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- Joseph Orcutt was probably born in the Town of Scituate, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and his baptism was recorded in the Second Church at Scituate. William Orcutt arrived at Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1660 and in 1669 moved to Scituatein the same colony. In about 1670 he moved to Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Joseph was living with his parents in Bridgewater at the time of his father's death on 14 Sep1693. Joseph would have been 21 years old at that time and was named in the "Agreement between the widow Orcutt, wife of William....and her children, dated Oct. 30,1694." This agreement granted "to Joseph Orcutt, 50 acres, and 1/3 of a meadow, the other 3 of which he had bought of
John and Andrew."
In 1700/01 Joseph Orcutt was married to Miss Sarah Smith and it’s likely they were living in Bridgewater when their first child, Ichabod, was born and before the birth of their next child, named Sarah. Joseph and Sarah Orcutt sold their holdings in Bridgewater, and located in Weymouth. He purchased farm land in Weymouth and continued to engage in agriculture. Joseph purchased 200 acres at the lower end of Great Pond in Weymouth in 1710. He sold 60 acres of this land on 06 Nov 1710 to his brother, Benjamin Orcutt. In April of 1713, he sold his house and 20 acres near "Pond Grit" to Samuel Thaxter of Hingham. In 1714 he sold 55 acres to Samuel Green of Weymouth.
Their next four children, Jerusha, Peter, Rachel and James were born in Weymouth. He resided there until after the birth of his son James (b. 28 May 1714). There is no doubt that Joseph continued to prosper while residing at Weymouth; however, like many others in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he had become dissatisfied with the illiberal rule of the Massachusetts theocracy. In the meantime the settlements in the Colony of Connecticut had formed a government by a simple agreement among themselves (called the Fundamental Orders). Under these Fundamental Orders they had a thoroughly democratic system of government which differed from that of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This difference was church membership was not a necessary qualification for voting and owning property, as in Massachusetts. This encouraged the resettlement of pioneers from Mass. into Conn.
In 1717, Joseph sold his property in Weymouth, and moved to the Connecticut River Valley. It is not clear as to the exact route he chose to reach Connecticut; but, they may have traveled the overland trail, the "Boston to Hartford Path." This route or path ran south from Weymouth to the coast of Mount Hope Bay, off Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. At Swansea, Massachusetts, a small settlement on the coast, they stopped as Sarah was nearing the time of the birth of a child. In Swansea, Joseph Orcutt Jr was born July 6, 1717.
After the birth of Joseph Jr the family journeyed on to Connecticut. August of 1717, they reached "Ashford, County of Hartford, Colony of Connecticut," (This area today is the Town of Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut.) "In 1706, a few pioneers had established themselves upon certain lands in Ashford; and the number of settlers had so increased, that the town was incorporated in
1714."
The first record of Joseph having settled in Ashford is contained in the recorded minutes of the Town Meeting dated "August ye seventh, 1717." These minutes record the vote of the "Town" to grant to Joseph Orcutt one hundred acres of land for which Joseph Orcutt paid five pounds. The survey of this land was made on "September ye 23; 1717."
Joseph bought one hundred acres for which he paid "Tenn pounds currant money." John Mixer signed the Deed on "this thirteenth day of December in the fourth year of the Reign of our Souevain Lord gorg of grate britain, france and Iraland: Annoquet domoni 1717." The Deed was acknowledged before "Thomas Hunington, Justice of ye peace December ye 31: 1717" and recorded "February the 24, 1717/18." This transaction was followed by the purchase of another one hundred acres from William Wardfor the "sum of twelve pounds currant money of New England."
Within two years Joseph Orcutt relocated to Stafford (today in Tolland County, CT). "The township of Stafford was surveyed in 1718, and the settlement began during the next spring. Principal settlers were, among others, ìJoseph Orcutt,from Weymouth.
"The settlement at Bolton commenced in 1716, but the first town meeting was not held
until 1720. The first settlers were of the name of Loomis...Olcott. "Present-day Stafford
is located 20 miles west of North Ashford; Bolton is a few miles south of Stafford.
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Businesses that Joseph Orcutt engaged in in Marshfield and Weymouth, Massachusetts, are not known. Likely at Bridgewater and Weymouth, Joseph engaged in farming and buying and selling land. Joseph Orcutt relocated to Stafford (today in Tolland County, CT). "The township of Stafford was surveyed in 1718, and the settlement began during the next spring. Principal settlers were, among others, "JosephOrcutt, from Weymouth." "The settlement at Bolton commenced in 1716, but the first town meeting was not held until 1720. The first settlers were of the name of Loomis...Olcott." The connection, if any, of the Orcuttsto the Olcott family descended from Thomas Olcott of England, whosedescendants settled Conn. has yet to be determined. The connection of theOrcutts to the Loomis family,however, has been determined. Present-dayStafford is located 20 miles west of North Ashford; Bolton is a few milessouth of Stafford.
The date of Joseph's first purchase of land at Stafford could not bedetermined, however, the first record pertaining to land purchased was asurvey made July 12, 1721. This was one hundred acres that Joseph hadpreviously purchased. The next transaction was the sale of 50 acres toObediah Papaillon for "one hundred and thirty pounds curant money of NewEngland; dated September 28, 1721." It is believed that Joseph settledin or near the present-day town of Orcuttville. The village ofOrcuttville, Connecticut, was named for the Orcutt's who had contributedmuch to the village and the area.
Mary, youngest child of Joseph Orcutt and Sarah Smith Orcutt, was bornApril 5, 1723, in Stafford. At this time Joseph continued to have landholdings in Ashford. It appears that some individuals knowing thatJoseph was living in Stafford and would not know of the happenings inAshford tried to perpetrate a bit of chicanery. Nathan Peck sold toNathan Fuller a parcel of land that rightfully belonged to JosephOrcutt. In some manner Joseph learned of this sale and filed thefollowing objection:
"July the 7th 1726 Leut Joseph Orcut of Stafford entered caution thatNathan Fuller of Ashford might not have the Deed Recorded he had ofNathan Peck of Rehoboth of one hundred acres of land in Ashford whichland was laid out to Orcut Dec 24, 1719 before a faire trial in thesame law in cominsed."
In the 1720's other Orcutt's moved from Massachusetts to Stafford, nephews of Joseph Orcutt. Joseph and his sons and nephews were influential in the growth and development of the Township of Stafford. They engaged in extensive farming, building and operating saw and grain mills, making wooden boxes; and operating a linseed oil business.
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Old Dead Relatives
Abt 1672 - 1748 (~ 76 years)
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
