Person:Nicholas Olmstead (1)

Research notes

• There are questions about the supposed 2nd marriage of Nicholas Olmstead to Mary/Hannah (Thurston) Lord, widow of Thomas Lord. See Hannah's page for more info.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} 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)
   12-15.

   (4) NICHOLAS OLMSTED, b. in England; bap. at Fairsted, Eng., Feb. 15, 1612; d. Aug. 31, 1684; m.
   (1) Sept. 28, 1640, Sarah Loomis, of Windsor, Conn.; ...
   (2) Mrs. Mary Lord, of Wethersfield, Conn., widow of Dr. Thomas Lord.
   
   Nicholas Olmsted came to Boston and to Hartford with his father and the family. Soon after the settlement of Hartford, it was evident that the Indians were "jealous and seemed determined upon the destruction of the infant town, and it became a question, either to abandon the country, or conquer the foe. On the first of May, 1637, just eighteen months after the settlement was begun, and when there were only eight hundred souls in the Colony, the Court met and resolved upon an offensive war against the Pequots. On the 9th of May ninety men were drafted and ready for the expedition. They embarked in three little floats that were to convey them down the river, and on the 15th were at the mouth of the river, whence 20 men were sent back to guard their own defenceless homes. On the morning of May 28th the little army, consisting of seventy-seven Englishmen and a party of Narragansett and Mohegan Indians, was before the fort of the Pequots at Mystic. Then began the dreadful fight in which, in one hour, 600 Indians were slain and their power broken forever. In three days the little army was at home again with a loss of two killed and twenty wounded. The Colony had peace for nearly forty years, when King Philip's war began."
   
   Nicholas served in the Pequot war, under Capt. Mason, and is mentioned by him in his account of the burning of the Indian fort: "Lieutenant Thomas Bull and Nicholas Olmsted beholding, came up; and when it was thoroughly kindled, the Indians ran about as most dreadfully Amazed." — Bodge's Soldiers in King Philip's War, etc., p. 13.
   
   Both Nicholas and Richard Olmsted, his cousin, "received grants of land for services in the Pequot War." Id., p. 466.
   
   Nicholas Olmsted was appointed by the General Court, with Thomas Bull and Robert Webster, a committee to view and settle Mattatuck, now Waterbury, and on April 6, 1674, made a favorable report.
   
   "The Court appointed Ensign Samuel Steel, Ensign John Wadsworth and Lieut. Nicholas Olmsted a committee to regulate the settling of a plantation at Mattatuck. This committee was composed of men of note, who bore honorable names, well known in the history of the Colony, and attest the high consideration with which they were regarded. Lieut. Nicholas Olmsted was a deputy in 1672, and in active service as a Lieut, in King Philip's war." — History of Waterbury, Conn. (Bronson), pp. 7-8.
   
   Nicholas Olmsted was chosen surveyor of highways in 1646; Townsman for the North side 9 years, between 1653 and 1683; Corporal in the Hartford Troop of Horse, 1658; freeman and list and rate maker, 1669; deputy to the General Court in 1672 and 1673. Aug. 14, 1673, on a great appearance of danger from the Dutch, troops were raised in the Colony, 160 from Hartford County, and Nicholas Olmsted was appointed Lieut. King Philip's war began June 20, 1675. In July, 1675, he was sent in command of the troops to New London and Huntington on the occasion of an Indian alarm. On August 26, 1675, he was made a Captain of the troop. The following letters, taken from the Winthrop Papers, are of interest in this connection:
   
   1st. From John Winthrop, Jr., to Fitz John Winthrop — "Hartford, July 9th, 1675. Remember me to Leift. Omsted and let him know that his Wife and all friends are well."
   
   2d. From Nicholas Olmsted to Wait Winthrop — "Dated, Petequomseut att Mr. Bulls. July the 10th, '75. These for the honnored Captayne Mr. Waite Winthrop, Commander in chife of his Maiesty's forces of Conetecoote present. Sir, After my service presented to your selfe these are enform you that ther is yet hopes of a compliance with the Indians, if they be tenderly dealte withall; for heare was yesterday severall to speak with Mr. Bull, if he had binn att home, ther was one came for that purpose as he sayd; and much desired to speak with your selfe, and promised to bring either Suckquame this day or some other of his chife men to speak with your selfe. It is desired that you would make what convienient speed you can, because night will grow on, and tomorrow is the Saboth, and you will be put by of the opertunytye. Not else but remayne, Your humble servant to my peuer, Nicho. Olmsted."
   Mr. Bulls' house was in South Kingston, R. I.
   
   3d. From John Winthrop, Jr., to Fitz John Winthrop — "Hartford, July 12th, 1675. I am hasted and not willing to delay the post, and shall only add the remembrance of my love, and your sisters and to Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Mr. Bull and Capt. Hutchenson, Leift. Omsted and all freinds as occasion, and Your loving Father, J. Winthrop."
   Let Leift; know yt Mrs. Omsted and all his are well, and all at Capt. Bulls."
   
   4th. From John Allyn to Fitz John Winthrop — "Dated. Hartford, Sept. 20, 1675. Majo. Treat was just marching as the alarm reached Hadly. He presently sent Cptn. Olmsted wth about 60 men to keep them from passing over the river. The troops under Major Treat marched up on the east side of the river to Suckquackeeg."
   
   The Last Will and Testament of Nicholas Olmsted
   
   In the Name of God Amen I Nicholas Olmsted of Harttford in the Colony of Coneticut do make this my last will and Testament revoking and annulling all other wills foremerly made by word or deede: being in health of body and of perfeckt remembrance yet not knowing how soone my sollem change may come: allso knowing itt is my duty to set my house in order before I dye: I do therefore give my spirret unto God that gave itt mee and my body to comely buriall: and as for that part of my estate God hath graciously givne mee in this worlde I do after my just debts being payed and funerall expences discharged dispose of as followeth:
   
   I give unto my loving wife hue pounds a yeare during her widdow hood after mee: and fouer pounds p the yeare after her marraige during her naturall life: to be payed her yearely by my son Samuell forty shillings by my son Joseph forty shillings and by my son Thomas twenty shillings: and by the same rate of proportion if itt bee fouer pounds p annum :
   
   I give unto my loving wife one cow as her pwne proper estate and two swine and sum poultry and order my son Samuell and my son Thomas to keepe her one coiy as long as shee remayns my widdow. — and do give her free liberty to keepe two swine and sum poultry in my yardes:
   
   I do furder give unto my loving wife all her fyer wood as long as shee remains my widdow to bee provided for her one third partt by my son Tho and two parts by my son Samuell:
   
   I give my wife the use of my parlor and the chamber over the parlor with what sellerage shee may want allso the use of my ovens and the well: with the use of any of my housall goods shee wanteth whilst shee remayns my widdow and liveth in my house : but if she marry or remove from my house my will is that these housall goods bee retrned to my son Thomas
   
   I give unto my loving son Samuell Olmsted my dwelling house in Harttford after my desease onely the use of sum part of itt unto his mother as is above exprest: and do furder give unto my son Samuell halfe my barne and all that part of my home lott not givne to my son Tho:
   
   I give the other halfe of the barne to my son Tho and I give my barne yard eaqually to my son Samuell and to my son Thomas with my well in the same:
   
   I give my son Thomas that part of my home lott nixt Mr Haynes and Mr Hookers home lotts: to bee divided from my son Samuells partt of my home lott as followeth from the barne to the Highway to bee devided by the fence that fences in the barne yards: and above the barne from the midle of the barne flower uppon a just bredgth up to Jerremyah Addams Home lott: the remainder of my home lott I give unto my son Samuell and His Heires forever:
   
   I give unto my son Thomas my meadow lott in the long meadow lying betwene Decon Butlers and Lt Joseph Wadsworths land:
   
   I give unto my son Thomas my upland lott in the west division in Harttford on the west side the great river to him and his Heirs forever
   
   I give unto my son Samuell all the rest of my meadow lands and uplands on the west side the great river in Harttford and to his Heires foreuer. . . .
   
   I give unto my son Joseph Olmsted and his Heirs forever all that division of up land and the swamp lands belonging to the same uppon which he hath bult on the east side the great river.
   
   [The original is preserved in the probate records of Hartford, Conn.]
   
   I give unto my son Joseph all my meadow lands on the east side the great river att my desease hee paying twenty shillings unto his sister Gates and forty shillings p annum to his mother
   
   I give my farme of land Ijdng in the woods ajoyning to Jerremyah Addams land in the roade to New London unto my son Samuell and my son Thomas to bee equally devided betwene them
   
   I give to my dagter Sarah Gates twenty shillings to bee payed her within three yeares after my desease:
   
   I give all my right and title to that lands purchased of Joshua son of Uncas by the towne of Harttford on the east side the great river to my son Saml Butler, my daughter Rebecah Biglo, and to my daughter Mabell Butler to bee equally devided betwene them:
   
   I give unto my son Saml, my son Joseph, and my son Thomas all my right in a parcell of lands givne by Joshua son of Uncas in his last will and Testament to bee divided amongst severall persons in Harttford
   
   I give unto my daughter Biglo forty shillings in stock or housall goods after my desease
   
   I give unto my daughter Butler three pounds in stock or housall goods after my desease
   
   I do make my son Thomas Olmsted executor of this my last will and Testament giving him my servant lad if his time be not expired and all the remainder of my stock housall goods and moveable estate whatsoever not otherwayes disposed of by this my last will and testament.
   
   I do order all my sons Samuell Joseph and Thomas carefully to performe what I have respecktively givne unto my loving wife as itt is above expressed: and do furder order all my estate givne unto my son Samuell be improved by my son Thomas untill my son Saml come to live att Harttford the said Tho paying what Saml should do to his mother untill Samuell doeth injoy the same
   
   I do request ordaine and appoynt my loving freinds Mr William Pitkin and Caleb Stanly to bee my overseers to see this my last will and Testament be performed.
   
   In witness whereof I have set my hand and seale this 20th of Agust in the yeare of our Lorde One Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Three:
   Nicho: Olmstead [Seal]
   
   Signed sealed and declared to be my last will and Testament in presence & witnes of us
   Caleb Stanly
   Timothy Cowles
   
   N. B. The house lot, and house built by him, was in Front St., now Nos. 30-32 and 34 near the Little or Park River. The house was taken down in or about 1835.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 James Olmstead, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   II:1359.

   Nicholas Olmstead, bp. (Fairstead) 15 February 1612/3.

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} James 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:451.

   Nicholas Olmstead, bapt. 15 Feb. 1611/2, d. at Hartford, 31 Aug. 1684; m. Sarah Loomis. Served in Pequot War, 1637; Corp., Conn. Col. Troop, Mar. 1658; Lt., Hartford County Troop, Aug. 1673; Lt, Hartford Trainband, Oct. 1673 (declined). Served as Lt. in K. Philip's War, July 1675, and Aug. 1675 as Capt. of Hartford County Dragoons. Deputy (Hartford) to Conn. Leg., Oct. 1672, May 1673. The Hayes family of Norwalk was related to him or his wife.

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Nathaniel Olmstead, in Barbour, Lucius Barnes. Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977)
   437.

   Capt. Nathaniel [error for Nicholas] Olmsted s of James & Joyce (Cornish) bp Feb 15, 1612 Eng died Aug 31, 1684 mar/1 bef 1640 Sarah Loomis dau o£ Joseph Loomis and Mary White. Mar/2 Mary or Hannah (-----) Lord widow of Thomas Lord. Served in the Pequot War 1637; surveyor of highways 1647; townsman 1654-8-67; list and rate maker 1669; freeman 1669; deputy 1672-3; Lieut, 1673; townsman 1671-9-83; appointed Captain of a company sent to New London in 1675; was in active service in King Philip's Ware. (See Hfd Times Nov 16, 1903)

5. ↑ Connecticut: Minutes of the Court of Assistants, 1669-1711. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013.) Originally published as: Colony of Connecticut, Minutes of the Court of Assistants, 1669-1711, by Helen Schatvet Ullmann, CG, FASG. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.
   20.

   [A Court of Assistants held at Hartford October 8th, 1672 lists Nicholas Olmsted on the Jury of Life & death.]

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Manwaring, Charles W. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records. (Hartford, Conn.: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904-06)
   344.

   [PROBATE RECORDS. VOL,. IV, 1677 TO 1687]
   Page 198-9-200.
   Olmsted, Capt. Nicholas, Hartford. Died 31 August, 1684. Invt. £421-08-00. Taken by Caleb Stanly, John Marsh. Will dated 20th August, 1683.
   [will abstract follows]
   
   Court Record, Page 95 — 25 November, 1684: Will & Invt. Exhibited.