John Haynes (Governor)

Signature of John Haynes

John Haynes (born May 1, 1594 in Essex , † January 1653 or 1654 in Hartford , Connecticut ) was an English colonial magistrate. He served as British colonial governor in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and eight terms in the Connecticut Colony .

John Haynes was born in Essex, England, which was considered the stronghold of the Puritan movement . The son of John Haynes and Mary Michel came to riches and landed property in England, but left it all to move to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in July 1633 . He initially settled in Newtown and, as a prominent member of the colony, was elected to the post of governor in 1635. During his tenure, he banished the theologian Roger Williams - a decision he would later regret.

Due to increasing religious disputes and food shortages in the colony, he left Massachusetts with his family and set off with Thomas Hooker to establish a colony in an area known as Connecticut . After the "Fundamental Orders" of the colony were ratified in 1638/39, Haynes was the first elected governor of the Colony of Connecticut . Haynes was apparently popular with the population as he remained either governor or deputy governor for the rest of his life. He finally died in Hartford in January 1653 or 1654.

His greatest achievement was his work on building the New England Confederation . He was married to Mary Thornton and had six children with her. Several years after her death, he married Mabel Harlakenden, with whom he had five other children. One of the children of John Haynes was the future General Hezekiah Haynes , who served as a soldier in Oliver Cromwell's army.

Web links

• John Haynes in the database of Find a Grave (English)