Until recently the Society periodically produced small booklets containing biographies of colonial taverners and innkeepers. These biographies were prepared by members and then edited by the Society’s editor. In light of their general popularity, we have decided at last to put them on our webpage for free use by our members and by the general public. However, we anticipate that all users will act responsibly and provide appropriate credit to the Society (Flagon & Trencher) as the copyright holder of these materials. Appropriate guidance is given with each biography for that purpose.
Remember, in the 150-year focus of our Society, there are estimated to have been as many as 25,000 taverners and innkeepers. We have barely scratched the surface. Nevertheless, we have begun.
A variety of formats have been used in preparing the biographies, due to the Society having several editors over the course of its existence. Each editor has employed his or her preference in the presentation of the information. In the present 2025, we use the standardized “register” format, providing more genealogical information to benefit newcomers to research.
Biographies have been uploaded for the ancestors below whose names are hyperlinks. Additional ancestors’ biographies will appear as they are completed. Visit often for updates to this page.
After reviewing the contents of this page, if you wish to submit a biography of your ancestor, please contact the Keeper of the Tavern Records for instructions on how to do so.
For a more complete list of qualifying ancestors, click ANCESTORS or go to the tab in the menu. Remember, the lists found there are periodically updated as well.
For the most recent issue of our Newsletter, Flagon & Trencher News, click NEWSLETTER or go to the tab in the menu.
Abell, Sgt. Caleb (Sr.), Norwich, CT, c.1646 – 1731
Adams, Jeremy, Hartford, CT, c.1604 – 1683
Andrews, John, White Horse Tavern, Ipswich, MA, c.1623 – 1662
Andrews, Robert, Ipswich, MA, c.1593 – 1643/4
Arrington, Arthur (Jr.), Nash Co., NC, c.1735 – 1795
Ashby, Anthony, Salem, MA, c.1635 – c.1708
Ashley, Robert, Springfield, MA, bef 1620 – 1682
Ayers, John, Quaubauge, MA, bef 1625 – 1675
Backer/Baker, Thomas, Easthampton, LI, NY, 1618 – 1700
Baker, John, Ipswich, MA, 1598 – c.1681
Baldwin, Richard, Milford, CT, 1622 – 1665
Barnett, Ambrose, Neavill’s Ordinary, Auburn, VA, c.1747 – 1808
Baulstone, William, Aquaneck, RI, c.1600 – 1679
Beadle, Hannah (Lemon), Salem, MA, 1650 – c. 1735
Beadle, Samuel, Salem, MA, 1650 – 1706
Beadle, Thomas, Salem, MA, bef 1658 – 1700
Beckwith, Joseph, Lyme, CT, c.1679 – 1741
Beers, Capt. Richard, Watertown, MA, 1607 – 1675
Besley, James, Besley’s Tavern, New Rochelle, NY, c.1717 – aft 1776
Besley, Capt. Oliver (& Descendants), New Rochelle, NY, bef 1670 – bef 1748
Bisbee, Elisha, Scituate, MA, 1616 – 1695
Blakesley, Ebenezer, New Haven, CT, 1664 – 1735
Brown, Capt. Abraham, Watertown, MA, 1671 – 1729
Cann, John, New Castle, DE, 1645 – 1694
Chandler, Col. John, New London, CT, 1665 – 1743
Chipman, Samuel (the younger), Barnstable and Groton, MA, 1687 – aft 1751
Chipman, Samuel, Barnstable and Groton, MA, 1661 – aft 1717
Chipman, Thomas, Barnstable and Groton, MA, 1687 – ?
Clapp, Jonathan, Easthampton, MA, 1713 – 1782
Clarke, William, The Ship’s Tavern, Salem, MA, ? – 1647
Clary, Daniel, Salisbury, NC, c.1750 – 1797
Clement, Col. Obadiah, Warren, NH, 1742 – 1829
Coffin, Tristram, Newbury, MA, 1609/10 – 1681
Cole, James, Plymouth, MA, 1600 – aft 1688
Cole, Samuel, Boston, MA, bef 1609 – 1666/7
Collyer, Hezekiah, Hartford, CT, 1731 – 1768
Collyer, Jennett (Nevins), Hartford, CT, 1731 – aft. 1788
Collyer, William, Hartford, CT, b. 1754
Conant, Exercise, Boston, MA, 1637 – 1722
Conkey, William, Conkey’s Tavern, Pelham, MA, 1717 – 1788
Coolidge, Elisha, Ashburnham, MA, 1730 – 1807
Cooper, John, Southampton, LI, NY, 1584 – 1662
Cornell, Thomas, Boston, MA (revisited), c.1595 – c.1655
Craddock, William (Sr.), Amelia Co., VA, c.1710 – 1795
Danforth, Nicholas, Cambridge, MA, ? – 1638
Daniell, William, Milton, MA, c.1600 – 1678
Dawson, John, Crooked Billet Inn, Hatboro, PA, ? – 1742
Dietrich, Adam, Sunbury, PA, 1740-1817
Drake, Francis, Piscataway, NJ, c.1620 – 1687
Earle, Ralph, Newport, RI, 1606 – 1678
Eichholtz, John Jacob, The Plow Inn, Lancaster, PA, 1712 – 1760
Ely, Nathaniel, Ely’s Tavern, Springfield, MA, c.1607 – 1675
Ely, Samuel, Ely’s Tavern, Springfield, MA, c.1630 – 1691
Emery, Anthony, Dover Neck, NH and Kittery, ME, c.1600 – 1680
Farmer, Thomas, Surrey Co., VA, 1681 – 1723
Faulkner, Edmund, Andover, MA, c.1625 – 1687
Fiske, William, Wenham, MA, 1613 – 1654
Gardner, Thomas, Salem, MA, c.1592 – 1674
Gerhart, Peter, Gerhart’s Tavern, Montgomery Co., PA, 1716 – 1767
Gilbert, Jonathan, Cold Spring, CT, c.1618 – 1682
Goodwin, Daniel, Kittery, ME, bef 1630 – c.1712
Grave(s), John, Guilford, CT, 1658/9 – 1726
Greenleaf, Edmund, Newbury, MA, c.1590 – 1671
Grover, James, Navesink, NJ, bef 1625 – 1685
Hall, John, Derryfield, NH, c.1720 – 1794
Hanby, John, Rowan Co., NC, c.1700 – 1768
Harding, Stephen, Wells, ME, c.1680 – 1747
Hatch, Jonathan, Sacconnessett, MA, 1626 – 1710
Hathaway, John, Freetowne, MA, 1650 – 1730
Heller, Simon, Heller’s Tavern, Wind Gap, PA, 1721 – 1785
Higby, Edward, Middletown, CT, 1615/6 – 1699
Hilton, William, Kittery Point, ME, 1590 – 1656
Hobson, John, Guilford, CT, c.1610 – 1701
Hoge, William, Hoge’s Tavern, Winchester, VA, 1660 – 1749
Holden, John, Concord, MA, 1675 – 1767
Hopkins, Stephen (revised), Plymouth, MA, c.1582 – 1644
How, John, Marlborough, MA, c.1602 – 1680
Howard, John, Bridgewater, MA, c.1620 – c.1700
Howe, David, Sudbury, MA, 1674 – 1759
Howe, Col. Samuel, The Howe Tavern, Sudbury, MA, 1642 – 1713
Howell, David, Howell’s Tavern, Tredyffrin Twp., Chester Co., PA, c.1736 – 1778
Hoyt, Moses, East Chester, NY, c.1637 – c.1712
Hubbard, Samuel, Springfield, MA, c.1610 – 1689
Hubbell, Peter, Newtown, CT, 1686 – 1780
Huckins, Thomas, Barnstable, MA, c.1617 – 1679
Hull, Capt. Benjamin, Hull’s Tavern, Piscataway, NJ, 1639 – 1713
Hull, Capt. Daniel, Berlin, NY, 1725 – 1811
Ingersoll, Ens. Benjamin, Falmouth, ME, 1687 – 1755
Ingersoll, George, Gloucester, MA, 1618 – 1694
Jack, Patrick, Charlotte, NC, 1700 – 1780
Jackson, John, Cambridge, MA, c.1645 – 1709
Jacob, Nicholas, Hingham, MA, bef 1600 – 1657
Johnson, John, Roxbury, MA, bef 1605 – 1659
Jones, Samuel, Jones Tavern, Acton, MA, 1707 – 1802
Keith, Josiah, Easton, MA, 1678 – 1754
Kellogg, Joseph, Hadley, MA, 1626 – 1707/8
King, Deborah (Prince), Boston, MA, 1657 – 1712/3
Kuykendall, Pieter, Nachmackemeck, NY, 1698 – aft 1759
Lane, William Carr, Newgate Eagle Tavern, Newgate, VA, 1737 – 1770
Leek(e), Philip, New Haven, CT, c.1611 – 1676
Leffingwell, Thomas (Jr.), Leffingwell Inn, Norwich, CT, 1649 – 1724
LeVan, Daniel, Berks Co., PA, c.1709 – 1777
Lewis, John, The Blew Ankor, Lynn, MA, 1631 – 1710
Lischer, Johannes, The Crown Inn, Bethlehem and Nazareth, PA, 1719 – 1782
Lombard, Thomas, Barnstable, MA, 1610 – 1663
Long, Robert, Three Cranes Inn, Charlestown, MA, 1590 – 1664
Lynde, Thomas, Charlestown, MA, c.1597 – 1671
March, Hugh, The Blue Anchor, Newbury, MA, 1620 – 1693
Marshfield, Samuel, Marshfield’s Tavern, Springfield, MA, bef 1631 – 1692
Mathews, Henry, The Hornes, VA, bef 1642 – aft 1679
Maupin, Gabriel, Bruton Parish and Williamsburg, VA, c.1666 – bef 1719/20
McIntyre, John, Warren, ME, 1724 – 1796
Miller, Thomas, Rowley, MA, 1609 – 1680
Mitchell, Jonathan, MitchellInn, North Yarmouth, ME, 1724 – 1817
Moore, Samuel, Woodbridge, NJ, c.1630 – 1688
Moulton, Joseph, The Moulton Tavern, York, ME, 1648 – 1691/2
Mowry, Roger, The Mowry Tavern, Providence, RI, bef 1610 – 1666
Mowry, Roger (revisited), Providence, RI (revisited), bef 1610 – 1666
Munroe, William, Munroe Tavern, Lexington, MA, 1669 – 1759
Neville/Neavill, George, Neavill’s Ordinary, Auburn, VA, c.1695 – 1774
Neville/Neavill, Mary (Gibbs), Neavill’s Ordinary, Auburn, VA, c.1711 – 1778
Neville, Joseph (Sr.), Fredericksburg and Caroline Co., VA, 1707 – aft 1790
Nevius, Johannes, Ferry Tavern, Brooklyn, NY, 1627 – bef 1672
Oakley, Miles, White Plains, NY, c.1740 – bef 1790
Parker, Capt. James, North Yarmouth, MA, 1687 – 1732
Parmenter, John, Parmenter Tavern, Sudbury, MA, c.1612 – 1666
Parsons, Joseph, Springfield, MA, c.1618 – 1683
Peeck, Maria (Trieux) Viele, New Amsterdam, 1617 – c.1671
Perkins, John, Ipswich, MA, c.1614 – 1686
Phillips, Thomas, The Sun Tavern, Boston, MA, c.1678 – c.1726
Pia, Pierre, New Amsterdam, 1604 – 1664
Potter, Nicholas, Lynn, MA, 1604 – 1677
Pulsipher, David, Rockingham, VT, 1708 – c.1775
Rapelje, Joris Janszen, New Amsterdam, 1604 – 1663
Read, John, Rehoboth, MA, 1598 – 1685
Reed, Capt. Joseph, York Co., PA, 1733 – 1804
Reigart, Col. Adam, The Grape Inn, Lancaster, PA, 1739 – 1813
Robie, Henry, Hampton, NH, 1618/9 – 1688
Robinson, Isaac, Succanesett (Falmouth), MA, 1610 – 1704
Royce, Robert, New London, CT, bef 1613 – 1676
Ryckman, Capt. Albert Jansen, Albany, NY, 1663 – 1737
Sandford, Zechariah, Bunch of Grapes, Hartford, CT, c.1664 – 1714
Scott, Mrs. Ann, Hartford, CT, c.1600 – 1675
Scurlock, Maj. Mial, Chatham Court House, NC, c.1720 – 1781
Sebrell, Nathaniel, Hog Island, VA, 1723 – c.1816
Severance, John (Sr.), Salisbury, MA, c.1609 – 1682
Smith, John “Rock”, Hempstead, LI, NY, c.1615 – 1706
Snow, Thomas, The Sign of the Dove, Boston, MA, bef 1615 – 1668/9
St. John, Matthias, Norwalk, CT, 1628 – 1728
Strang, Daniel, Strang’s Tavern, Rye, NY, 1661 – 1707
Sturgis, Edward, Yarmouth, MA, 1613 – 1695
Sutton, John, The Stage House Inn, Scotch Plains, NJ, 1674 – aft 1746
Swett, Stephen, Newbury, MA, c.1618 – 1691
Taylor, John, Deerfield, MA, 1722 – 1799
Taylor, John, Northampton, MA, c.1640 – 1704
Taylor, Othniel, Charlemont, MA, 1719 – 1788
Taylor, Samuel, Deerfield, MA, 1688 – 1733/4
Thilman, Paul, Hanover Co., VA, 1729 – 1784
Tilley, George, Boston, MA, bef 1705 – 1761
Trafton, Thomas, York, ME, c.1624 – c.1706
Tucke, Robert, Hampton, NH, c.1600 – 1664
Tunis, Anthony, Tunis Ordinary, Merion, PA, 1693/4 – 1762
Turner, Robert, Sign of the Anchor, Boston, MA, c.1612 – 1664
Van Borsum, Egbert, New Amsterdam, NY, bef 1618 – bef 1676
Van Etten, Jan, Forks Twp., Northampton Co., PA, 1720 – 1786
Van Horn, Abraham, White House Tavern, White House, NJ, 1699 – 1759
Van Schaick, Arie Cornelissen, Two Mile Tavern, Manhattan, NY, 1642 – 1699
Van Schaick, Sybrant Goosen, Albany, NY, 1653 – c.1685
Vreeland, Michiel Jansen, New Amsterdam, 1610 – 1663
Wass, John, Boston, MA, and Falmouth, ME, c.1670 – 1741
Waterman, Ens. Thomas, Norwich, CT, 1644 – 1708
Webb, John, Webb’s Tavern, Northampton, MA, c.1615 – 1670
Webster, Col. David, Plymouth, NH, 1738 – 1824
Westcott, Stukely, Warwick, RI, c.159 – 1676/7
White, Mark (Jr.), White’s Tavern, Acton, MA, 1716 – 1798
Wilson, Thomas, Paradise Twp., York Co., PA, bef 1732 – 1768
Woodward, Henry, Northampton, MA, bef 1619 – 1683
Yelverton, John, Yelverton Inn, Chester, NY, 1693 – 1767
Flagon and Trencher: Descendants of Colonial Tavernkeepers 