Thomas Ranney

  General Notes:

Middletown, Connecticut was established in 1650. It is fourteen milessouth of Hartford, and is located where an old Indian village namedMattabesick had stood, on high ground on the west bank of the ConnecticutRiver. There were 22 first settlers between 1650 and 1654 in Mattabesick.On November 23, 1653 it is recorded that the General Court decreed "thatthe name of the Plantaytyon commonly called Mattabesick shall for time tocome bee Middletowne."

Land records of this town show that a house lot was granted to one ThomasRany in 1658. Where he came from is not known, but it is believed that hemay have come from Scotland, where Rany and Renny are familiar names. Itis believed that he was born in Scotland in 1616 from the information onhis gravestone, for he died in 1713 at age 97. The Rany homestead inMiddletown was in the main street, extending south from what is nowRapello Avenue, and reaching back to the Connecticut River. His house,which stood from 1660 to 1880, was a large, plain, three-story framehouse with one large chimney in the center. On the 1670 census, ThomasRany is rated as worth 105 pounds, the ninth in wealth in a list of 52proprietors. His father-in-law, George Hubbard, headed the list. ThomasRany served at times on various committees.

Thomas and Mary (Hubbard) Ranney had eleven children, four boys and sevengirls, between 1660 and 1682. He died June 21, 1713; his wife diedDecember 18, 1721. His grave is in the Middletown cemetery, with a verylarge inscribed boulder marking it. it was the first grave in theCromwell burying ground in the center of the cemetery. It is inscribed:

Here is
The Body of
Thomas Rany
seur. Lived 97
years. Died June
21st 1713

There is no headstone for his wife.

In his will, Thomas Ranney gave the following legacy to his son, ourancestor Thomas Ranney: "I give to my son, Thomas, the Lott on which hishouse stands, as it is now divided, and one acre and halfe my Lott inWongung Meadow, and a quarter part of Butt Swamp Lott, also the whole ofye upper long meadow lott after his mother's decease. Also I give to himone acre of my boggy meadow swamp lott, the half of my timber hill lottye south side, and a quarter part within to him by quantity and quality,also a quarter of my long lott of the east side of ye Great River. Also,I give to my son Thomas a quarter part of the round meadow and furtherneck after my daughter Mary [Savage's] three acres upland lying next yemeadow be taken out, also a quarter part of the half of that lott nearWongungbars, or Indian Hill, the west part of the lott with the swampadjoining to it." The long will with many gifts to his other childrenclosed: "In testamony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed myseal, this 8th day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand sevenhundred and eleven, being the tenth year of the reign of our SovereignLady Ann, by the Grace of God, Queen of Great Britain, France, Ireland,defender of ye faith, etc.
(his
\ /
\ /
Thomas \ Ranny
/ \
/ \
mark)

Thomas Ranney's estate was inventoried at 757 pounds, 19s, 10d. Some ofthe items were: "to 3 vests and an old coat 175, to a pair of britches5s, to a gun and sword 1[pound], to ammuntion and powder horns, 5s 6d, toa bulit mould 1s, to 3 pound lead 1s, to 5 tablecloths 15s, to anink-horn 8d, to 3 yds liney-wooley 9s, to a brass kettell 4[pounds], tobrass skilits 11s, to a chees press 4s, to 2 platters 14s, to a peuterbason 5s, to 6 proningers 6s, to 3 splinter broom 1s, to a tramill andhooks 6s, to a meall troaff 1s, to 3 bushels of mault 9s, to 1 pair pothooks 1s, to 1/2 bushels salt 2s, to hors traces and whipeltree chain 12sand collar 4s, to plow chain and double hooks 10s and plow clevis 2s6d,to cutting-knife for hay 4s6d and sheep shears 2s, to chisels and a goudgand a punch 5s, to gimblits and awls 2s, to a parcel of tand leather 14s,to one yoak oxen 9 [pounds] to a heifer 1 [pound] 5s, to the house andhomestead and barn 110 [pounds] to upper lott in long meadow 42 [pounds],to 24 acres of land att Hubards hill 60 [pounds], to 315 acres att theplains or Cold Springs 150 [pounds], etc.

"The above inventory taken by us the day abve settdoune (July 27, 1713)John Sage, John Warner, Sam'll Frary - Prisers"

Thomas [Jr.] was the first child, followed by John, Joseph, Mary,Elizabeth, Esther, Hannah, Margaret, Ebenezer, Mercy, and Abigail."

Thomas married Mary Hubbard, daughter of George Hubbard and Elizabeth Watts, in May 1659 in Hartford, Hartford, CT. (Mary Hubbard was born on 16 Jan 1641 in Hartford, Hartford, CT, christened on 16 Jan 1641 in Middlesex, Middletown, CT, died on 18 Dec 1721 in Middletown, Middesex, CT and was buried in Middletown, Middesex, CT.)