Micah Tompkins, of Milford & Newark

Micah Tompkins, the immigrant who came from England Circa 1610. This is the first Tompkins who came to America. Don't believe the Tompkins owning Staten Island fable - it's not true.Milford, New Haven County, Connecticut was purchased 28 Aug 1639 from the Indian Chief - Ausautawae. The first Milford town meeting, held in the town of New Haven, on 20 Nov 1639, granted franchise as free planters (list of freemen of Milford) to Micah Tomkins, among others. Micah and Mary had all their children at Milford, Connecticut. As one of the first settlers, he received a 2 acre plot #15 in the original subdivision and which in 1646 was opposite the Town House in the center of town. He also received his share of land in 1643 and 1649 as a result of further subdivisions of town land. Micah Tompkins Micah Tompkins,, son of Ralph Tompkins and Katherine Foster Tompkins, brother of Nathaniel and John Tompkins, was born in Eddlesborough, Buchinghamshire, England. The first record we have of him was when he removed from Weathersfield, CT, overland to Milford, CT, in 1639. Micah Tompkins was granted along with 44 others the franchise as "free planter" in Milford in 1639. Micah Tompkins is #15 on the list of the location of the homes of the first settlers of Milford, Ct. Micah Tompkins was appointed to a committee to expedite combining the towns of Milford and Branford, CT, into one township of Newark, in Sussex Co., NJ. He was listed as a proprietor of Newark and on the land distribution list. At the first town meeting in Newark on Feb. 6, 1667, Micah was given a full acre of land because of the remoteness of his land. On Sept. 10, 1668, he was appointed to a committee to build a place of worship in Newark as soon as possible. He as included in the land division at Newark on Jan1, 1670 and appointed to draw lotts for absent members. At a town meeting on Dec. 12, 1670, Micah received the Grant of another little piece of land. He was on the list of members of the First Presbyterian Church in Newark on Jan. 9, 1687. In the listing of the home lots of the first settlers of Newark, Micah Tompkins is listed as Dr. Micah Tompkins, so he must have been a doctor. For a time at Milford Micah Tompkins secred the Regicides Goffs and Whalley, giving them aid and comfort. His girls didn't even know that "angels" were in the basement. Micah Tompkins married Mary____. He made his will on 30 June 1688 at Milford. Micah Tompkins died on Oct. 25, 1703. Mary widow of Micah was alive in 1695. Micah and Mary Tompkins' children were: Jonathan and Mary baptized in 1643, Elizabeth in 1645, Seth in 1649, m. Elizabeth Ketchal and Mary Bruen; Rebecca in 1653, Abigail in 1655; Micah in 1659, Mary Rose in 1669. Jonathan m Mary Pennington 12 Apr 1666 at Milford. In 1745 Joseph and wife of Whippany sold land in Newark. In 1765 Joseph was living. Davids will 1771 names children, David, Elias and Abigail. Sources: "History of Milford, Connecticut", 1639-1939; Chapter I; pg.7. "Inscriptions on tombstones in New Haven, erected prior to 1800"; pg 492. "Home lots of the first settlers of Newark", Chapter I, pg. f10 and 1. "Historical discourses relating to the First Presbyterian Church in Newark"; Discourse #1, pg. 89. "The Municipalities of Essex County, New Jersey, 1666-1924", Vol I, Part 1; pgs. 37-41, 52, & 61. "The history of Newark, New Jersey, being a narrative of its rise and progress : from the settlement in May, 1666, by emigrants"; Chapter II, pg. 30. "History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey"; Vol1, Chapter XXXIII, pg. 367 and 691. "New England Families: Genealogical and Memorial", Vol 4 > New England Famliies; pg. 1911. "Pioneers of Massachusetts", C. H. Pope, 1900www.findagrave.com

Micah Tompkins

Birth: 1615 Death: Dec. 9, 1690 Newark Essex County New Jersey, USA

1. 187 in Clan of Tomkyns Volumes.

Parents: John Tomkins 1585-1638 brother of Ralph Tomkins. Siblings: Edward Tompkins 1610- Ann Tompkins 1614- John Tomkins 1618- Isabel Tompkins 1618- Natham Tompkins 1620-1681 Edmund Tompkins 1620- Roger Tompkins 1625- Married Mary (perhaps Freeman) abt 1642,

Micah and Mary had all their children at Milford CT.

Children: Jonathan Tompkins 1643-1690 Mary Tompkins 1643-1694 Elizabeth Tompkins 1645-1703 David Tompkins 1647-1649 Lydia Tompkins 1649- Seth Tompkins 1649-1730 Rebecca Tompkins 1653- Abigail Tompkins 1655-1683 Micah Tompkins II 1659- Micah's daughter Elizabeth Married Lt. Gov. James Bishop 12 Dec 1665 in New Haven.

In 1666, Micah moved with a large group of friends and some of his family, to New Jersey. In July 1667, they bought a large tract of land from the Indians on the Passaic River where now is the city of Newark NJ. Died in Newark NJ before 4 Dec 1690. His will was probated on 4 Dec 1690 at Newark NJ. Bolton in his History of Westchester, states that Micah was of the same family as John Tompkins (his brother) of Concord. He was also nephew of Ralph & Katherine (Foster) Tompkins (##34171118 & 34171135).

The following is from Clan of Tomkyns Vol VII

"As Ralph Tomkins, The Immigrant, lived at same time and place, that is Milford Connecticut, with Micah who we now believe was a nephew."(In Tomkins- Tompkins Genealogy published in 1942 Micah was the son of Ralph Tomkins 1585-1666 but was later in Clan of Tomkyns where Robert Angus Tompkins worked on until his death revised Micah through further research to be the nephew of Ralph and the son of John, Ralph's brother) 1 Micah Tomkins 1615 2 John Tomkins 1585 3 Nathaniel Tomkins 1540 4 Ralph Tomkyns III 1490 Family links:

Parents: John Tomkins (1585 - 1638) Spouse: Mary Tompkins * Children: Elizabeth Tompkins Bishop Thompson (1645 - 1703) *

Sibling: Micah Tomkins (1615 - 1690) * Micah Tompkins (1615 - 1690) Burial: Unknown