c 1643 Son John Roote was born. His monumental inscription in the Westfield, Massachusetts, cemetery states, "John Root aged abovt 44 years He dyed the 24th of Sept 1687." [1]
1648 Son Thomas Root was born in Farmington, Connecticut. A transcription of his monumental inscription in the Somers, Connecticut, North Cemetery states, "Roote, Thomas, born at Farmington, Conn. 1648, died Aug. 16, 1709. [2]
1656 John Roote was appointed constable of Farmington at a Court held in May in Hartford, Connecticut. [3]
[In the Margin]
this is for the Courte in may.
Theare weare p'sented to this Court & Sworne for Constab: in y° severall Townes as ffolloweth.
For Hartford John Baisy Rich Goodman both Sworne.
For wyndsor Jonath: Gillett Abra Randall both Sworne.
For mattabeseck Will: Marcum: Sworne.
For Farmingtowne John Roote Sworne
For wethersfeild Hen: Heyward John Betts both Sworne.
A Courte of magistrates in Hartford in may 1656
1662 John Roote purchased a farm in Farmington from John and Sarah (Hooker) Wilson. [4]
Edward Hopkins was the second elected governor of Connecticut and served alternately with John Haynes, no man being allowed to serve continuously this being too much like the royal right of kings from which the colonists were determined to escape. Mr. Hopkins was one of the original purchasers of the town of Farmington but did not live here. He was an original proprietor and settler in Hartford. His land in Farmington was recorded in his name as an original proprietor. It was located on Town Path, now Main Street where the Root homestead and the Wilmarth Lewis home now stand, and had a farm house, fruit trees and gardens. It was left by Hopkins in his will at his death in 1657 to Sarah (Hooker) Wilson, daughter of Rev. Thomas Hooker. According to tradition it was used as a meeting place for the members of the First Church after the resignation of their pastor, Rev. Roger Newton in 1657. Sarah Hooker Wilson never lived there, having settled in Medfield, Massachusetts in 1651 when her husband, Rev. John Wilson was ordained as the first pastor of the first church there, where he served forty years, until his death in 1691. In 1662 Sarah and John Wilson sold the Hopkins farm to John Roote, and it remained in the Root family until December 1941.
1674 "Back Lane, now High Street, was laid out March 16, 1673-4. At this time the proprietors were deeply engrossed in laying out their all-important divisions, with a lot in each division for each proprietor, according to his original investment, or of his ratable estate. Captain William Lewis acted as clerk for the proprietors. … The original proprietors, or their heirs, together with the rate on which their share in each Division was determined, were recorded as follows: … John Root, Senior £166,00." [5]
1676 John Roote sen., Thomas Newell, and Benjamin Judd took the inventory of Sergt. John Howkins on September 5. [6]
1684 John Roote wrote his will on April 22. Manwaring provides an abstract of his will which states, [7]
Will dated 22 April 1684.
I John Roote sen. of the town of Farmington do make this my last Will & Testament: I give to my wife Mary Roote a Constant Comfortable maintenance to be paid to her by my Executors during her Widowhood, and £20. But in Case she marry again, I giver her £20 more, and then the Constant maintenance to cease. I doe solemnly charge my sons Joseph and Caleb, as long as the care of their Mother shall be incumbent upon them, to carry very dutifull and tenderly towards her & see from time to time that she want nothing for her comfortable support, and I hope that the Overseers of this my Will will have an eye to this care. To each of my sons which are already married, 20 shillings; & to my gr. Children 4 Shillings. I give to my daughter Mary, the wife of Isaac Brunson, £15. I do Confirm to my son Steven Roote the 20 acres of Land, which I engaged upon his Marriage with his Wife that now is. I give my son Joseph both my Looms with all the Tackling. To my sons Caleb & Joseph I give the remainder of my Estate. My sons Caleb & Joseph to be Executors, and Mr. Hooker and Caleb Standly to be Overseers. Witness: Samuel Hooker & Thomas Hooker. John X Roote sen.
1684 The inventory of John Roote, sen., was taken in Farmington, Connecticut. "Invt. £819-07-00. Taken August 1684, by Thomas Porter, John Heart, John Woodruff." [8]
1694 Mary Kilborne Roote died. A transcription of a monumental inscription in North Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut, states, "Mary Kilborn Roote, wife of John, born 1619, died 1694." [9] There is also a transcription of a monumental inscription for John Roote in this cemetery, which states, "John Roote, born Feb. 26, 1608, died at Farmington, Conn., August 1684."
[1] Find A Grave Memorial 37604360, [FindAGrave].
[2] Charles R. Hale, ed., Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions, manuscript (Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library, 1937), [AncestryImage].
[3] Connecticut Historical Society, Records of the Particular court of Connecticut, 1639-1663, Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, Vol. 22 (Hartford, Connecticut Historical Society, 1928), 162, [URL].
[4] Mabel S. Hurlburt, Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) (Hartford, Connecticut: Finlay Brothers, 1943), 364, also discussed on p. 18, [HathiTrust].
[5] Mabel S. Hurlburt, Farmington town clerks and their times (1645-1940) (Hartford, Connecticut: Finlay Brothers, 1943), 30, [HathiTrust].
[6] Charles W. Manwaring, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records (Hartford, Connecticut: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904), 209, [AmericanAncestors].
[7] Charles W. Manwaring, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records (Hartford, Connecticut: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904), 356-357, [AmericanAncestors].
[8] Charles W. Manwaring, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records (Hartford, Connecticut: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904), 356, [AmericanAncestors].
[9] Charles R. Hale, ed., Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions, manuscript (Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library, 1937), [AncestryImage].