After several years in Dorchester, William Rockwell moved to Windsor, Connecticut. The book places this move in the spring of 1637, noting both the land grants associated with his settlement there and the uncertainty caused by missing early records.

By the mid-1630s, pressure on land and opportunity beyond Massachusetts Bay drew many Dorchester settlers westward into the Connecticut River Valley. Windsor was among the earliest of these new settlements.

The book states that while some Dorchester inhabitants moved to Connecticut as early as 1635 or 1636, William Rockwell likely did not go until the spring of 1637. This conclusion is presented cautiously, based on the surviving fragments of town and church records rather than on a single definitive document.

Once in Windsor, Rockwell is associated with land grants that mark him as a settled inhabitant rather than a transient arrival. These grants, though sparsely documented in surviving records, indicate his integration into the civic and economic life of the new town.

The uncertainty surrounding the exact timing of Rockwell’s move reflects a broader problem emphasized by the author: Windsor’s early town records and accounts for its first fifteen years “have crumbled to dust.” As a result, much of what is known about this period must be inferred from later references and comparative timelines.

Despite these gaps, the book treats Rockwell’s move to Windsor as a decisive transition. It marked the end of his Dorchester years and the beginning of his final chapter, which concluded with his death in 1640.

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Source: The Rockwell Family in One Line of Descent, discussion of Dorchester-to-Connecticut moves, Windsor land grants, and the loss of early Windsor records.

📍 Historical Context & Related Content

Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester, one of the earliest settlements in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was established by Puritans in 1630. It served as a major site for the early migration of settlers seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities in New England. By the mid-1630s, many residents, including William Rockwell, decided to migrate due to pressure on land and opportunities in the region.

Did you know? Dorchester once hosted Edward Everett, who delivered a two-hour speech as the keynote speaker at the Gettysburg ceremony, before Lincoln’s much shorter address.

Related: Digging into Deacon Rockwell’s Puzzling Past. Tags: Dorchester church, early settlers. Categories: Early American Colonies, Family Histories

Windsor, Connecticut
Windsor, founded in 1633, was among the first English settlements in what became Connecticut. The town lies within the fertile Connecticut River Valley, which attracted many settlers from Massachusetts, including those from Dorchester, as part of the great Puritan migration during the 1630s.

Did you know? Windsor is home to the oldest surviving stone house in Connecticut, the Oliver Ellsworth Homestead, which began construction in 1740 and served as a setting for many significant historical events.

Related: Digging into Deacon Rockwell’s Puzzling Past. Tags: Connecticut migration, Windsor records. Categories: Early American Colonies, Family Histories