Humphrey Spinning was an early settler at New Haven, being recorded there as early as 4 December 1639. (New England Historical and Genealogical Register 59: 267.) He was evidently a man of enterprise, and is known to have owned lands on Delaware Bay, and at Oyster Bay, besides money in the hands of John Brown, of Salem. His marriage was probably in England, and upon his emigration to New England he brought with him the "kinsman," thought to be nephew, Humphrey Spinning, whom he remembers in his will, and who "had been taken by his relative when but a child from his father in England." (Ibid. 59: 267.) His wife died at Delaware Bay, leaving two hundred pounds to her husband. Whether she was his only wife or not seems uncertain. The inventory of his estate in 1656 makes mention of his "former wife's daughter, " his "own daughter Mary," and at least one "son-in-law" in England. On 6 December 1651 he refused to watch, claiming he was but a "sojourner" there in New Haven, and too old for the service needed. He made his will 20 June 1649, before going on a voyage to the Bay (Genealogical Dictionary of New England, James Savage, 4: 150), like a provident man making his wishes known before possible accident or disaster should overtake him. However, he lived to return safely, and it was not until 29 September 1656 that his estate was inventoried.
