James Ensign

James Ensign was born in 1590 in Fordwich, City of Canterbury, Kent, England. He is reported to have been the first to come to America, along with Thomas Ensign, who may have been his brother. Thomas never had children. James went to Newton (Cambridge) and owned an estate on the east side of Brighton Street, which extended from Mt. Auburn Street to Winthrop Street, near the world renowned Harvard University. He went with Rev. Thomas Hooker's company and was one of the first proprietors of Hartford, Connecticut, around 1634. His home was located on the south side of Elm Street, a lot of 24 acres. He married Sarah Elson and they were original members of the South Church and/or the Second Church. James served as Hartford's constable from 1649 to 1652, chimney-viewer in 1655 and townsman in 1656. He died in Hartford in November of 1670, at the age of 79 or 80. He is buried in the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford. At the time of his death, his estate was appraised at over £729, a considerable estate for that period.