Fourth Generation

72. John ACKLEY III¹⁸¹ was born on 18 Oct 1749 in Colchester, New London , Connecticut.^4,5 He died on 29 Jul 1820 in Hamilton, Madison , New York.¹⁸² In 1780, and perhaps earlier, Joseph Toocker located in the North Society of Middletown, now Cromwell, Conn. In the Grand Levy of that year he is named and rated at œ22 4s. His name also appears in the lists of 1781, 1782, and 1783. On June 23, 1784, he bought of Luther Savage of Middletown, for œ80, one half acre and twenty rods of land in Middletown North Society and mortgaged the same to Savage July 23, 1784, for the full amount of the purchase money. [Middletown Land Records, XXII: 477, 478; XXVI: 520.] This land was located on the bank of the Connecticut River and was near the present Cromwell landing place. In the deed the purchaser is called "Joseph Tucker now resident in Middletown." It is evident that his purpose was to engage in shipbuilding and he had probably worked there at his trade for several years. At this time there was a revival of such interests on the Connecticut River and Middletown was a thriving port. Many ships sailed thence to all parts and it was the destination of many boats and rafts that came down the river with products for export. Hartford, however, soon outstripped Middletown in this business, being the natural head of navigation, and Joseph Toocker followed the course of his business. On November 12, 1787, he sold his Middletown property to Charles Churchill for œ90, signing the conveyance as "Joseph Toocker." [Ibid. XXVII: 525.]
It seems likely that he removed to Hartford in 1785 and worked there at his trade for some other party, as his name is not found in the Middletown lists of that year. On November 5, 1787, one week before the sale of his Middletown property, he leased for seven years from the executors of Major John Bigelow of Hartford, sixty square rods of land in that town, located on the west bank of the Connecticut River. This property he mortgaged May 31, 1790, to John Toocker. [Hartford Land Records XVIII: 408, 474.] On this land he built a dwelling house and some other buildings which were noted as standing on it in 1790
He sold to John Ackley, April 3, 1798, a dwelling house and buildings standing on land "formerly belonging to John Thomas, but now to Josiah Buck of Wethersfield," "being the house I built and formerly lived in." This was presumably the above property, the land being leased, as no other conveyance appears. [Ibid. XXI: 632.]

John ACKLEY III and Mehitable BROWN were married on 30 Mar 1774 in Hebron, Tolland , Connecticut.^5,6 Mehitable BROWN (daughter of Jedediah BROWN and Sarah STUBBINS) was born on 30 Sep 1756 in New London, New London , Connecticut.¹⁸² She died on 14 Jun 1813 in Hamilton, Madison , New York.¹⁸² John ACKLEY III and Mehitable BROWN had the following children:

+241	i.	Lydia ACKLEY.
+242	ii.	Polly ACKLEY.
243	iii.	John ACKLEY was born on 18 Mar 1779 in Hebron, Tolland , Connecticut.5,182 He was a Surveyor.183
+244	iv.	Clarissa ACKLEY.
245	v.	Laura ACKLEY was born on 11 May 1786 in Hebron, Tolland , Connecticut.5
+246	vi.	Rev Oliver ACKLEY.