Person:John Olmstead (5)

Research Notes

• His will⁷ does not mention any children.
• The will⁷ of widow Elizabeth does not mention any children. She left his large estate to his two nephews (sons of his brother Richard Olmstead), his nine nephews and nieces (children of his sister Rebecca (Olmstead) Newell of Farmington), and to various relatives of her own.

1.   James Olmstead, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).

   "Three children of Richard Olmstead, nephew of James, came to New England: Richard (bp. 1612), John (bp. 1617) and Rebecca (b. say 1620) (Olmsted Gen 5). It has been claimed that they came to New England in 1632 with their greatuncle, but there is no evidence to prove this, and they may well have come later."

2.   Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford
   [1].

   Dr John Olmsted, nephew Of James, came to New England in 1632, with his uncle ; One of the proprietors “by courtesie of the town,” in 1639, when his home-lot was on the west aide Of the “road from George Steel's to the Great Swamp;” he removed from Hartford to Saybrook, and from there, about 1660, to Norwich. He served in King Philips War as surgeon, and was the first physician at Norwich ; he m. Elizabeth, dau. of Matthew Marvin, and widow of Thomas Gregory, of Norwalk d. Aug. 2, 1686, s. p. His widow d. in 1689.
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   [Note: Disputed wife and proven relationship error. Please see Family page for disputed wife explanation and Person page for the widow of Thomas Gregory.]

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Olmsted, Henry King (1824-1896), and George Kemp Ward (1848-1937). Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America: Embracing the Descendants of James and Richard Olmstead and Covering a Period of Nearly Three Centuries, 1632-1912. (New York: A. T. DeLaMare, 1912)
   183, 191.

   ... (Dr.) John Olmsted, Hartford, Conn., (brother of Richard and Rebecca). He came with the family to America in 1632, and was doubtless a member of his uncle James Olmsted's family at Newtown, Mass., and at Hartford, Conn. Removed soon to Saybrook, Conn., thence in 1660 to Norwich, Conn. Was freeman, 1662; Surgeon of part of the forces in King Philip's War; married Elizabeth, dau. of Matthew Marvin; was a recipient of land by will of Joshua Uncas in 1675. His will was probated Sept. 22, 1686; made not long before, though, he himself only 60 years of age, which no doubt was by several years too small a reckoning. He left most of his large estate to his brother and sister. No children are mentioned in the will.
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   [Note: Disputed wife. See Family page for explanation.]

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} John Olmstead, in Jacobus, Donald Lines. History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield. (New Haven, Conn.: The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company, 1930-1932)
   I:453.

   John Olmstead, s. of Richard. Surgeon, K. Philip's War, 1675. Bapt. at Fairsted, co. Essex, Eng., 16 Feb. 1617, d. at Norwich, 2 Aug. 1686; m. before 1650, Elizabeth Marvin, dau. of Matthew, bapt. at Great Bentley, co. Essex, 15 Sept. 1622. No issue. Will, not dated; aged about 60; wife Elizabeth sole Exec'x; servants to have liberty at death of wife; exhibited 22 Sept. 1686. Elizabeth's will, 15 Oct. 1689; two sons of husband's brother, Richard Olmstead of Norwalk,—Lt. James and Ens. John; nine children of brother and sister Newell of Farmington; and several of her own relatives.
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   [Note: Disputed wife. See Family page for explanation.]

5. ↑ Norwich, New London, Connecticut, United States. Vital Records of Norwich, 1659-1848. (Hartford, Conn.: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, 1913)
   1:10.

   John Holmsted deceafed Agust: 2^d 1686.

6. ↑ Mahler, Leslie. The English Origin of John Baisey/Baysey of Hartford, Connecticut: Cousin of the Olmstead Family of Hartford. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (2007)
   82:37.

   'John Olmstead/Holmstead, bp [at Great Leighs, co. Essex] 16 Feb. 1617[/8]; ...'

7. ↑ Manwaring, Charles W. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records. (Hartford, Conn.: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904-06)
   1:343.

   P.C., Vol. IV, No. 1-2-3.
   Olmsted, John, Norwich. Invt. £973-05-06. Taken by Solomon Tracy, Samuel Lothrop. Exhibited in Court 22 September, 1686.
   
   Will: I John Olmsted of Norwich, being about 60 years of age, make my Wife Elizabeth sole Executrix, my Servants to have their liberty at the death of my Wife, but my Negro Servant Tony not only to have his liberty but to have ten acres of Land in some Convenient place.
   JOHN OLMSTED.
   Witness: Christopher Huntington, Thomas Adgate.
   Proven 20 September, 1689.
   
   Will of Elizabeth Holmsted, 15 October, 1689, Relict of John Holmsted, says her husband gave her all his Estate to despose of as she saw fit. For Love and affection for the two sons of her husband's Brother, Richard Olmsted of Norwalk, viz, Lieutenant James Holmsted and Ensign John Holmsted, I have given to each of them an Allottment at the new plantation Lying at the Northwest of Norwich, Each Allottment Contayning by Estimation about a Thousand acres of Land, with all Rights, Etc., by deed of gift to them. I give to Sargt. Richard Baskett (written now Richard Bushnell), my Kinsman, a Tract of Land on the East side of the little Rivulet at Wequetequock adjoining that of Daniel Tracy. I also give him 4 acres of Land at Yantick, by that of William Hide west, Thomas Post north and east. I also give him 10 acres of Land at Wequeteqyock; also Land east side of the Shoetucket River at Wequanack, on said River east, the Highway north, and upon Land of Thomas Leffingwell and Richard Wallis. My will is that £50 be paid for the relief of the poor of Norwich, per advice of Rev. James Fitch, sen. I give to my brother Adgate's three children, viz., Sarah, Rebeckah & Thomas, £6 to each. To my brother's eldest daughter, Abigail, a parcel of Land over the River which her husband bought of John Arnold. To Tony (Negro), Ten acres was given; 3 acres in the little plain, 3 acres in the Great plain, and 4 acres at Wequetequock. To Hannah (the Indian Maide) and to the nine Children of my brother and sister Nuell of Farmington, 5 Shillings apiece. I give to the Rev. James Fitch sen. £10. The Residue of my Estate to my Kinsman and Executor, Samuel Lothrop.
   ELIZABETH X OLMSTED.
   Witness: John Post, John Burchard.
   
   It appears that James Olmsted and Samuel Newell asked for a review.

8.   Caulkins, Frances Manwaring, and Connecticut Society of the Founders of Norwich. History of Norwich, Connecticut: from its possession by the Indians, to the year 1866. (Chester, Connecticut: Published for the Society of Founders of Norwich, Connecticut by the Pequot Press, 1976)
   198.

   ... John Olmstead married Elizabeth Marvin, and settled at Saybrook, where he was appointed leather-sealer in 1656. He is mentioned incidentally upon the Saybrook records in 1661, as "John Olmsted of Mohegan, shoemaker," which shows that he had removed to the new plantation. At this place, however, he appears as a doctor or chirurgeon, and was undoubtedly the first physician of the settlement, though the articles enumerated in his inventory would imply that he still continued his practice with the last and lap-stone. For several years he was on the grand jury of the county.
   
   He possessed a considerable estate, and was very precise respecting the date and bounds of his grants. Though the H. is uniformly given to his name by the Norwich recorders, it was not used by himself. The blazed trees and mere-stones by which he indicated the corners and limits of his lots, were marked I.O.*
   
   He died Aug. 2, 1686 ; his age was about 60. No children are mentioned. He left most of his estate to his wife, who made over to his two nephews at Norwalk a large tract of land (stated at 2,000 acres) owned by him in the new plantation at Windham. Several slaves that he possessed were to receive their freedom at the death of his wife.
   
   Mrs. Olmstead died in 1689. Her will, made in October of that year, was contested by the relatives of her husband, but confirmed by the General Court. She bequeathed £50 to the poor of Norwich, and £10 to Mr. Fitch ; recognizing also by legacies Sergt. Richard Bushnell, "brother Adgate's four children," and the children of her husband's sister Newell, but left most of her real estate to her "friend and kinsman Samuel Lothrop," whom she appoints executor. This was the second Samuel Lothrop, whose wife was Hannah Adgate. The word kinsman, as used in ancient records, has a wide range of meaning. Deacon Adgate's second wife was the sister of Mrs. Olmstead, but Hannah, the wife of Samuel Lothrop, was the child of the first wife; and this is the only relationship that in this instance has been traced.
   
   * On County Court Records, when his inventory was exhibited, it was written Vmsteade.
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   [Note: Disputed wife. See Family page for explanation.]