CHRISTOPHER HUNTINGTON
(1624-1691)
The first born son of Margaret Barrett and Simon Huntington, Christopher’s baptism was recorded in St. Andrew’s Parish Register, Norwich, Norfolk, England on July 25, 1624. He was nine years old when his family came to the colonies in 1633. After his father’s death his mother, Margaret, remarried in 1635/36 to Thomas Stoughton of Dorchester. Christopher with his new blended family trekked overland and settled the Connecticut River colony of Windsor in 1636.
Christopher lived in Windsor until he, and brother Simon, removed downriver to Saybrook in 1647. He married on October 7, 1652, Ruth Rockwell the daughter of William Rockwell, "a prominent and highly respected member of the community." He removed, probably, in the spring of 1654, to Saybrook, as the birth of one child appeared in 1653, on the Windsor records, and the death of another, in May 1654, in Saybrook records. Ruth and Christopher’s first three children were born in Saybrook, however, two of them died in infancy.
Christopher, along with his brother Simon, and their new wives remained in Saybrook until the spring of 1660. At that point, with a significant portion of the Saybrook group and under the spiritual leadership of the Reverend James Fitch, they moved to what would be named “Norwich” at the confluence of the Shetucket, Yantic, and Thames rivers–the traditional grounds of the Mohegans.
Christopher proved himself one of the most efficient and useful of the hardy pioneers. His name occurs often in the earliest records of this enterprising town, and always in good standing. His house lot was located on East Town Street.
In 1668 the general court granted him 100 acres of land, not more than twenty acres of it to be meadow. In 1678, he was appointed town clerk. In 1685, he was one of the twelve patentees of the new town of Norwich. In 1686 his name occurs as one of the committee "to make provision for maintaining the reverend minister."
Based on the probate of his will he died in 1691. Most likely he rests not far from the banks of the Yantic, in the “Post and Gager” burial ground. No gravestone remains.
CHILDREN
The death of the first Christopher, and the births of all but the first two of this family, are in the Norwich records.
CHRISTOPHER, born in 1653; lived one year and four months, and died in Saybrook. The first fact appears on the Windsor records, and the second was taken from the Saybrook records, before they were burnt in the old fort.
RUTH, born April 13, 1653, and probably a twin with the above Christopher. She probably died in infancy.
RUTH, born in Saybrook, in April, 1658; married, March 26, 1681, Samuel Pratt of Saybrook, who came to Norwich with the early settlers. They had one child recorded in Norwich, Samuel Pratt, born February 11, 1683; she died February 14, 1683.
CHRISTOPHER, born November 1, 1660.
THOMAS, born March 18, 1664.
JOHN, born March 15, 1666.
SUSANNAH, born in August, 1668.
LYDIA, or as the records have chosen to enter the name, Lydyah, was born in Norwich, in August, 1672.
ANN, born in Norwich, October 25, 1675; married October 28, 1697, Jonathan, son of Thomas and Mary (Rudd) Bingham. Her husband was born April 15, 1674, and was the third of eleven children. His father was afterwards deacon of the Windham church. He had a family and descendants respectable both in their numbers and for their characters.
Last Updated: December 2025
ST. ANDREW’S PARISH REGISTER
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A red star indicates Christopher’s plot in Saybrook. Click on the title for a link to the Original Settlers of Old Saybrook, CT, click on the image to enlarge.
Click on the title for a link to The Founders of Norwich, CT. Click on the image to enlarge