The Quaboag Planters 

Meet Judah Trumble

The progenitor of the Trumble family in America was John, found in the records on July 7, 1635, on which date he married Elinor Chandler, at All Saints Church, New Castle-on- ----ie in England. Soon after that, he left his homeland and settled in Roxbury, Mass., in 1639, where he was a member of Reverend John Eliot's church. Next year, he removed to Rowley, where he made his permanent settlement. His homestead was in the heart of the village, fronting on the common. He was a ----ed as a freeman on May 13, 1640, and was town clerk in ----4-6.  He also "kept school" as evidenced by a payment received by his family after his death.

In 1648 or 49, after having borne 5 children, Elinor died and Judah married at Rowley, Ann Hopkington, widow of Mighill Hopkington, in August, 1650. He had 4 children by his second wife. John died and was buried at Rowley on July 18, 1657. His estate amounting to 255 pounds, 17 shillings and 10 pence was divided amongst his 9 children. Judah, the subject of our biography, receiving 8 pounds. After the death of John, Ann married Richard Swan on March 1, 1657-8, but died soon after and was buried on April 4, 1658.

The children of John and Elinor were: John, born November 1637 and baptized on August 11, 1639 at Newcastle; Hannah, born at Rowley December 14, 1640; Judah, born June 3, 1643 at Rowley; Ruth, born at Rowley, February 23, 1644/45; and Joseph, born at Rowley March 19, 16-7. The last mentioned, Joseph, was of Suffield as early as July 23, 1675, when  we find the first entry of his account with John Pynchon, and also an item dated March 26, 1677 as a purchaser of land in that town. He appeared once before magistrate Pynchon on September 3, 1680, "acknowledging his offense as being overtaken with drink," and was fined ten shillings. He was the grandfather of the first governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumble. The four children of John and second wife Ann Trumble not being directly related to our narrative will be omitted from further discussion.

The prime subject of our biography, Judah Trumble was born at Rowley on June 3, 1643. He took for his first wife Ann Swan of Rowley. She was the daughter of Richard Swan and the sister of Mercy, wife of Samuel Warner (a planter at Quaboag). She died at Rowley in July, 1667, and Judah removed to Quaboag Plantation, where he married on December 19, 1672, Mary Prichard, daughter of William.

First mention of Judah at Quaboag is found in the John Pynchon account, dated January 18, 1668/9. He is referred to as "the going man," equivalent in today's terminology to "teamster". Many other references to hauling performed by him and his teams of horses and oxen, at times with the help of his sons John and Joseph, are found in subsequent entries in the account books.

The purchase price of his lot at Quaboag (01 05 00) would indicate that he had a grant of 20 acres, plus meadowlands. His home lot was situated east of the common lands, next beyond that of James Travis. He did participate in the construction of the mill at Quaboag (probably in 1669-70), as evidenced by a credit for one pound 12 shillings for 13 days labor at the mill trench. He also received credit for killing a wolf on March 4, 1673/4.

In addition to his occupation of teamster, Judah maintained his farm at Quaboag and was active in the affairs of the community. He was one of the petitioners for incorporating of Brookfield on October 10, 1673. However, he had interests in the new plantation of Suffield, and was granted a tract of five acres there in 1674, but did not remove until after the destruction of Brookfield.

On August 3, 1675, he was at Springfield where he purchased two quarts of rum. Whether or not he had been at Brookfield on August 1, the day that his son was born, and the day that Captain Hutchinson, emissary of the governor, and his military escort arrived, is a matter for conjecture. It seems likely that if he had been aware of these two events, he would have remained at the Plantation. The possibility exists that he was sent to Springfield by Captain Hutchinson to inform Major Pynchon of the mission of the expedition. In any case, when he attempted to return to Brookfield during the night of August 3-4, he discovered the burning of the town and returned immediately to Springfield. In a letter to the Governor of Connecticut colony, John Pynchon says as follows:

     " August 4, just now at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Judah Trumble who went last night in the night to Quaboag is returned: he went within 40 rods of the houses, and discovered Coy's house and barn burnt and saw two houses more burnt; saw one Indian with a gun, but no English; at this dismal sight he returned, and his horse tiring came in on foot much spent--our people are much scattered--we earnestly request you to send what force you may judge needful either to relieve the English yet left, if any be alive at Quaboag, or to pursue these Indians. Speedy succor is necessary".

From this we may guess that Judah did not venture too close to the scene of action, since he was not able to give Major Pynchon much information and was not even aware that a siege was in progress, with nearly 70 English very much alive and busy fighting off the attacks of the Indians.

After relief of the siege, he gathered his family consisting of Mary his wife, his year old son John and infant son Ebenezer, and removed to Suffield. Prior to this, on June 24, 1674, the committee in that town had granted him 50 acres on Feather Street, north of and next to his elder brother Joseph. According to the Account Book of John Pynchon, prior to November 2, 1678, Judah paid 16 shillings, 8 pence for his land at Suffield. On June 2, 1681 he received an additional grant of ten acres.

In his new residence, Judah was conspicuous in the affairs of the plantation. He continued in his trade of teamster and essential avocation of farming. At the first town meeting in Suffield on March 9, 1681-2, he was listed as one of the inhabitants with the privilege of voting in town affairs. He served as Constable for one year from March 5, 1682-3, and was chosen Surveyor for one year on April 5, 1686. He was elected Land Measurer on March 1, 1686-7, and re-elected to that office on May 21, 1688. Judah died at Suffield on April 1, 1692. His widow Mary Pritchard married, a few months later at Suffield on December 22, 1692, Victory Sikes.