Did Hezekiah and Martha Tuttle really have three sons named Gideon? By Lowell Tuttle

Gideon, Gideon, Gideon Tuttle

Did Hezekiah and Martha Tuttle really have three sons named Gideon?

Like a lot of us who are researching the Tuttle family name, in the beginning, we relied on the book “The Descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle” by George Frederick Tuttle, publish by Tuttle & Company, Rutland Vermont, 1883. But to any of us that have gone beyond the book in our research have found it full of errors. This is not to belittle his work, it is more accurrate than not, but he covered the years from 1635 to the 1880’s, and most of New England. As George Tuttle says in his preface, “The work is not as complete as we desired to make it. We had prepared a considerable list of books to be consulted, letters of inquiry to be written and record hunting tours to be made for the purpose of tracing lines that so far have eluded our search.” As you can see he relied on other researchers and on other published books, he listed almost a dozen, and did not do as much original research as he wanted too. He worked on the book for 14 years mostly without pay. The publishing company published the book “at their own risk” as George Tuttle puts it.

Of the 5 additional sources I list in the table below, 2 are microfilms of the original records and 2 are published works. The original records are “First congregation Church in Woodbury, Connecticut, and “Register of Probate Records Vol. 3.” The published works are Vital Records: Birth, Marriages, and Deaths in Woodbury, Connecticut… Connecticut History of Ancient Woodbury… Vol. III by William Cothren, Published 1879, and “New Haven Colony Historical Society, Southbury Church Records”. (expand)

What I hope to show, beyond a reasonable doubt, is that of the 10 children George Frederick Tuttle listed for Hezekiah and Martha Tuttle (Page 573, Family .12.4. Hezekiah Tuttle), that included three Gideon’s; there is only one Gideon child. Note the dates he gave for the three Gideon’s: Gideon [1] Baptized. Feb. 19, 1927, Gideon [2] baptized. Sept. 3, 1732, Gideon [3] b. Nov. 1, 1733. (See also table below)

In the records of the First Congregation Church in Woodbury, Connecticut I found entries for the first six of Hezekiah’s children, including Gideon [1] baptized Feb 19 1726/7. There were no more entries for Hezekiah’s family (after Huthwit Aug. 1731, including no entries for Noah and Nathan) even though I searched to 1748. But I did find Gideon the son of Hezekiah WRIGHT baptized Sept 3, 1732, and another entry, Gideon the son of Hezekiah WRIGHT baptized Nov 4, 1733. Please note the dates.

In the town hall (microfilmed) original birth, marriages, and deaths records of Woodbury, Connecticut I again only found Hezekiah Tuttle’s children to Huthwit. I found a Gideon born in 1732 and died in 17__ who was the son of Hezekiah WRIGHT. I found a second Gideon born November 1^st, 1733 who was the son of Hezekiah WRIGHT. Again please note the dates.

The reason I gave William Cothren’s ‘Connecticut History of Ancient Woodbury (which included Southbury and other towns) 1659 To 1879 Vol. III, Births, Marriages, Deaths as a source was because he published his work 4 years before George Tuttle therefore did not use his work as a major reference. He did receive some information from George Fredrick Tuttle. Here are some quotes from his introduction: “…from family bibles and other authentic documents. So that this work contains a large number of family items not found upon the public records, and is, therefore, a much more complete record…” also “The work also contains the early baptismal records of the several churches in the ancient town. The early ministers were very careful in the recording of these…” The reason the last two sons, Noah and Nathan, are not listed in the Woodbury section is that the family was now going to the Southbury Society church. Cothren’s Southbury listing only went back to about1751 to late for Noah and Nathan to show up.

I found Noah and Nathan’s baptisms listed in the Southbury Church records but no Gideon. I also found marriages records for other members of the family (see table below).

One of the reasons some of the vital records list Woodbury and not Southbury as the location of events is that although the Southbury Society church was incorporated in 1731 the town of Southbury was not incorporated until 1787. The Southbury Society was part of the ancient town of Woodbury. Southbury is only about 4 ½ miles south of Woodbury. Woodbury then would be in Fairfield County and Southbury would be in New Haven County both were created in 1666.

My conclusion is that there is only one Gideon Tuttle son of Hezekiah and that the other two Gideon’s listed in George Frederick Tuttle’s book are actually the sons of Hezekiah Wright who’s wife, Sarah Tuttle, was a niece to Hezekiah Tuttle.

Analysis of Hezekiah Tuttle's children

Source>>>	"The Descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle, George Frederick Tuttle; Pub 1883"	"First Congregation Church in Woodbury, Connecticut [film of orig.]"	"Vital Records; Birth, Marriages, Deaths in Woodbury, Connecticut 1670 -1867"	Connecticut - History of Ancient Woodbury 1659 To 1879 Vol III - BMD; William Cothren; Pub 1879	Register of Probate Records Vol 3 1749-1759 [Will of Hezekiah Tuttle 1753]	New Haven Colony Historical Society, Southbury Church Records
Lois Tuttle	"b. May 14, 1713;m. Jan 28 1742,Thomas Kimberly"	"May 10, 1713… Lois ye daughter of Hezekiah Tuttle, &… were baptized"	Lois Tuttle the daughter of Hezekiah Tuttle by his wife Martha was born May 14th 1713; Thomas Kimberly and Lois Tuttle were married January 28th 1741-2	"b. Lois Tuttle daughter of Hezekiah and Martha Tuttle; May 14th 1713; m. Thomas Kimberly and Lois Tuttle, Jan 28 1742"	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful daughter Lois the wife of Thomas Kimberly	[No record found]
Agnes Mary Tuttle	"b. Feb 11, 1718; m. Obadiah Wheeler"	Feb 16 1718… and Agnes ye daughter of Hezekiah Tuttle were baptized	Agnes the daughter of Hez'a Tuttle by his wife Martha was born February 11th 1717/18; Obadiah Wheeler and Agnes Tuttle were married May ye 12th 1740	"b. Agnes Tuttle daughter of Hezekiah and Martha Tuttle; Feb 11, 1718; m. Obadiah Wheeler and Agnes Tuttle, May 12, 1740"	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful daughter Agnes the wife of Obadiah Wheeler …	Marriages – 1740 May 15, Obadiah Wheeler and Agnes Tuttle
Nathaniel Tuttle	Bap. Oct 1721; m. July 22 1779 Currence Squire	"Oct 15,1721 Nath'll ye son of Hezekiah Tuttle, …were baptized"	[No record found]	"Oct 15,1721 Nathaniel S of Hezekiah Tuttle, Woodbury baptisms"	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful son Nathaniel …	Marriages – 1779 July 22, Nathaniel Tuttle and Currence Squire
Gideon [1] Tuttle	Bap. Feb 19 1727	"Feb 19, 1726/7, Gideon ye son of Hezekiah Tuttle, … were baptized"	Gideon the son of Hezekiah Tuttle was born February 1726-7	"b. Gideon son of Hezekiah Tuttle; Feb, 1727"	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful sons Gideon and Huthwit …	[No record found]
Ichabod Tuttle	"Bap. June 1, 1729; m. June 27 1751 Sarah Prime"	June 1 or 19 1729 Ichabod ye son of Hezekiah Tuttle was baptized (p66)	[No record found]	"June 1,1729 Ichabod S of Hezekiah Tuttle, Woodbury baptisms"	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful sons Ichabod and Noah …	Marriages – 1751 Jun 27, Ichabod Tuttle and Sarah Prime
Huthwit Tuttle	"Bap. Aug 8, 1731; d. abt 1785;unm."	"Aug 8, 1731…Huthwit Ye son of Hezekiah Tuttle, … were baptized"	Huthwit the son of Hezekiah Tuttle by his wife Martha was born August 1731	"b. Huthwitt son of Hezekiah and Martha Tuttle; Aug, 1731"	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful sons Gideon and Huthwit …	[No record found]
Gideon [2] Tuttle	Bap. Sept 3, 1732; d. same year"	"[No record of Gideon Tuttle found for this date, but:] Sept 3. 1732, & Gideon ye son of Hezekiah WRIGHT were baptized"	[NO RECORD OF GIDEION TUTTLE FOUND FOR THIS DATE] Gideon the son of Hezekiah WRIGHT by his wife Sarah was born 1732 [no day month given]	[NO RECORD OF GIDEON TUTTLE FOUND FOR THIS DATE] "b. Gideon son of Hezekiah and Sarah WRIGHT; [no day month] 1732; d. Gideon s. of Hezekiah Wright [No day month] 1732 [Hezekiah WRIGHT and Sarah Tuttle, m. June 1732]"	[No record found]	[No record found]
Gideon [3] Tuttle	b. Nov 1, 1733; m. Mary Stiles	[No record of Gideon Tuttle found for this date, but: Nov 4, 1733… Gideon ye son of Hezekiah WRIGHT was baptized	[No record of Gideon Tuttle found], but: Gideon the son of Hezekiah WRIGHT by his wife Sarah was born November 1 1733	b. Gideon son of Hezekiah and Sarah WRIGHT; Nov. 1, 1733	[No record found]	[No record found]
Noah Tuttle	Bap. April 29, 1734; m. Susana Smith	[No record found in this source to 1748]	[No record found]	[No record found]	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful sons Ichabod and Noah …	Baptisms – 1734 Apr 27, Noah, s. of Hezekiah Tuttle
Nathan Tuttle	"Bap. Aug 15, 1736; m. Lydia Skeel"	[No record found in this source to 1748]	[No record found]	[No record found]	… I give and bequeath to my dutiful son Nathan …	Baptisms – 1736 Aug 15, Nathan, s. of Hezekiah Tuttle