Allen line: Jonathan Royce 1638-1689

 We're back in Norwich, New London, Connecticut for this post.  Well, not quite, because our subject, Jonathan Royse or Royce, was born in Wallingford, New Haven Connecticut on March 18, 1638, to Robert and Mary (possibly Sims, or possibly Jackson) Royce. Well, except...there was no Wallingford in 1638.  So the best we can say is that he was born somewhere, possibly in Connecticut or possibly while the family was en route from their home in England to the colonies.  Alternately, some have suggested that he was actually born in England, some time between 1631 and 1635.  So the search goes on.  

The first record we have of Jonathan is in 1656, when he married Mary Spinning.  The couple had one child together, and Mary died.  This may have been about 1659, because Jonathan bought land in New London in 1659 and sold it about 18 months later, after he had married Deborah Calkins, daughter of Hugh and Ann Calkins in June of 1660.  The new family left New London and settled in Norwich, Connecticut in 1660.  Jonathan is recognized as one of the first settlers there.

Jonathan and Deborah had at least 10 children, so once again, this was a busy family and Jonathan would have needed to work quite hard to support this many children.  The family likely attended what is now the First Congregational Church in Norwich, which at the time was located at the edge of the Green.  Jonathan was made a freeman of Connecticut in 1663, meaning he had voting rights and would have been liable for jury duty.  Absent additional information, we can guess that he was a farmer. 

The church was a lookout during King Philip's War, which gives us a clue that Jonathan was likely involved in the war as a militia member, if nothing else.  I haven't found records that list his name as an active participant, but that doesn't mean that he wasn't.  He would have been about 40 years old then, still young enough to be liable to active duty.  Connecticut did not suffer the devastation of Massachusetts in the war, with native tribes in Connecticut generally supporting the English.  There were, however, at least three garrison houses in Norwich and it is more than possible that Jonathan was there, taking his turn at sentry duty, at least.  These houses would also have served as shelters for the families of Norwich, when they felt threatened by news from outside the town.  

If Jonathan served as a civic leader in any capacity, I haven't been able to locate those records.  He may well have done so, but we just don't know.  

He evidently did not die a poor man.  I haven't seen the actual records, but I've seen a summary that indicates that most of his children received a little over 31 pounds from the distribution of his estate.  Presumably this would have been after the widow received her thirds.  So his estate was probably valued at at least 300 pounds.  Jonathan's date of death is not certain but was prior to September 22, 1690, when his will was probated.  Deborah remarried, apparently to the town pastor, and lived until 1717, also dying in Norwich.  

We don't know as much as we'd like to about Jonathan Royce.  But there's this one fun additional fact:  Amelia Earhart was a direct descendant, making us cousins.  

 The line of descent is:

Jonathan Royce-Deborah Calkins

John Royce-Sarah Perrigo

Moses Royce-Hannah

John Royce-Hannah Bellamy

Elizabeth Royce-William McCoy

James McCoy-Nancy Lane

Vincent McCoy-Eleanor Jackson

Nancy McCoy-George Allen

Edward Allen-Edith Knott

Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook

Their descendants