Backus Family History
A Genealogical History of the Backus Family and it's Branches
 

Joshua Backus

Male 1743 - Yes, date unknown


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Generation: 1

  1. 1.   Joshua Backus was born on 12 Oct 1743 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut (son of Jabez Backus, Sr. and Eunice Kingsbury); died on Yes, date unknown in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.

    Joshua married Hannah Calkins on 19 Nov 1778. Hannah (daughter of William Calkins and Mary Prentice) was born on 16 Nov 1755 in New London, New London, Connecticut; died on Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

    Children:
    1. Mary Gager Backus was born on 10 Sep 1779 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on Yes, date unknown.
    2. Marvin Backus was born on 1 Jul 1781 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on Yes, date unknown.

Generation: 2

  1. 2.   Jabez Backus, Sr. was born on 1 Aug 1712 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut (son of Nathaniel Backus, Sr. and Elizabeth Tracy); died on 15 Jul 1761 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 17 Jul 1761 in Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut.

    Jabez married Eunice Kingsbury on 17 Feb 1741 in Connecticut. Eunice (daughter of Deacon Joseph Kingsbury and Ruth Denison) was born on 14 Oct 1722 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 7 Dec 1751 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 9 Dec 1751 in Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  2. 3.   Eunice Kingsbury was born on 14 Oct 1722 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut (daughter of Deacon Joseph Kingsbury and Ruth Denison); died on 7 Dec 1751 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 9 Dec 1751 in Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    Children:
    1. Jabez Backus, Jr. was born on 23 Jan 1742 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on 20 Feb 1770 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.
    2. 1. Joshua Backus was born on 12 Oct 1743 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on Yes, date unknown in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.
    3. Eunice Backus was born on 23 May 1745 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on 7 Dec 1751 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.
    4. Ruth Backus was born on 16 Aug 1747 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on 25 Jun 1766 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.
    5. Rev. Charles Backus was born on 25 Oct 1749 in Franklin, New London, Connecticut; died on 30 Dec 1803 in Somers, Tolland, Connecticut; was buried on 1 Jan 1804 in North Cemetery, Somers, Tolland, Connecticut.
    6. Eunice Backus was born about 1751 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; died on 9 Mar 1778 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.


Generation: 3

  1. 4.   Nathaniel Backus, Sr. was born on 15 Apr 1669 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut (son of William Backus, Jr. and Elizabeth Pratt); died on 16 Aug 1728 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.

    Nathaniel married Elizabeth Tracy on 7 Jul 1702 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut. Elizabeth (daughter of John Tracy and Mary Winslow) was born on 17 Jul 1676 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 11 Nov 1739 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  2. 5.   Elizabeth Tracy was born on 17 Jul 1676 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut (daughter of John Tracy and Mary Winslow); died on 11 Nov 1739 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    Children:
    1. Nathaniel Backus, II was born on 5 Apr 1704 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 2 Sep 1773 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 4 Sep 1773 in Norwich City Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    2. Mary Backus was born on 12 Oct 1707 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 12 Jun 1752 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    3. Elizabeth Backus was born on 9 Sep 1709 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 26 Nov 1767 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    4. Josiah Backus was born on 10 Oct 1710 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 18 Jun 1779 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut.
    5. 2. Jabez Backus, Sr. was born on 1 Aug 1712 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 15 Jul 1761 in Bozrah, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 17 Jul 1761 in Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    6. Elizabeth Backus was born on 7 Dec 1717 in Connecticut; died on Yes, date unknown.

  3. 6.   Deacon Joseph Kingsbury was born on 22 Jun 1682 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 1 Dec 1757 in Franklin, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 3 Dec 1757 in Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut.

    Joseph married Ruth Denison on 5 Feb 1705 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. Ruth was born on 7 Jun 1686 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 6 May 1779 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 8 May 1779 in Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  4. 7.   Ruth Denison was born on 7 Jun 1686 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 6 May 1779 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 8 May 1779 in Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut.
    Children:
    1. Love Kingsbury was born on 23 Feb 1711 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 29 Dec 1778 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    2. 3. Eunice Kingsbury was born on 14 Oct 1722 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 7 Dec 1751 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 9 Dec 1751 in Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut.


Generation: 4

  1. 8.   William Backus, Jr. was born about 1634 in England (son of William Backus, Sr. and Elizabeth); died about 1721 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.

    Notes:

    Son of William Backus, Sr. and his first wife, whose identity is unknown. Although possible that he was buried in this place, no official record of his burial place has been found, therefore, this memorial is to be considered a cenotaph.

    The following is quoted from THE BACKUS FAMILIES OF EARLY NEW ENGLAND, by Reno Warburton Backus:

    "Willam Backus, Jr.2, son of William, Sr., by his first wife, was named as one of the original band of Saybrook men who purchased the townsite of Mohegan (later Norwich) from Chief Uncas in 1659, and is so recorded on the Founders? Monument. He is therefore accepted as having reached his majority by that year, perhaps before. Jacobus estimates he was born about 1635. If that is correct, he presumably was born in England, for there is no evidence that his father reached the colonies that early. He is often shown as Sergeant, Ensign, or Lieutenant William, on the basis of the positions he held in the Norwich "train band?, or local militia; perhaps this was also to distinguish him from the elder William. The Colonial Records of Connecticut show him confirmed as Ensign in May, 1680, and as Lieutenant in May, 1693. Frances Caulkins notes however that though military titles were highly respected and generally coveted among the colonists, he "styles himself in deeds simply yeoman?.

    Apparently by 1659 he had taken as his first wife Sarah Charles, born October, 1637, in New Haven, and baptized there in October, 1640. She was daughter of John Charles, a resident of New Haven and later Branford. ... Their first child, William was born May11, 1660, probably in Saybrook, the parents awaiting the birth before moving to the new settlement at Mohegan. Two other children, John and Sarah, were born to the couple later, apparently followed soon by the death of Sarah (Charles) Backus, whether from childbirth or other cause is not known. By 1664, William had taken as his second wife Elizabeth Pratt, daughter of Lt. William and Elizabeth (Clark) Pratt. Her father was an original proprietor of Hartford, a man of considerable standing, and for years a Deputy to the General Court, - the central governing body - of the colony. Elizabeth bore her husband six children; her union with William must have been a propitious one, for their descendants have included many distinguished individuals. Though commonly shown as surviving until 1730, it is more likely that she died in 1703 or thereabouts; this is deduced by Mary E. N. Backus from details in an acknowledgement by Joseph Backus in 1704/5 of property deeded him by his father, William, Jr.

    The specific occupation of William Backus, Jr., is nowhere mentioned, but that he was well respected is amply clear. At a session of the General Assembly at Hartford, October, 1663, he was ??accepted to be made free??, that is, granted full political privileges, and was listed as one of but 25 such persons in Norwich in 1669. He is shown to have filled various official and community posts, - as Marshal of a Norwich Court of Commission; as Townsman (Selectman) during several periods from 1679 to 1686; as member of church committees, on church construction, selection of a pastor, plan for seating of the congregation; as member of a committee to negotiate a dispute with Uncas, the Mohegan Chief, in 1683; and as Deputy for Norwich to the General Court at Hartford in May and October, 1680, October and November, 1683, October, 1684, and October, 1689. The patent of the Town of Norwich, dated 1685, shows Ensign William Backus as one of twelve patentees of the town.

    He accumulated a sizable amount of property before he died. What he may have possessed as a young man in Saybrook is not known. His original allotment of land in the new settlement of Norwich is given as six acres. On August 31, 1682, Chief Uncas and his son Owaneco deeded a further 150 acres of land to him, possibly ??in connection with the settlement of the estate of Lt. William Pratt??, his father-in-law. William was also a member of the group of thirteen men to whom, in February, 1675/6, Attawanhood, also known as Joseph Uncas, another son of the old chief, made over a large tract of land situated northwest of Norwich. This transaction was further confirmed by a will of Joshua Uncas, dated April 29, 1684, by which William is said to have received three shares of 1000 acres each. This jointly held tract eventually became the site of Windham. William continued to live in Norwich, but later deeded part or all of this land to his two elder sons, William and John, apparently receiving in return their property in Norwich, in March, 1691/2.

    William obviously believed in preparedness. His will dated February 8, 1693, long antedated his death, but was never changed. He must have been a sturdy man, for his length of life became noteworthy. In 1702 he was mentioned as one of the few surviving founders of Norwich; he died early in 1721, having outlived all the rest.

    His will, on file among the Norwich probate records in the Connecticut State Library, is of interest, giving, as Jacobus has noted, the proof that Sarah Charles was his first wife, and not the wife of his father.

    Reference:

    Backus, Reno Warburton. The Backus Families of Early New England, 1966, p.9 & 10.

    William married Elizabeth Pratt about 1664 in Connecticut. Elizabeth was born on 1 Feb 1641 in Old Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut; died on 26 Feb 1725 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  2. 9.   Elizabeth Pratt was born on 1 Feb 1641 in Old Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut; died on 26 Feb 1725 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    Children:
    1. Samuel Backus was born on 2 May 1665 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died in Died Young.
    2. Joseph Backus, Sr. was born on 6 Sep 1667 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died in Dec 1740 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    3. 4. Nathaniel Backus, Sr. was born on 15 Apr 1669 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 16 Aug 1728 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    4. Elizabeth Backus was born about 1670 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 29 Dec 1729 in Windham, Windham, Connecticut; was buried on 31 Dec 1729 in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham, Connecticut.
    5. Hannah Backus was born about 1675 in New London, New London, Connecticut; died on 25 Feb 1752 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 27 Feb 1752 in Norwich City Cemetery, Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    6. Mary Backus was born in Nov 1677 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 27 Mar 1752 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 29 Mar 1752 in Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut.

  3. 10.   John Tracy was born about 1642 in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut; died on 16 Aug 1702 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.

    John + Mary Winslow. Mary was born on 13 Mar 1658 in Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts; died on 30 Jul 1721 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  4. 11.   Mary Winslow was born on 13 Mar 1658 in Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts; died on 30 Jul 1721 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.
    Children:
    1. 5. Elizabeth Tracy was born on 17 Jul 1676 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut; died on 11 Nov 1739 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut.


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