George Tongue is one of those people who just appeared out of nowhere. For an early New Englander, that isn’t unheard of, but given that the records are generally so good, it is a bit unusual.
George is one of my more recent ancestral discoveries, linked to my Lobdell and Follett lines from Seaborn Burt’s wife, Rebecca Follett.
George Tongue (or Tonge) was probably born 1625-1630 somewhere in England. His wife’s name was Margery and the family had settled in New London, Connecticut by the early 1650’s.
Margery may have been the daughter of Richard Poole, who died 26 April 1662 and left his estate, valued at L58, to the wife and children of George Tongue.
By 1655, George Tongue was appointed innkeeper of the inn on the banks of the New London River, between what later became Pearl and Tilley Streets. George died about 1674; Margery survived at least until July 1689, when Hannah’s husband, Joshua Baker asked for a portion of her father’s estate. Margery signed over a land deed, but later it was claimed it was coerced (about 1693). The Tongues were said to be wealthy inn-keepers and that is likely true, given the social status of Governor Fitz John Winthrop, who married their eldest daughter, Elizabeth.
George and Margery had four children, all born in New London, CT:
1. Elizabeth, born 20 October 1658; entered a common law marriage with Gov. Fitz John Winthrop, about 1677; died 25 April 1731, New London, CT. The governor was born 14 March 1637, Ipswich, Essex, MA; died 27 November 1707, Boston, Suffolk, MA.
2. Hannah, born 20 July 1654; married (1) Tristram Minter (2) Joshua Baker, 13 September 1674. She died 6 February 1742/3 in New London, CT, when she lived with nephew Peter Wickwire’s family; Joshua died 27 December 1717, Montville, New London, CT.
3. Mary, born 17 September 1657; married John Wickwire, 6 November 1676, New London, CT; died 20 October 1699, Montville, New London, CT
4. George, born 8 May 1658; married unknown about 1678. No records have been found for this George, but John Tongue who married Anna Wheeler on 25 November 1701 or 25 November 1702 appears to have been his son, as George was the only son of George and Margery and no other family with the surname was in Connecticut. As no records except for birth have been found for this man, it is likely that he died shortly after marriage and that John was his only child.
A suggestion was made many, many years ago that perhaps George Senior could have been from Tongue/Tonge families either from “Ekylsall” (Kelsall) in York or West Thickley, County Durham, but no results have been found that those places have been investigated. However, those two Tongue/Tonge families probably aren’t related to each other, as the distance between the two villages is about 150 miles.
Second Generation
John Tongue, who seems to be only able to be the son of George, born 1658, was born about 1680. He married Anna Wheeler either on 25 November 1701 or 25 November 1702, as both dates are recorded in the New London vital records. All their children were born in New London, CT. John and Anna both died after 28 August 1728, when they sold 118 acres of land to Jonathan Morgan for L550. They may have removed to Fairfield, as daughter Anna apparently married Joseph Follett there a few years later.
Children:
1. John, born 12 April 1704
2. George, born 30 September 1705; died 24 May 1729, New London, CT
3. Elizabeth, born 2 October 1707
4. Jonathan, born 16 Augut 1710; died 19 October 1724, New London, CT
5. Anna, born 15 August 1712; died 8 May 1788, Ridgefield, Fairfield, CT; married Joseph Follett, 4 March 1730/1, Ridgefield, Fairfield, CT
6. Mary, born 12 December 1714
7. Tabitha, born 23 July 1717; died 5 September 1720, New London, CT
8. James, born 2 August 1719
9. Lydia, born 2 February 1721/2
10. Tabitha, born 23 January 1727/8
If you are descended from George and Margery Tongue of New London, Connecticut, please leave a comment. I would love to find some new cousins in this line.
I have recently (past year) found my lines leading me to the Wickwire, Chappell, Tonge (Tongue) families. George is my 9th Great Grandfather. If you have any new information since this was written, let me know!
Hi Dot, Thank you for the comment. I will post anything new here, but the Tonge/Tongue family doesn’t seem to have left a ton of records. I don’t know what your Wickwire time frame is, but I am aware that there was a Wickwire Loyalist line in New Brunswick, Canada after the Revolutionary War.
Yes, cousin through the Baker line.
Just finished reading “For Adam’s Sake” and highly recommend, if you have not. The author using extensive source material and Joshua Hempstead’s diary will deeply immerse reader into New London’s founding, families, industry, social and cultural life.
Just stumbled on your site. I find myself connected to George and Margery Tongue though their daughter Hannah who married Joshua Baker. Then through Joshua > Stephen > Lucretia Baker who married Stephen Rogers of Lyme. They migrated to NS in about 1760. My Connecticut connection though starts with George and Margaret Chappell, through their son Lt. Caleb Chappell., but also includes Bennett, Bill, Champion, Caulkins, De Wolfe, Elderkin, Gallup, Royce
Hello Tongue cousin! It’s interesting that so many families in the CT-RI area in the decades before the Revolution migrated to Canada. It wasn’t a political thing. There were representatives, for lack of a better word, hired to encourage families to settle in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Tongue family has been a relatively new connection for me compared to most of my colonial New England families.I only came across it a couple of years ago.
I descend from George and Margery, through George Tongue Jr., John Tongue, James Tongue (removed to Ridgefield, CT), Jonathan Tongue (died in Trumbull, CT), Ephraim Tong (buried in the South Cemetery, Bridgewater, CT), William J. Tong, Benjamin E. Tong, Mary Ella (she is my 2nd Great grandmother)
Hi John, Welcome to another Tongue cousin! And, another whose family has apparently remained in the CT area. Glad you found this post!
George Tongue 1658-1717
8th great-grandfather
John Tongue 1680-1750
Son of George Tongue
Anna Maria Tongue 1712-1788
Daughter of John Tongue
Rebecca Follett 1741-1810
Daughter of Anna Maria Tongue
Benjamin Burt 1762-1844
Son of Rebecca Follett
Charles Hathaway Burt 1791-1883
Son of Benjamin Burt
William Carleton Burtt 1835-1905
Son of Charles Hathaway Burt
Susie M Burtt 1886-1974
Daughter of William Carleton Burtt
A Florence Conant 1918-1981
Daughter of Susie M Burtt
Jacqueline Ann Brasslett 1944-
Daughter of A Florence Conant
Yvonne A Baldi (ME)
You are the daughter of Jacqueline Ann Brasslett
George and Margerye Tongue
Mary Tongue and John Wickwire
Peter Wickwire and Patience Chapel
Capt Peter Wickwire and Ronda Schofield
Prudence Wickwire and James Matin
Amy Emma Martin and John Cleveland
Rebecca Cleveland and Hamilton Martin
James T Martin and Elizabeth Kilpatrick
NOTE: The family looks like it stayed in New London, CT until the birth of Prudence Wickwire in Lower Cape, Albert Co., New Brunswick, Canada. Her husband, James Martin was born in County, Down Ireland.
hello, cousin through the tongue line, a direct descendant of george. i was told that the lineage is tuscarora. we were raised with many traditions that align with the nation though i’ve confirmed with them no one was registered. tongue is a native american surname.
Hello cousin,
I do believe whomever told you that is correct as George Tongue was supposedly granted land by uncas . Also many great grandfathers back of mine was joshua baker whom possessed joshua bakers farm located on the reservation as well as cochegan /joshuas rock. I am curious who told you .
Great web site and info!!!! Just in case you/others could use it —
FamilySearch has the original manuscript marriage record for John and Anna which shows ‘…Nov 26 1702 John Toung & Anna Wheeler both of New London..’
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK9-595K-9
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Also wrt marriage of daughter, Anna to Joseph Follett both original church record and Ancestry Barbour collection shows location as New London. Here’s the original record info ‘… March 4th 1731 Joseph Follet of Marblehead & Ann Tongue of N. London”
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK9-595J-6
I have a request in to FamilySearch for the one Barbour Record showing location as Ridgefield, CT to see if that might explain things.