Governor [Connecticut] John Winthrop, the Younger - Boston, MA
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N 42° 21.533 W 071° 03.588
19T E 330370 N 4691678
John Winthrop the Younger, the son of the Governor of Massachusetts Colony, was himself the first Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, established ironworks in Massachusetts, and a gristmill in Connecticut, and was admited to the Royal Society.
Waymark Code: WME773
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 04/12/2012
Views: 10
In Boston's downtown section, is the King's Chapel cemetery, which has a tomb for the Winthrop family, one of the early founders of Boston and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. On the top of the tomb is a listing of the family members buried there, including John Winthrop, the Younger.
To get to the tomb, from Tremont Street, enter the gate forthe King's Chapel Burial Ground and take a left, then a right on the brick walkway. The tomb will be off a branch of the walkway to the left (NOTE: there are signs that say stay on the walkway - please heed them).
For awhile, I had been confused about references to a John Withrop at various times - for instance, whether it was the same John Winthrop who was governor of both Massachusetts and Connecticut. However, after visiting this tomb and later reading a book about the iron works in Lynn (now in Saugus) and Braintree (now in Quincy) that I was able to finally separate (or disambiguate) the two.
John the younger was born in Groton, England on February 12, 1606, and came to the new colony named Massachusetts Bay with his father (Winthrop the Elder) in 1631. He continued to act as an assistant in the creation and administration of Massachusetts Bay Colony, of which his father who became its first Governor.
Winthrop developed an interest in science, especially in minerology, and applied his knowledge in establishing both the ironworks in Braintree and in Lynn, starting in 1644, two of the earlist iron works in the colony. His technical design of the works and management was adequate but the operations were not profitable, so he stepped back in 1645 - retaining an interest in the operations - and Richard Leeder took over management. Winthrop's scientific activities also include practicing medicine, and sending corrspondences on a variety of subjects, including claiming to have found a fifth moon of Jupiter, on a new method of determining longitude at sea, on the tides of the Bay of Fundy, and more. He was elected to membership in the newly formed Royal Society.
In 1640, he received a grant from England for Fisher's Island off what is now New London. He spent time at both Massachusetts and Connecticut until his father's death in 1649. He was elected governor of the new colony in 1657, then again in succession from 1659 to his death in 1676. Reports are that he was a very popular governor.
He died while attending a meeting in Boston of the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England.
Source:
Hartley, E. N. Ironworks on the Saugus. Tulsa, OK. University of Oklahoma Press, 1957.
Description:
John Winthrop the Younger was an early scientist in the colonies, and applied it when establishing two of the earliest iron works in the colonies at Braintree and Lynn, built one of the earliest gristmills in (now) New London, Connecticut, and was the first Governor of the Connecticut Colony. He was also the first 'American' to be admitted into the Royal Society.
Date of birth: 02/12/1606
Date of death: 04/06/1676
Area of notoriety: Politics
Marker Type: Tomb (above ground)
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daylight hours, when gate is open
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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