter,
Devonshire, England, of good family and good estate. He came across the
water in the spring of 1630 in company with his brother John, on the
good ship Mary and John landing at Nantucket, Mass. May 30 and was made
a freeman the November following. He had been chosen a deacon at
Plymouth, Devonshire, England, in March 1630 when the church was
organized under Rev. John Maverick and Rev. John Wareham, who also came
over in the "Mary and John" the entire company settling at
Dorchester. Deacon William Gaylord's land grant was recorded in 1633,
and he was the signer of some of the earliest land grants in Dorchester,
as he was early elected a selectman, and was a representative to the
General Court in 1635-36-38, and was, in fact, a representative in the
same august body nearly forty sessions, or until 1664, being more
honored in this respect than any of his fellow townsmen. The name of his
wife, not on record, and it is surmised that she died before his
departure from England, as his children were all born in that country,
and were nearly of adult age on his arrival in America. These children
were named Elizabeth (who married Richard Birge Oct. 5, 1641), William,
Samuel Walter and John. The father died in Windsor, Conn., July 26,
1673; but whether his brother John, who was a resident of Dorchester in
1632, and was one of the two to meet the Court of Assistants to settle
the system of representation, died here or returned to England, is
unknown.
Webmaster's note: For more on
William Gaylord:
A Long Long Time Ago in France page 2