Person:John Dumbleton (1)

"Dumbleton, John: [Origin] Unknown; [Emigration] 1639; [Resided] Windsor, Springfield [Hale, House 521-24; Windsor Hist 1:155; TAG 67:11-14]."

"i. John Dumbleton, born in England, about 1620, died at Springfield, Mass., 27 July 1702; … He was an indentured servant of Mr. William Whiting of Hartford, and came to Windsor in 1639 or 1640 at the age of twenty, to work the lands there which Mr. Whiting had bought of Mr. Roger Ludlow. His term of service expired in 1645, after which he worked the land on shares for four years, and then paid rental of £20 a year. When of Springfield he made affidavit in the case of Whiting's sons vs. John Bissell, and says 'There was little improvement on the land when I came upon it but I plowed and brake up considerable quantity of it.'

He settled in Springfield about 1650 and soon became a man of consequence there. He served as Selectman, 1655, 1657, 1660, 1666, 1668, 1671, 1673, 1675, 1677, 1679, 1681, 1683, 1685, 1687, 1689, and 1691; fence viewer, 1654, 1664, 1670; appraiser of livestock, 1653 and 1662, serving both years with Thomas Cooper; and surveyor of highways also in 1662. He was commissioned with Thomas Miller to make a pound in 1665, and in 1666 was to get posts and rails for another pound on the West Side of the Great River. In 1669 he was paid for his work on the pound, and in 1675 was to repair the one on the West Side. And in 1678 it was agreed that 'Goodman Dumbletons yard be accounted & made use of as a pound for the loest side of the Great River til such time as a new pound be made.' It would seem that he must have kept his fences in good repair for his yard to be used as a pound, yet even he was fined for defective fences in 1668 and 1680; but in the latter year 'the Worshipfull major Pinchon' was a fellow-culprit. In 1676, when not a Selectman, he was asked to join with the Selectmen in making rates. He received his first grant of land from the Town in 1652, and several thereafter. Altogether, he seems to have been a useful citizen. …

The will of John Dumbleton, Sr., of Springfield, dated 16 Aug. 1693, proved 20 Aug. 1702, gave his house, homelot and Cold Spring lot to his wife and after her decease to his son Nathaniel; legacies to daughters Lydia, Hannah and Rebecca, to be paid by Nathaniel; granddaughter Marah; if Nathaniel die unmarried the estate to be equally divided between the daughters. Witnesses: John Holyoke, Peletiah Glover, John Crowfoot. The will was allowed, and Nathaniel Dumbleton was appointed administrator cum testamento annexo, but 'is to agree with those children not mentioned in ye will or they may contest it at law.' On 20 May 1714, Nathaniel Dumbleton agreed to pay Elizabeth Burt, grandchild of John Dumbleton, Sr., £15, and she and her father Nathaniel Burt gave him a discharge."

"Dumbleton, John, 1640, a servant of Mr. Whiting, of Hartford (whom he seems to have served 2 yrs. before coming to N. E.), who worked the lands bo't of Mr. Ludlow, 5 yrs. until his term of service expired, after which he worked the land on shares ('to halves') for four years, 'and after I paid £20 a year.' He was 20 yrs. old when he came to W. and says 'there was little improvement on the land when I came upon it [prob. 1639] but I plowed and brake up considerable quantity of it.' This information appears in his affidavit in the case of Whiting's Sons vs. John Bissell, to recover the land under the plea of defective title. After D. left it, it was sold to Miles Murwin, who found it 'too hard' for him and was released. We find no mention of Dumbleton while he was here; in 1676 and 1684, he was res. in Springfield. Did he occupy Roger Ludlow's 'stone house' mentioned in Whiting's deed?"

"JOHN, Springfield 1649, came in the serv. of William Whiting of Hartford, had John, b. 1658; and Nathaniel, 1664; beside six ds. wh. all m. Sarah m. 19 Dec. 1678, Josiah Leonard."

"John Dumbleton was Sicke & died July. 27: 1702:"