M. about 16401
Wife: Elinor Russell
D. 2 Sep 1689 in New Haven, Connecticut2
Henry Glover is an example of a Puritan in New England who didn’t always fall in line with the community. He was born in England in about 1616, but the details of his origins are not known.1 (There was a Henry Glover who migrated to Massachusetts in 1634, but most researchers feel this was another man of the same name.)
Henry first turned up in records living in the New Haven Colony in June 1641 when his oldest daughter, Mary, was baptized.3 His wife was Elinor Russell, who is also of unknown origins; she had a brother William who also lived in New Haven.3 (Elinor was sometimes named in the records as Elin, Ellen, or Helena.) Henry and Elinor were known to have six daughters and one son; five of the children appear to have lived to adulthood.
Some of the earliest records of Henry show him being fined for minor offenses. On January 4, 1643, he was made to pay one shilling for having a defective cocking handle on his gun.4 And sometime later, he was fined for having too many hogs and for “disorderly cutting of wood.”4
It seems that early on, Henry was at odds with the religious community. New Haven town records show that in 1644, he had been excommunicated for “scandalous evils” and he was asking to be readmitted to the church.5 There’s no further description of what he had actually done to have this action taken against him. On the morning of August 11th, Henry had to stand outside the meetinghouse during church services, then after the congregation had left, he was allowed to come inside to plead his case to the elders. He admitted to breaking rules multiple times, but suggested he had been tempted by Satan, and that he wanted to rejoin the church. When the elders told him he would have to wait a week for a ruling, Henry got agitated, and he “let some words fall which had the appearance of discontent."5 But he soon apologized, and one week later, he was “absolved and set free from the sentence of excommunication,” and his membership in the church was restored.5
Meetinghouse similar to where Henry was excommunicated.
On March 5, 1666, Henry was sued by a woman named Joanna Allerton (widow of a Mayflower passenger) who had a dispute about some land.6 The court ruled in her favor, and Mrs. Allerton was awarded the three acres in dispute, plus Henry had to pay the court costs.
Another ruling involving Henry happened February 13, 1670 when the town needed to make a decision about building a road on some of his property.6 The road was planned to run across the land of three different property owners, and they could keep ownership if they would maintain the road. Only Henry wasn’t willing to do that, so they confiscated the part of his land they needed for the road. This issue came up again in 1682 when it was found that Henry had a building that extended about 18 inches into the road. After the town council debated it, they voted to let him keep the building.6
Henry died in New Haven on September 2, 1689.2 His estate was worth £285; he bequeathed land and cows to his daughters and granddaughters.7 Elinor survived him and she passed away on March 1, 1698.3
Henry was the ancestor of both Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was also the ancestor of J.P. Morgan, Ernest Hemingway and Clint Eastwood.8
Two of Henry's descendants: Winston Churchill and FDR.
1. Mary Glover — B. before 12 Jun 1641, New Haven, Connecticut9
2. Mercy Glover — B. before 16 Aug 1643, New Haven, Connecticut;10 M. Moses Manfield (~1640-1703), 5 May 1664, New Haven, Connecticut11
3. Hannah Glover — B. 23 May 1646, New Haven, Connecticut;12 D. 7 Jun 1727, Westfield, Massachusetts;12 M. David Ashley (1642-1718), 24 Nov 1663, New Haven, Connecticut13
4. John Glover — B. before 8 Oct 1648, New Haven, Connecticut;14 D. 29 Jan 1680, New Haven, Connecticut;15 M. Joanna Daniel (1652-1702), 7 Dec 1671, New Haven, Connecticut16
5. Abigail Glover — B. 29 Apr 1651, New Haven, Connecticut;17 D. 20 Aug 1651, New Haven, Connecticut18
6. Abigail Glover — B. 31 Jul 1652, New Haven, Connecticut;19 M. Daniel Burr (1642-1695), 11 Dec 1678, New Haven, Connecticut20
7. Sarah Glover — B. 3 Dec 1655, New Haven, Connecticut;21 D. 22 Nov 1730, East Haven, Connecticut;22 M. John Ball (1649-~1731), 11 Dec 1678, New Haven, Connecticut23
Sources:
1 The estimated birth and marriage years are rough guesses based on age of his oldest child
2 Death record of Henry Glover, Connecticut Deaths and Burials, FamilySearch.org
3 Families of Ancient New Haven, Donald Lines Jacobus, 1974
4 Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy: Notes for Henry Glover and Helena (website)
5 Thirteen Historical Discourses, on the Completion of Two Hundred Years: From the Beginning of the First Church in New Haven, Leonard Bacon, 1839
6 New Haven Town Records, 1649-1684, Volume 2, 1919
7 Probate record of Henry Glover, New Haven Probate Records, 1647-1703, FamilySearch.org
8 Famous Kin listing of Henry Glover
9 Baptismal record of Mary Glover, First Church of New Haven Records, FamilySearch.org
10 Baptismal record of Mercy Glover, F.C. OF N.H.R.
11 Marriage record of Moses Mansfield and Mercy Glover, Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997, FamilySearch.org
12 Find-a-Grave listing of Hannah (Glover) Ashley
13 Marriage record of David Ashley and Hannah Glover, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, FamilySearch.org
14 Baptismal record of John Glover, F.C. OF N.H.R.
15 Death record of John Glover, C.D. & B.
16 Marriage record of John Glover and Joanna Daniel, C.M.
17 Birth record of Abigail Glover (older), Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906, FamilySearch.org
18 Death record of Abigail Glover (older), C.D. & B.
19 Birth record of Abigail Glover (younger), C.B. & C.
20 Marriage record of Daniel Burr and Abigail Glover, C.M.
21 Birth record of Sarah Glover, C.B. & C.
22 Death record of Sarah Ball, C.D. & B.
23 Marriage record of John Ball and Sarah Glover, C.M.
