Thrale history

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Genealogy of Walter G Thrall

Introduction

For my authority for this Genealogy, I have consulted Dr. Styles’ history of Windsor. Connecticut; the old Monuments in Turkey Hills which was a parish of Windsor; sundry family records; and I have examined some books on heraldry.

In my description of families, I speak generally of such sons and daughters only as lived to be nearly or quite men and women grown. I have given but little description of any families except those in the direct line from William Thrall, the ancestor, who was born in England, to Walter G. Thrall, who was born in Columbus Ohio (who is the writer’s grandson.) I have given a sketch of the writer’s uncles, aunts and first cousins. I should gladly have given a more particular history of great uncles, and aunts, and second cousins, but I was too deficient in their history. For many years I have been collecting the facts here recorded.

I hope this will excite others to extend the record through other lines of the Thrall family, which can conveniently be done by adding to this a few blank leaves; and I recommend to each person to extend the record as far as their information reaches. Few seem to be aware of the importance of keeping a correct genealogical trace of their families and ancestors. Many estates have been lost to their rightful owners for the want of the necessary evidence of relationship.

Genealogies and family records tend to promote family ties and friendly associations. They cement the brotherhood of relatives. All are sensible of the pride and gratification one feels when he can turn to a line of virtuous ancestors. A person having a family pride, is less likely to be guilty of a disgraceful act, than one who is wholly indifferent as to his connections. The great body of the early settlers of New England were worthy men. Many were of the higher class. Puritanism did not generally prevail among the ignorant or dissolute.

There has been in our country a great neglect in preserving family records. There is now much difficulty in obtaining the names ages and locality, of many of our ancestors. It is not so in Europe, where the laws of primogeniture and hereditary honors prevail; they necessarily preserve family records. We should cherish with grateful recollection the memory of parents, and follow their good advice and example, forgetting their foibles and errors.

Our ancestors came from England. We find the name there, and in this country, spelled in different ways—as Thrall, Trall, Thrale, Thrail, &c. The rules of orthography in 1650, were not well settled. The writer knew quite recently, two brothers, who lived about twenty miles apart, one spelling his surname Jacobs, the other James. We find in the seal of paper money issued by the Colony of Massachusetts, in 1690, the words Massachusetts Bay, in New England, spelled “;Mattachvsets Bay, in Nov Anglia.”;

Of the name in England, we find Henry Thrall, or Thrale, of London, a wealthy brewer, who was a member of the House of Commons in Parliament in 1763; he died in 1781. his wife was an authoress, and published a volume of her works in 1786. She was distinguished for beauty and accomplishments.

Robert Trall was a Presbyterian minister, and an author. His son Robert was also a minister. James, the son of the latter, who spelled his name Thrall, was, in 1765, Bishop of Downs and Conner.

William Thrall, 1st, our ancestor, generally spelled his name Thrall, yet I have seen a deed of his conveying land, where it was spelled Trall.

Collins’ Peerage, Vol. 4, page 447, says Richard Thrall, Esq., of Denwick, County of Sussex, married Margaret, the eldest daughter of Mr. Onslow, who was Lord Chancellor in the eighth year of Queen Elizabeth.

We find the name often in all the north and northwestern portions of the United States.