Person:John Thrall (1)

John Thrall, born in Windsor, was one of the early settlers "east of the mountain" in what would be called Turkey Hills. He and Stephen Winchell were probably engaged in the raising of horses for sale. As horses were one of the leading exports of Connecticut at the time, John and Stephen probably did well in their endeavors.

John and his wife, Mindwell Moses, raised nine children, all of whom lived to adulthood. John died in 1749 [1932; his son, also Sergeant John, died in 1749] at the age of 60 leaving his wife and seven [eight; only Aaron had died before 1732] of his nine children. Some were still at home and Joel, age 16, chose his brother John as guardian. The widow Mindwell was appointed as guardian of Jerusha, and Moses was appointed guardian of his younger brother, Charles. John's estate was valued at £856, a tribute to his business acumen.

Mindwell survived her husband and some claim that she died on 2 September 1750.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Fam. 2. Timothy² Thrall; Fam. 4, John³ Thrall, in Stiles, Henry R. History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut (1892): including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks and Ellington, 1635-1891. (Hartford, Connecticut: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1892)
   2:761.

   "John (Thrall) (Sgt.), b. 5 June, 1671."
   "Fam. 4. John³ (Sgt.) (prob. s. Timo.,² Wm.¹), m. Mindwell Moses, 6 Jan., 1697; he d. 18 Apl., 1732; will refers to. 'Grandfather Gunn.'"

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} (8) Sergeant John Thrall, in Thrall, D Steven, and Grant Leslie Thrall. Thrall genealogy, 1630-1965: Descendants of William Thrall. (1976)
   7.

   "(8) Sergeant John Thrall Born 5 June 1671, died 18 Apr. 1732. … John and Mindwell had eight sons and a daughter. Most of the young men had some military service and John I was called 'Sgt. John' apparently to distinguish between he and his eldest son, John, as they both lived all their lives in the same community. Sgt. John went out to that part of Windsor called 'Turkey Hills' (now E. Granby) to clear land for himself and his boys."

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Windsor Vital Records [NEHGS], in Connecticut, United States. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records
   276.

   "Thrall, … John, 2nd, s. [Timothy & Debro], b. June 5, 1671 [MG]"
   "Thrall, … John, Sergt., d. Apr. 18, 1732 [2:275]"

4.   Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1638-1925.

   "Sergt John Thrall dyed April the 18th A D 1732"

5.   Sgt John Thrall, in Find A Grave.

   This burial is not documented in the Hale Collection. There appears to be no evidence of the actual place of burial.

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} Thrall, Sergt. John, Windsor, in Manwaring, Charles W. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records. (Hartford, Conn.: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904-06)
   3:120.

   "Probate Records. Vol. XI, 1729 to 1732. Page 199-200.
   
   Thrall, Sergt. John, Windsor. Died 18 April, 1732. Invt. £856-16-06. Taken 15 May, 1732, by Jonathan Stiles, Peletiah Allyn and Job Drake. Will dated 18 April, 1732.
   
   I, John Thrall of Windsor, do make this my last will and testament: I give to my wife Mindwell my house and homestead, with the barn, and the land adjoining running to the Great River, and three acres of land south of the highway, which was Grandfather Gun’s, and the syder press, during her widowhood, and after to return to my sons, Joseph, Daniel, Joel and Charles, equally to be divided among them. Also I give to my wife £20 out of the moveables, she takeing her choice, and the feather-bed and bedding. I give unto my son John all my right in the 1 ½-mile lott lately laid out, known as Town Commons, and also all my right in the equivalent land. I give unto my daughter Amy £20 out of my moveables, also ye youngest cow, six sheep and five gees(e). I give unto my youngest daughter Jerusha £60 and one cow. I give unto my sons, Joseph, Daniel, Joel and Charles, all my right in the western lands, equally to be divided between them; also my lott at Hoit’s meadow, ye pasture, and my lott at Sandy Hill, and my lott which I bought of Fits John Allyn, equally to be divided between them. I give to my son John my lott at Turkey Hill, provided he pay to my daughter Ammey £10 towards the £20 above named. I give to my son Moses 1-3 part of all my right in the undivided lands in Windsor, and ye remainder to be equally divided between Joseph, Daniel, Joel and Charles. My wife and son Moses Thrall to be executors.
   
   JOHN THRALL, LS.
   
   Witness: Israel Stoughton, Samuel Stoughton, John Allyn.
   
   Court Record, Page 66—9 May, 1732: Joel Thrall, a minor, age 16 years, chose John Thrall of Windsor to be his guardian. Recog., £200.
   
   Page 69—6 June, 1732: Will exhibited by Mindwell Thrall and Moses Thrall, executors. Mrs. Mindwell Thrall refused the trust.
   
   Page 70—6 June, 1732: This Court appoint Mrs. Mindwell Thrall to be guardian to Jerusha Thrall, age 9 years. Recog., £100. And Moses Thrall is appointed guardian to Charles Thrall, a minor son of Sergt. John Thrall. Recog., £100.
   
   Page 39 (Vol. XII) 3 February, 1735-6: John Thrall of Windsor, guardian to Joel Thrall, one of the heirs to the estate of Sergt. John Thrall, moves this Court for a division of the real estate of the sd. Decd, according to the will. This Court appoint Lt. Joseph Barnard, Lt. James Enno and John Stoughton, distributors.
   
   Page 51—5 October, 1736: Report of the distributors of the estate to the Court. Accepted and ordered on file."