Person:Nathaniel White (4)

"Nathaniel (White), b. say 1630 (sworn for Middletown 1656 [RPCC 174]); …"

"3. Captain Nathaniel White, son: of Elder John, (1) was born in England, about 1629, three years before his father came to Now England. He was about seven years old when the family removed from Cambridge to Hartford.

In 1650 or 1651, when about twenty-one years old, he removed to Middletown, on the Connecticut Hiver, being one of the original proprietors and first settlers of that town. His homelot was in that part of Middletown formerly called 'Upper Houses,' and afterwards 'Upper Middletown,' now constituting the town of Cromwell. His dwelling-house was in the lower part of the village, on the street that lies between the Middlesex turnpike and the Connecticut River.

He early acquired great influence, and was among the leading men of that section of the Colony. In civil life he was almost constantly employed in some of the various town offices, and also statedly represented the town in the Legislature—or General Court, as it was at first called—of the Colony. He was first chosen in 1659, when about thirty years of age, and from 1661 to 1710, a period of fifty years, he was chosen Deputy once every year, and often twice; the Legislature then meeting semi-annually, in May and October of each year, and a new election being held for each session. The only exception to his regular election was in the year 1688, when, in consequence of the usurpation of Sir Edmund Andross, there were no elections by the people. He was elected a representative from Middletown eighty-five times, and was eighty-one years old when last chosen. Very few instances can be found of so long an official life dependent on annual popular elections; probably no other, in which the same political community, by a majority of all its voters, has elected the same individual its representative in the Legislature of the State eighty-five times. … In 1669 Nathaniel White was appointed by the Legislature a magistrate and commissioner for Middletown, and in 1684 for Middletown, Haddam, and the district of Meriden; and he held local courts for these places. In military life he rose through successive grades to the rank of Captain, the title of which office he carried with him through life. …

He died Aug. 27, 1711, 'aged about 82,' as the inscription on his monument informs us. His grave is in Middletown city, in the burying-ground near the river. In his will, which is dated Aug. 16, 1711, after some other bequests, he gives one-fourth of his undivided lands 'to remain for the use of the Publick School already agreed upon in the Town of Middletown, forever.' Respecting certain other provisions of his will, he makes this statement: 'And the reason why I say my daughters shall have each of them one-third of what moveable household goods was in being when my former wife dyed, is because I intend what my now wife hath gained by her Industry, and what she brought with her to me, should be at her own dispose.' The Inventory of his estate amounted to £927. 11s. 5d. He owned about 1500 acres of land, and was for a long time the second in property in the town."

"White, … Nath[anie]ll, d. Aug. 27, 1711 [LR1:39]"

"Probate Records. Vol. VIII, 1710 to 1715. Page 74-110.

White, Capt. Nathaniel, Middletown. Invt. £927-11-05. Taken by Thomas Stow and John Warner. Lands inventoried in Hartford apprised by Joseph Wadsworth and Cyprian Nickolls. Will dated 16 August, 1711.

I, Nathaniel White of Middletown, in the County of Hartford, do make this my last will and testament: I give to my wife Martha the use of the household goods, and for her comfortable maintenance during widowhood £6 a year also, her firewood to be provided by my sons Daniel and Joseph. I also give her £10 in money to dispose of as she pleases. I give to my son Nathaniel all my houseing and lands in Hadley, he paying £10 to the legatees of his grandfather. I give to my son John, besides his deed of gift, all the right that I have in reversion unto the estate that was my brother Jacob's in Hartford, he paying £20 unto my daughters; Elizabeth and Mary and representatives of my daughter Sarah, to be paid after the decease of the widow of my sd. brother. All this I give to my son John and his heirs forever. I give to my son Daniel the house, barn and other buildings he now lives in and is possessed of in Middletown, with 6 acres of upland adjoyning; also, one-third of my meadow and swamp at Wongunk, and also one-third part of my neck and wet meadow; all this besides what I have formerly given him by deed. I give to my son Jacob the house and lot I bought of Joseph Kirby; also, 2 acres of land next to his brother Daniel; also, 3 acres of meadow and swamp, and also one-third of my meadow and swamp at Wongunk. I give to my son Joseph my dwelling house, barn and home lot, and the garden plot, and the remaining part of my meadow and swamp at Wongunk, and one-third part of my neck and wet meadow. I give to my daughter Elizabeth the lot of upland that her son Nathaniel lives on, and 100 acres of my Plain lot northward of the Town. I give to my daughter Mary 100 acres of my Plain lot. I give to my daughter Sarah's children 200 acres out of my lot on the east side of the Great River; also 1-3 part of my moveables that was in being when my former wife died. My lot westward of the town, adjoining to Farmington, to be equally divided between my sons Daniel, Jacob and Joseph, they paying to my three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary and Sarah, or their representatives £12 in money apiece, and £4 money to the Rev. Mr. Noadiah Russell. A one-fourth part of my right in undivided lands to be and remain for the use of a public school already agreed upon. I intend what my now wife hath gained by her industry, and what she brought with her to me, should be at her own dispose. My two sons, Daniel and Joseph, to be executors.

NATH. WHITE, LS.

Witness: John Hamlin, Thomas Stow, Daniel Stocking.

Court Record, Page 38—1st October, 1711: Will proven."