Thomas Rood and His Shocking Family Scandal

Thomas Rood is one of my ancestors and his story is shocking. He arrived in the New England colonies during the Great Puritan Migration (1620-1640). About 80,000 English colonists left Europe due to religious persecution and settled in America. If you want to learn about Thomas Roode, his life and the illicit relationship that led to his death, here are the key details you need to know about the Puritan settler

Thomas Rood’s Early Life in England

Thomas Rood was born in Glastonbury, Somerset, England, in 1626 to Thomas Rood Sr. and Elizabeth Greene. There is little information about Thomas Jr.’s life in England. His father was possibly a lawyer. 

Move to New England 

Between 1633 and 1635, Thomas Jr. moved to America with his family. His father settled in Boston, Massachusetts, with his brother settling in Saybrook, Connecticut. 

Thomas Rood was one of the first settlers in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut and he also settled in Saybrook, Connecticut, in 1649. He was an attorney and reportedly owned plenty of property. 

Reportedly on good terms with the Indigenous peoples in the area, Thomas highly regarded them, and his property included several of their sacred sites.

Thomas Rood’s Wife and Family 

On January 1647, Rood married Sarah Leffingwell, daughter of William Leffingwell and Mary White, in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay. They had nine children: Sarah Rood, Thomas Rood, Micah Rood, Rachel Rood, John Rood, Joseph Rood, Benjamin Rood, Mary Rood and Samuel Rood. 

His Incestuous Relationship 

After his wife died, Thomas Rood began sexually abusing his eldest daughter, Sarah. In 1672, rape accusations were made against Thomas. Sarah was 23, pregnant and unmarried, which posed a big problem. When questioned, she revealed that her father was the child’s dad.

Both faced charges of incest and both pleaded guilty. Sarah’s guilt was considered less than her father’s and she was whipped twice while naked — once in Hartford and once in Norwich. Thomas was hanged in October 1672 at the age of 46 and buried in Norwichtown, New London County, Connecticut, British Colonial America. 

George Rood, their child, was born in 1672. In 1675, the Norwich court ordered his uncle, Thomas Leffingwell, to care for him until he turned 21. Following this, Sarah moved to New London, located at the mouth of the Thames River. 

My relation to Thomas Rood

Connection One

1. Thomas Rood (1626 – 1672) and Sarah Leffingwell (1629 – 1668)
2. Samuel Rood (1666 – 1742) and Mary Mariner (abt. 1668 – 1715)
3. Mary Rood (1698 – 1752) and Stephen Jarvis Bursh (abt. 1668 – 1715)
4. Stephen Rood Brush (1730–1801) and Abiah Cornwall (1748 – 1810)
5. Stephen Brush (1765 – 1808) and Jemima Squire (1766 – 1854)
6. Jarius Rood Jarvis Brush (1795 – 1870) and Mary Cornwall (1799 – 1877) 
7. Nathan Brush (1836 – 1903) and Elizabeth Jones (1839 – 1931)
8. Amelia Isabella Brush (1864 – 1935) and Joseph Eli Bondy (1858 – 1944) 
9. Pearl Leafy Bondy (1885 – 1966) and Edward Walter Grondin (1886 – 1973) 
10. Walter Grondin (1910 – 1998) and Mary Catherine Higgins (1908 – 1983)
11. Martha Grondin (Born 1950) and Gary Willis (Born 1946) – my parents

Connection Two

1. Thomas Rood (1626 – 1672) and Sarah Leffingwell (1629 – 1668)
2. Thomas Rood (1651 – 1698) and Hannah Benham (1661 – 1695)
3. Jonathan Rood (1685 – 1734) and Margaret Rowe (1689 – 1733)
4. Abigail Rood (1733–1797) and Benjamin Squires (1729 – 1797)
5. Jemima Squire (1766 – 1854) and Stephen Brush (1765 – 1808) 
6. Jarius Rood Jarvis Brush (1795 – 1870) and Mary Cornwall (1799 – 1877) 
7. Nathan Brush (1836 – 1903) and Elizabeth Jones (1839 – 1931)
8. Amelia Isabella Brush (1864 – 1935) and Joseph Eli Bondy (1858 – 1944) 
9. Pearl Leafy Bondy (1885 – 1966) and Edward Walter Grondin (1886 – 1973) 
10. Walter Grondin (1910 – 1998) and Mary Catherine Higgins (1908 – 1983)
11. Martha Grondin (Born 1950) and Gary Willis (Born 1946) – my parents

Are you related to the Rood family? Let me know!