Thomas Hosmer

Thomas Hosmer (January 2, 1603 - April 12, 1687) was one of the original founders of Hartford and the father of Stephen Hosmer. Born to Stephen and Dorothy Hosmer in Kent, southeastern England, he sailed with Thomas Hooker to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1633 and moved with his company to Hartford in June 1636. In the distribution of land, he received 60 acres, with his home lot on the edge of the south end of Governor Street. HE was chosen constable in the area and deputy several times. His first wife, Frances Bushnell, died February 15, 1675, aged 73. He married again in 1679 to Katherine, widow of David Wilton, of Northampton, Massachusetts.

Just a few years prior, Hosmer purchased land about half a mile north of West Hartford Center. He built for his son, Stephen, a home and a sawmill on the west side of the road and the north bank of Trout Brook. He sent his son in 1679 to supervise the site. North of the sawmill site, John Merrill of the Merrill family purchased a large tract of the land as far as the present Flagg Road.

After the marriage of his second wife, he moved to Northampton, where he died on April 12, 1687 at the age of 83.