I have obtained permission from my friend, Cheryl, to borrow the introduction from her Trowbridge site as a lead into my Trowbridge line.
Cheryl Trowbridge Miller wrote:This is an attempt to bring forth a picture of our Trowbridge ancestors by understanding, @ least to some degree, who they were and what they represented in American History. It is my hope that in reading this the reader will become familiar with the names therein located in our family tree. They can then, with pride and honor, continue to pass on the same to their children stressing the importance of 'keeping up' the family tree.
Truly the TROWBRIDGE's are one of America's earliest families and as such it is the responsibility of all generations to continue to document what it noteworthy (and not so noteworthy) for generations to come.
Currently I have compiled data on over 3000 names of individuals that link our Trowbridges together. I have thousands more that I hope to eventually link into our tree. I have not yet begun the England research, although it is my intention to do so. For now I have only a handful of names and dates of our ancestors in England. The earliest family member that I have thus far is that of John, born 1510 in Hutton, Somersetshire, England. I do not yet know whom his wife is. John is my 12th great grandfather. He died on 17-Feb-1574 @ Hutton. He was the father of Thomas, born 1542 in Taunton, Somersetshire, England. Thomas married Joan Lawrence Hutchin sometime before 1570 and died on 20-Dec-1619 in Taunton. Thomas and Joan were the parents of John, born 25-Mar-1570 in Taunton. He married Agnes Prowse on the 31st day of July, 1597 in Tiverton, England. John was in the Woolen Trade business and well known in both Somersetshire and Devonshire.
We will begin with Thomas, the second of the nine children of John and Agnes (Prowse) Trowbridge. He was born 08-Feb-1597 @ Taunton, Somersetshire, England and baptized @ the Parish of St. Petrock. He married Elizabeth Marshall on 26-Mar-1627 @ the Parish of St. Mary Arches in Exeter, Devonshire, England. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Marshall, Lord and Mayor of Exeter. It is Thomas who is our first ancestor in America, having arrived @ Dorchester in the Massachusetts Bay colony in 1636.
Owing to some religious difficulties arising in Dorchester, Thomas moved his family to New Haven, Connecticut sometime before 1644. Thomas actually spent very little time in America as he was involved in trading between the West Indies and England. In Taunton he was a "prominent citizen and wealthy merchant", his father having long since been identified with the woolen trade. As a young man Thomas opened his business as a mercer in the city of Exeter.
It is unknown exactly when Elizabeth died. What is known is that in 1644 Thomas left his sons in the care of his servant, Henry Gibbons. He remained in close contact with the boys, but never returned to America. He died in Taunton in 1673. Mr. Gibbons was charged by New Haven town authorities with mismanaging the property and moneys of Thomas and the boys were then placed in the care of Sergt. Thomas Jeffrey and his wife, there they passed their boyhood.
From Thomas our direct line follows that of his son William whom was baptised on 03-Sep-1633 @ the Parish of St. Mary Arches in Exeter. William was the fourth born of the five children of Thomas and Elizabeth. On 09-Mar-1655 he married Elizabeth Lamberton of the noteworthy Lamberton family in Milford, New Haven County, Connecticut. The other children born to Thomas and Elizabeth are: Elizabeth baptized 06-March-1626; John bpt. 05-Nov-1629; Thomas bpt. 11-Dec-1631 married Sarah Rutherford in New Haven CT June 24, 1657; James bpt. 1636 in MA. married first, Magaret Atherton in Dorchester, MA on December 30, 1659; married second, Margaret Jackson at Newton, MA on January 30, 1673/74.
It was William, who upon reaching his majority, attempted to bring Mr.
Gibbons to an account of the moneys spent during his stewardship:
"William Trowbridge propounded to ye court if he might have an
account of his father's estate that was left in New Haven, and for this
end presented two letters from his father, one dated March 6, 1655, the
other March 4, 1658, wherein his father writes, that he marvells that
there is not an account of it given. It was told him that some time has
been spent in searching ye records, but it could not be cleared.
Wherefore he paying the secretary then ye secretary would afford him
that help he could therein to clear it."
"January 3, 1664, William Trowbridge having had a warrant for Henry Gibbons to answer him in action of ye case, was now called to clear this action. He required of Henry Gibbons an account of his father's estate that was left with him when he went to England. Wm. Trowbridge was asked by what authority he had made his demand? He showed a letter of attorney from his father, which being read was allowed and accepted. Henry Gibbons said that he had given him an account as well as he could, but the estate was taken out of his hands by order of authority here and therefore it must be referred to ye records. The records having been looked into formerly and matters not found so clear as was desired and there being much business at this time, the case was referred to another time."
In 1664 William was master of the sloop COCKE, making many voyages out of New Haven. In July of 1667 he became one of the first residents in the parish of West New Haven. He built his house on Lamberton Farm in which he had received a 1/6th share from his father-in-law, George Lamberton. He owned an additional 144 acres on Long Island Sound near Oyster River. In early West Haven town records William is referred to as a "planter", in later records he is described as a "husbandman".
William was nominated a Freeman (having exclusive rights in the community) of the colony of Connecticut on 13-May-1669. He and his wife, Elizabeth (Lamberton) were admitted as members of the First Church of New Haven on 28-Apr-1686.
The next in our line would be Joseph, the son of Wiliam &
Elizabeth
born in New Haven in 1676. He was the youngest of ten children. The
other
nine children are as follows:
William Trowbridge b: November 12, 1657 in New Haven, CT
Thomas Trowbridge b: October 02, 1659 in New Haven, CT
Elizabeth Trowbridge b: January 05, 1661/62 in New Haven, CT
James Trowbridge b: March 26, 1664 in New Haven, CT
Margaret Trowbridge b: June 01, 1666 in New Haven, CT
Hannah Trowbridge b: July 06, 1668 in New Haven, CT
Samuel Trowbridge b: October 07, 1670 in New Haven,CT
Abigail Trowbridge b: October 07, 1670 in New Haven,CT
Mary Trowbridge b: October 12, 1672 in New Haven,CT
Very little is known of Joseph as he died young having fathered only 3 children. A son, Mathew b.1708, died while still an infant. A daughter, Anne b. 13-Dec-1713, whom married Jacob Wakely and a son David, whom we descend from. What is known about Joseph is that he was a carpenter by trade, but farmed his own land. He married Anne Sherwood, the daughter of Capt. Mathew Sherwood in 1708 @ Failfield. He and his wife were members of the Stratfield (CT) Congregational Church. He died sometime in May of 1715 as a Probate inventory of his estate was taken on the 31st of May, 1715. Anne then married Caleb Fairchild in 1716 and moved to Hanover, Morris county, New Jersey where she and Caleb raised David & Anne.
David, born 30-Dec-1709 @ Stratfield, Connecticut married Lydia Holmes on 03-Jul-1735 in Bedford, New York. They settled in what is now known as Morristown, Morris county, in West New Jersey. He homesteaded the area known as Trowbridge Mountain, having derived it's name from the fact that David, several of his sons and his grandsons built their farms there. David was a farmer by trade and he and his wife were members of the Baptist church in Morristown.
The children of David and Lydia are known to have spread out into
states
such as: Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Vermont, Ohio,
Michigan,
New York, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana.
Hence, Trowbridge lines everywhere! Their names are as follows:
Daniel Trowbridge b: December 28, 1737 in Morristown, Morris
County, NJ
d: Abt 1786 in survied his wife but died while youngest son was a
little boy
Shubael Trowbridge b: September 03, 1739 in Morristown, NJ
d: March 12, 1782 in Morristown, NJ
Ann Trowbridge b: November 15, 1740 in Morristown,NJ
d: June 06, 1755 in Morristown, NJ
Samuel Trowbridge b: February 23, 1741/42 in Morristown,NJ
d: Aft 1800 in Frederick County, Virginia farm called "Apple Pie
Ridge"
David Trowbridge b: July 11, 1743 in Morristown, NJ
d: in Washington County, Indiana
Caleb Trowbridge b: May 29, 1745 in Morristown,NJ
d: March 13, 1760 in Morristown, NJ
Mary Ann Trowbridge b: October 17, 1747 in Morristown,NJ
Tabitha Trowbridge b: 1748 in Morristown, NJ : Bef 1758
Joseph Trowbridge b: April 16, 1749 d: July 07, 1753 NJ
Absalom Trowbridge b: May 25, 1750 NJ
d: September 10, 1824 in Randolph, New Jersey
Tabitha Trowbridge b: 1752
d: in died @ age 21 years and 8 months, Whippany, New Jersey
Job Trowbridge b: March 08, 1754 in Morristown, NJ
d: August 12, 1821 in Hart County, Kentucky
Joseph Trowbridge b: October 02, 1756 in Morristown, NJ
d: 1815 in Catawissa, PA
Ann Trowbridge b: January 30, 1763 in Morristown, NJ
d: December 12, 1767 in Morristown, NJ
Lydia Trowbridge b: February 23, 1769 in Morristown, NJ
Our first Trowbridge in Southern Indiana:
JONATHAN TROWBRIDGE, son of David Trowbridge, was born around 1772 in Frederick County, Virginia. He married Sarah Lampton about 1794 in Kentucky. Jonathan Trowbridge emigrated to Kentucky in companion with his brother David. He was a noted Indian fighter and a companion of Daniel Boone in his explorations in the wilds of Kentucky. He finally settled in Owen county, Kentucky, three miles south of Owenton, where he was engaged in farming for the remainder of his life.
DAVID TROWBRIDGE ,was born March 18, 1851 in Palmyra, Indiana. His parents were Joseph and Julia Ann Sears Trowbridge. He married Martha Jane Mott, daughter of Amos Mott and Sarah Allison Mott. Martha died on January 25, 1901. He then married Nancy Hendricks. There were no children in the second union. David died on March 11, 1916. David was a farmer and lived about three miles southwest of Palmyra. He was an Elder at the Mt.Tabor Church of Christ.
AMOS TRAVIS TROWBRIDGE, was born on October 28, 1873. He married Mary Keehn, daughter of John and Anna Stoltz Keehn. He died on May 15, 1951. Mary died on September 1, 1957.
| Children: | Born | Died | Married |
| Everet Emery Trowbridge | 10-30-1901 | 12-5-1946 | Cora Davis |
| Arlie Raymond Trowbridge | 11-12-1903 | 2-1991 | Olive Thelma Crandall |
| Lillie Bell Trowbridge | 9-10-1905 | 1-15-1985 | Ogle Chase |
| Tina Violet Trowbridge | 9-5-1907 | Shelby Voyles | |
| Dessie Dora Trowbridge | 4-10-1910 | Victor Huneryager | |
| Essie Cora Trowbridge | 4-10-1910 | 4-16-1910 | |
| Flora Mae Trowbridge | 5-31-1912 | 10-29-1980 | Samuel Drennan |
| Arthur David Trowbridge | 7-30-1914 | 7-13-1959 | |
| Carl Cornelius Trowbridge | 3-11-1917 | 5-28-1965 | Helen Bishop |
| Leora Pearl Laverne Trowbridge | 4-4-1919 | Orval W. Haub |
I leave you with the following quote concerning our Devonshire roots, extracted by Prof. C.W. Trowbridge of London, from a county survey office in Exeter:
"Thence, Forton falls on by Trowbridge the ancient lands of a family that took the name there of, which Peter de Trowbridge held in King Edward the firsts time, and is now enjoyed by that name, who had it first from the Peverels, Lords of Talton." (circa 1271)
