First Settlers Descedents to Meet

Genealogy and history enthusiasts from across the U.S. will gather in their ancestral hometown August 27-30 for the triennial meeting of the Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants.

The four-day event includes opportunities for research, networking with Middletown “cousins,” and exploring area cemeteries. Also scheduled are visits to such essential local history destinations as Russell Library, Godfrey Library, and the Middlesex County Historical Society in Middletown, and in Hartford, the Connecticut State Library. Two evening programs with guest speakers on history and genealogy-related topics complete the weekend.

Registration for the activity-filled Thursday-through-Sunday meeting is still open, and membership in the organization is not required to participate. The headquarters hotel is the Marriott Residence Inn in Rocky Hill, Conn. For registration information, contact Suzanne Welles of Oakville, Conn. at karilsmom@sbcglobal.net.

The founding of Middletown dates from 1649, when the General Court in Hartford approved the settlement of what was then known as Mattabesec. Membership in the Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants is open to descendants of the 89 families that settled in the town before 1700. Today, millions of descendants across the U.S. can trace their family roots back to the early days of Middletown.

The Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants was founded in 2000 by the late Gale Cornwell, a descendant of early settler William Cornwall (1609-1678). In 1900 his grandfather campaigned with other descendants for the placement of Founder’s Rock (and plaque) next to Riverside Cemetery. At the 1900 ceremony these descendants expressed their wish that Middletown founders would also be recognized 100 years later. Through Gale Cornwell’s initiative, an organization of genealogists and descendants was formed to fulfill that wish. The organization also participated in Middletown’s 350th Anniversary celebration and parade in 2001.

For additional information about the Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants, visit the web site at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ctsmfsd/Index.html, or simply search the phrase “Middletown First Settlers.”