Josiah3 (John2, Roger1) and Mary (Goodwin) Terrill
of Milford and Waterbury, New Haven, CT and Family

Nancy Tyrrel Theodore, 22 July 2013

All highlighted and underlined items in this article are links to DOR articles, or to copies of original documents.
(PDF files are 1 MB or less).  References b & h require paid Ancestry.com membership

Josiah3, the son of John2 and Sarah Terrill, was baptized in Milford, New Haven, CT on 18 August 1695 and married Mary Goodwin there on 1 January 1723/24, Samuel Eells officiating (g p. 73). Mary, the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Trowbridge) Goodwin, was born at New Haven, CT 14 January 1699/1700 (f p. 84), and was baptized and received into full communion at the First Church of Milford, CT as an adult on 22 Jan. 1720/21 (k p. 28).

Josiah and his brother, Nathan, were deeded land (m p.322) on 13 March1717/18, by John Smith Derby of Milford "in consideration of a valuable Satisfaction in money and work done," being two acres in Milford on Hollbrook's Lane.  On 29 January 1719/20 John2 jointly deeded to Josiah and Gamaliel, "for and in Consideration of his Love & Affection to his two Youngest Sons," various parcels of land totaling about 25 acres.  Josiah later came into more land in Milford deeded to him from his siblings for promising to "take ye whole & sole care of our Honoured Father & Mother Terrills that is to maintain them Honourably during ye time of ye naturall Life." Perhaps this care of his parents during their natural life accounts in part for why Josiah didn't marry until he was 29.

Josiah and Mary had nine children, the first seven born at Milford, and the last two at Waterbury (w p. 342), where Josiah and family had removed in 1737.  "Mr. Josiah Terrill of Milford paid James Brown £814 in money, for his possessions 'at and about Judd's meadow on the east side of the river'—eight parcels in all, including his house..... " Also, Daniel Thomas of Waterbury sold Josiah 20 acres at Judd's Meadow. (b Vol I, p. 362). Judd's Meadow, now known as Naugatuck Township, extended from Derby line to the upper limits of the valleys of Hop brook and Fulling Mill brook. (Old Township of Waterbury Map.) James Brown had "settled on the New Haven road east of Judd's Meadow and was licensed by the County Court as a tavern keeper; but sold out in 1737 to Josiah Terrel of Milford." (c p. 244) * Tavern or inn keeping seemed to be a continuing part of the livelihood in the family.  In the late 1700s, Irijah Terrill, Josiah's grandson, son of Moses, kept a tavern at Salem Society in Naugatuck but was not largely dependent on it for his support as he was also a storekeeper. (b Vol. II, p. 220) (For the location of and a photo of the Terrell Tavern, see DOR Newsletter, VII, No. 4, p. 7-35 with thanks to DOR member Pamela Poulin.)

Josiah wrote his will on 7 April 1764 naming his wife Mary and children, and died 27 Sept 1767 at Waterbury (w p. 342).  His burial place is unknown, although it might be logically presumed he was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery and the marker no longer exists.  Of his six sons, four served in the Revolutionary War.

Children of Josiah3 and Mary (Goodwin) Terrill:
i. Moses4  b. 6 October 1724 (g p. 78) ; bp. 19 October 1724a; m. Susanna Barnes, the daughter of Thomas Barnes, (w p. 358) 3 September 1745 at Naugatuck, Waterbury, New Haven, CT; d. 1 Apr 1783 and Susanna d. 3 April 1794 of smallpox. Both are buried at Pine Hill Cemetery at Naugatuck, NH, CT.  Photos of the headstones of Moses and Susanna.  Moses was made Freeman in Naugatuck 11 April 1747, and was a taxpayer in 1760 at the South Branch of Naugatuck.
ii. Aaron4   b. 23 March 1725/6 (g p. 78); bp. 27 March 1726a; m. Sarah Warner 23 January 1760 at Waterbury.  (w p. 464)
iii. Eunice4  bp. 10 March 1727/8.a
iv. Oliver4   bp. 28 June 1730a; m. 1) Lidda Lewis widow of Eli Lewis of Lyme 2 December 1760.  Oliver4 and Lidda had children:
             1.   Lucinda5 b. 8 February 1762
             2.  Ichabod5 b. 20 December 1764
Lidda d. 5 January 1764.

Oliver m. 2) Damaris Lewis, widow of Bela Lewis. (w p. 475 **).  Oliver and Damaris had one child:
             3.  Patience5 b.c. 1770.h

In 1810 Oliver, at age 80, journeyed on horseback to the wilds of Ohio, settling in what would become Lorain County.  He died there in 1816 and his Revolutionary War gravestone and marker are at the Beebetown Baptist Church Cemetery in Liverpool Township, Medina County, OH.  (With thanks to DOR member Jane Davies Coven, who attended the graveside service held 1 June 1985 to honor Oliver's Revolutionary War service.)

Oliver fought in the Colonial Wars, first in the Second regiment, in the so-called Waterbury Company (b Vol. l p. 392).  He answered the call for the expedition against Crown Point from April to December 1756.  After that he was in the Captain Eldad Lewis Company in the Fort William Henry Alarm in 1757.  They were called in such haste "too great to take blankets, or knapsacks, or anything but the soldier himself and his fire-arms to the rescue.  So great was the risk of delay that the horses, when no longer needed, were left to wander away" but were later gathered and returned to their homes in Connecticut (b Vol I, p. 393).

Oliver served during the Revolutionary War. He enlisted in Warner's 8th Co., 7th Connecticut Line Regiment on 26 May 1777 for 8 months, and was discharged 9 January 1778.  Oliver was thus with the Connecticut 7th in the the fall of 1777 when they were ordered, under Gen. McDougall, to join Washington's army in Pennsylvania.  They fought at Germantown 4 October 1777 and then wintered at Valley Forge in 1777/1778.(i p. 217 and p. 226).

v. Josiah4    bp. 12 November 1732; d. 17 July 1795.a He married Eunice Hoadley, daughter of William Hoadley, 22 December 1756 at Waterbury.  (w p. 460) Josiah served as a Captain in the Revolutionary War.  (b Vol I, p. 466).
vi. Isaac4    bp. 23 February 1734/5.a He married Sarah Smith, daughter of Jonathan Smith of Lyme, 25 February 1762.  (w p. 286) Isaac was the first Baptist in Waterbury, and served in the Revolutionary War.  (b Vol I, p. 466)
vii. Israel4    bp. 20 March 1736/7.a He married Zeruah Beebe, daughter of Jonathan Beebe, 9 February 1758.  (w p. 235) Zeruah died 15 June 1781, and Israel married 2) Lois Upson, 15 January 1783. (b Vol I, p. Ap. 135) Israel served in the Revolutionary War.  (b Vol I, p. 466)
viii. Mary4     b. 7 July 1741 (w p. 342); Mary m. 1) Caleb Tuttle; m. 2) Nathan Hine; d. 10 May 1814 age 74, her gravestone is at Southbury, New Haven, CT.a
ix. Abigail4    b. 16 January 1743/4 (w p. 342).  Abigail must have died young as she is not listed in Josiah's will of 1764.


**Transcription of LDS Film #6111, page 475: "Oliver Terrill son of Josiah Terrill ^of Waterbury was married to Lidda Lewis Relict of Eli Lewis of Lyme December 2d 1760.  Their first child a daughter named Lucinda born Feb 8th 1762.  Their second child a son named Ichabod born Decem 20th 1764.

"The above named Oliver Terrill was married ye 2d time to Damaris Lewis Rellick of Bela Lewis Deceasd May 15 AD 1764.

"The above named Lidda wife of said Oliver Dyed January 5th 1764.

"Bela Lewis of Waterbury son of Benj. Lewis of Wallingford was married to Damaras Prindle daughter of Jonathan Prindle of sd Wallingford May 14th AD 1760.

"The above named Bela Lewis Dyed May 15th 1763."

a  The American Genealogist, Vol. 25, pp. 39-40 "The Terrill Family of Connecticut," by Donald Lines Jacobus.

b  The Town and City of Waterbury, Connecticut, from the Aboriginal Period to the Year Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Five (Ancestry, all three volumes.); Edited by Joseph Anderson, D.D.; New Haven; The Price & Lee Company 1896.

c  The History of Waterbury, Connecticut, By Henry Bronson, M.D., Waterbury, Published by Bronson Brothers, 1858, p. 244.

d  History of Naugatuck, Connecticut, by Constance McLaughlin Green, Yale University Press, 1949, pp. 25 and 26
*  Sketch Map of Approximate Location of Settlers of Judd's Meadows in 1735.  Use right-turn arrow at top of map to view.  "On the east side of the river near Fulling Mill brook a substantial community grew up before mid-century.  The tavern set up by James Brown in the Ebenezer Hickox house must have brought in some hard cash, although 'Bishop' Brown sold the property before long to the Terrill family who followed him as inn-keepers." Look for name of settler Ebenezer Hickox in about the middle of the map. That is the approximate location of Josiah's tavern-inn on County Road, now High Street at the intersection with May Street.  Notice that right above Ebenezer Hickox's place is a "Cemetery." This is Pine Hill Cemetery, the first cemetery at Naugatuck.  For more on the history and burials at Pine Hill, see "e" reference below, or DOR Newsletter Vol V, No. 2, pp. 11-17.

e  Ancient Burying-Grounds of the Town of Waterbury, Connecticut; The Mattuck Historical Society, Volume the Second; Compiled by Katharine A. Prichard (b. 1836); Published 1917, Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Press, New Haven, CT.

f  Vital Records of New Haven 1649-1850, Part I, Hartford, The Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, 1917, page 84.  "1699 Births in New Haven, Mary ye Davghter of Jofeph goodwin waf born Janry 14th:"

g  Milford Vital Records, CT Library, Volume 3, original book held in the main vault of the library.

h  Families of Ancient New Haven, Volume III; Compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus; Clarence D. Smith, Printer; Rome, New York 1926; p. 601 (Ancestry) and, Volume VIII; Compiled and printed by Donald Lines Jacobus; New Haven, CT, 1932; p. 1926 (Ancestry).

i  Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service during the War of the Revolution 1775-1783; Edited by Henry P. Johnson, A.M. under the authority of the Adjutant-General of Connecticut; Hartford 1889.

k  Milford First Congregational Church Records, Vol. I, 1639 - 1837, LDS Film #1012263.

m  Milford, New Haven, Connecticut Land Records, Vols. 5-7, 1714 - 1734, LDS Film #4919.

w  Waterbury, New Haven, CT Proprietors Land and Family Records, Vol. 1-2, 1672 - 1748, LDS Film #6111.