52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, #23: Joshua JENNINGS

Following the challenge of writing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, issued by Amy Johnson Crow, here is my 23rd installment, Joshua JENNINGS, an immigrant settler before 1646 to the Connecticut area. Joshua is my 8th great-grandfather on my mother's line. 

The surname, JENNINGS, is of early medieval English origin, and found later in both Ireland and Wales. It is a patronymic name, related to John (Janyns = little John).

Joshua arrived with his brother John and possibly their father, John Sr., a few years after his eldest brother Nicholas had arrived in 1634 on The Francis.  We know that Joshua was in New England before 1646, as he is noted as a Joiner/Carpenter who built the seats in the meeting house in Wethersfield, Connecticut.  

On 23 December 1647, Joshua JENNINGS married Mary WILLIAMS, in Hartford, a few miles away from Wethersfield, CT.  Mary may have been the daughter of Matthew Williams & Elizabeth Conant (not yet proven).  In 1650, he seems to have settled in Fairfield CT along with other Hartford families.

The following details are taken mainly from "Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connecticut", and "Jennings, Davidson and Allied Families" by Lillie P. White, as well as histories of specific towns in Connecticut, e.g., "History of Fairfield".  Children of Joshua and Mary were apparently born in Fairfield unless noted otherwise, not all spouses listed:

1. Joshua, b. abt 1648, m. Mary Lyon;  d. 1716
2. Joseph, b. 14 May 1640, m. (1) Abigail Turney, (2) Sarah Bulkeley;  d. 1727, Fairfield
3. Michael, b. 1652
4. John, b. 1654, Hartford; m. Sarah ____; d. bef 1697, Fairfield
5. Samuel [direct ancestor] b. 1656, m. Sarah Grumman, 10 children; d. 1734
6. Matthew, b. 1658, m. Hannah Wheeler;  d. 1738
7. Mary, b. 1668, m. ____ Curtis
8. Isaac, b. abt 1673; m. ____ Beers'  d. 10 Jul 1746, Fairfield
9. Elizabeth, b. abt 1674, m. John Smith

Joshua died in 1675, leaving a "good estate to his wife and children". Apparently his will was written 25 Feb 1673/74, but I don't have a copy of it as yet. If one of my readers has access to the will, could you send me a link to view it? 

As always, if you have any information, corrections or questions about this ancestor, please do not hesitate to contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments section below.