596327

[2655.ftw]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #2655, Date of Import: Nov 10, 1998]

Jonathan Rudd came to America, landing in Massachusetts. He joined Thomas Hooker's group to Hartford,CT and about 1635 went to Saybrook where he was one of the Founding Families of Saybrook Colony and was one of 40 grantees of land.
Land records show that the lot and house owned by Lt. Jonathan Rudd was purchased by John Wastoll and later sold to Lt. William Bushnell. The property was bounded on the South by Jeremiah Peck.
As a youth, Jonathan was well known in Saybrook Colony having been arrested many times, once for being drunk and disorderly on the Sabbath.
Jonathan was a soldier in the King Philip War attaining the rank of Lieutenant.
Jonathan was married at "Bridesbrook" in 1646/47 by Gov. Winthrop of Massachusetts. There is some confusion as to whether his wife's name was Mary Metcalf or Mary Burchard. Mary Metcalf was born in 1618 to Michael and Sarah Metcalf. Records show that she was married to Henry Wilson on November 24,1642 so this would be her second marriage. It is believed that Gov. Winthrop would only travel the great distance to marry a couple as a favor to a friend and he and Thomas Burchard were good friends leading one to believe that his Jonathan's wife was, indeed, Mary Burchard.
The telling of the story and the naming of the brook is thus:
On route 156 in Niantic in the area of Rock Neck State Park there is a brook which apparently served as a border between Connecticut and Massachusetts.(There is a granite stone with a plaque denoting the spot and the occasion.) The brook is approximately 15 miles from Saybrook Colony. The marriage was performed by Gov. Winthrop of Massachusetts and since he could not perform the ceremony in Connecticut, this site was selected. Gov. Winthrop stood on the Massachusetts side and Jonathan and Mary stood on the Connecticut side and the vows were shouted across the brook. Thus the name "Bridesbrook".