Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
PITKIN, Albert Hastings,
Curator.
From the earliest settlement of New
England, the name of Pitkin has been
a prominent one in the annals of its his-
tory.
A worthy and prominent member of
this honorable family, Albert Hastings
Pitkin was born August 20, 1852, in Hartford,
Connecticut, son of Albert P. and
Jane Ann (Hastings) Pitkin, and died
there October 14, 1917. He was a lineal
descendant of William Pitkin, the progenitor
of the family in this country, who
was born in England in 1635, and died
December 16, 1694. He came from England
to America in 1659, and was admitted
a freeman, October, 1662. He was possessed
of an excellent education, and was
appointed in 1662 as prosecutor for the
Colony; in 1664 appointed attorney-gen-
eral to the King; in 1675 an d until 1690
was representative of Hartford in the
Colonial Assembly ; was treasurer of the
Colony in 1676 and commissioner to the
United Colonies; was appointed in 1676
to negotiate peace with the Narragansett
and other Indian tribes ; was elected a
member of the Colonial Council in 1690.
He was one of the principal citizens of
the town and was appointed with John
Crow to lay out the first Main street and
other streets on the east side of the river.
He married, in 1661, Hannah Goodwin,
the only daughter of the Hon. Ozias and
Mary (Woodward) Goodwin. Ozias
Goodwin was the progenitor of the Goodwin
family in Connecticut. Mrs. Hannah
(Goodwin) Pitkin was born in 1637, and
died February 12, 1724.
Roger Pitkin, eldest child of William
and Hannah (Goodwin) Pitkin, was born
in 1662, and died November 24, 1748. He
was engaged in farming, and was a leading
citizen of the community. He served
for several years as selectman and was
the first school committeeman in 1720.
He was appointed captain of the first
militia company on the east side of the
river, and was actively engaged with his
company in the defense of the town
against the Indians in 1704 and also at
other times. He "owned the covenant"
with the First Church of Hartford, November
22, 1685. In 1683 he married Hannah
Stanley, daughter of Captain Caleb
and Hannah (Cowles) Stanley. The
father of Captain Caleb Stanley was a
passenger with the Rev. Thomas Hooker
when he came to America. Roger and
Hannah (Stanley) Pitkin were the
parents of Jonathan, of whom further.
Jonathan Pitkin, son of Roger Pitkin,
was born March 1, 1697. He married, in
1728, Rebecca, daughter of Philip Smith,
of Hadley, Massachusetts.
Jonathan Pitkin, Jr., son of Jonathan
Pitkin, was born in 1730, and died in December,
1812. He married, in 1760, Lucy,
daughter of Dr. Joseph and Elizabeth
(Hollister) Steele, born January 24, 1740,
and died February 20, 1804.
Ezekiel Pitkin, second child of
Jonathan Pitkin, Jr., was born January
26, 1763, and died May 22, 1843. Previous
to 1807 he married Euphemia Chapman,
and they were the parents of Deni-
son Palmer, of whom further.
Denison Palmer Pitkin, son of Ezekiel
Pitkin, was born February 15, 1807, died
July 18, 1871. He married, in 1828,