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.