Elizabeth Stoughton

Elizabeth married Joseph Diggins in 17 Dec1735 in Somers, Tolland Co, Connecticut. Joseph (son of Jeremiah Dikins and Rebecca Elmore) was born on 2 Apr 1710 in Hartford County, Connecticut Colony; died on 9 Feb 1791 in Windsor, Hartford Co, Connecticut Colony. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
From Conn Genealogies: [Elizabeth was the] daughter of William Stoughton. This marriage was against the wish of the bride's father, and [Rev. Timothy] Edwards refused the communion to the young couple, and refused to baptize their children, unless Diggins should make public confession of his "scandalous offence." The church seems to have taken the young man's part, and endeavored in every way to persuade the pastor to recede. A lengthy controversy ensued, which finally developed into a trial of the pastor's power and right to negative (sic) a vote of the church. The struggle continued for several years, and is fully recorded in "A Narrative of the Troubles in the Second Church in Windsor from the year 1735 to the year 1741" a manuscript of Gov. Roger Wolcott in the possession of the Connecticut Historical Society at Hartford.
A Mr. Matt B. Jones who contributed the Dickens, Diggins notes states that he has recently (1980's) found Joseph Diggins' and Elizabeth Stoughton's "marriage record among the early marriages of Somers, Conn, under date Dec 17, 1735, the name of the wife there appearing as Elizabeth Houghton, but it is stated that both were of Windsor and there was no Houghton family of Windsor, the evidence being abundant that he did marry Elizabeth Stoughton."
In light of the scandalous nature of their marriage, it seems likely the couple dashed over to the neighboring Toland county to get married and the bride "accidentally" misspelled her last name.

1. John Diggins was born about 1717 in Windsor, Hartford Co, Connecticut; died on 20 Aug 1773 in Chatham, Hartford Co, Connecticut.
2. Oliver Diggins was born about 1735 in Windsor, Hartford Co, Connecticut Colony; died on 25 Jan 1819 in Wethersfield, Windsor Co, Vermont; was buried about Jan 1819 in Ascutneyville Cem, Windsor Co, Vermont.