There is a lot of controversy over the origins of Lt. Thomas Tracy.

Dr. Dwight Tracy in his 1908 pamphlet, "The Tracys in America -- Recently Discovered English Ancestry of Governor William Tracy of Virginia, 1620, and of his only son, Lieutenant Thomas Tracy of Salem, Massachusetts and Norwich Connecticut" tried to show that he was the son of Gov. Wm. Tracy. John G. Hunt in his "Fiction Versus Possibility in the Tracy Genealogy" did a fairly decent job of debunking that claim. Gov Tracy's son William seems fairly clearly to have died by May 29, 1633.

Lt. Charles Stedman Ripley in 1895 tried to show that Thomas was the son of Paul Tracy, Bart., and the grandson of Richard Tracy of Stanway. He bases much of this claim on family tradition, which holds that Thomas himself claimed to be the grandson of Richard Tracy. Ripley does a pretty decent job of eliminating Richard's sons Nathaniel and Samuel as Thomas's father and concludes that Thomas must be Paul's son.

Ripley, however, shows very little real evidence of Thomas's descent and accepts some questionable assertions rather uncritically. Both Donald Lines Jacobus in "The Waterman Family" (vol 1, 1939, pp. 691-694) and John G. Hunt did a fairly good job of arguing against Paul and all of the Tracys of Stanway.

Hunt himself put forth the notion that Thomas was from the Tracys of Norwich, England. This claim was evaluated in "The Origins of Thomas Tracy of Connecticut", research for Mrs. Edward A Williams done in February 1986 by the genealogists of Debrett Ancestry Research in England. They came to no final conclusion, but hold out substantial hope.

To date there is no reliable evidence of Thomas's ancestry. All of the connections except the possibility that he is from the Norwich Tracys have been discreditted.

Deed of the Town of Norwich, Connecticut

The deed for the town of Norwich (originally "Mohegan") reads as follows:

"Know all men that Onkos, Owaneco, Attawanhood, Sachems of Mohegan have Bargained, sold, and passed over, and doe by these presents sell and pass over unto the towne and Inhabitants of Norwich nine miles square of land lying and being at Mohegan and the parts thereunto adjoyneing, with all ponds, rivers. woods, quarries, mines, with all royalties, privileges, and appurtenaces thereunto belonging, to them the said inhabitiants of Norwich, theire heirs and successors forever--from thence the line run nor north east nine miles, and on the East side the afores?d river to the southward the line is to joyne with New London bounds as it is now laid out and soe to run east two miles from the foresd river, nor norwest nine miles to meet with the western line.

In consideration whereof the sd Onbkos, Owanexo and Attawanhood doe acknowledge to have received of the parties aforesd the full and juste sum of seventy pounds and doe promise and engage ourselves, heirs and successors, to warrant the sd bargain and sale to the aforesd parties, their heirs and successors, and them to defend from all claimes and molestations from any whatsoever.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set out to our hands this 6th of June, Anno 1659.

Unkos
Owaneco
Attawanhood

Witness hereunto, John Mason, Thomas Tracy"

Patent of the Town of Norwich

The Patent of the Town of Norwich, A.D. 1685

Whereas the General Court of Connecticut have forever granted unto the proprietors and Inhabitants of the Towne of Norwich all those lands, both meadows and uplands within these abuttments (viz.) from the mouth of Tradeingcove Brooke the line to run as the Brooke to the head of the Brooke to a white oake marked N: and from thence west nortwesterly to a great pond to a black oake marked N: wich stands neere the mouth of the great Brooke that runs out of the pond to Norwich river, which is about seven miles from the said Tradeing Cove; and from thence the line runns North noreast nine miles to a Black oake standing by the river side on the south of it, a little above maumeagway, and from thence the line runs south southeasterly nine miles to a white oake standing by a brooke marked N: and then the line runs south southwesterly nine miles to a white oake neere Robert ALLYN & Thomas ROSE's Dwelling houses, which tree is marked N: and from thence westerly as New London Bounds runs to Mohegen river, the whole being nine miles square, the said land haveing been by purchase or otherwise lawfully obtayned of the Indian natives proprietors. -- And whereas, the said Inhabitants and proprietors of the sd Norwich in the Colony of Connecticutt have made application to the Governor and Company of the sd Colony of Conecticutt assembled in Court May 2th, 1685, that they may have a patent for the confirmation of the aforesd land, so purchased and granted to them as aforesaid, and which they have stood seized, and quietly possesd of for many years late past without interuption. Now for a more full confirmation of the aforesd unto the present proprietors of the sd Towneship of Norwich in their possession and injoyment of the premises, know yea that the sd Governour and Company assembled in Generall Court according to the Commission Granted to them by his magestie's charter, have given and granted and by therse presents doe give, grant Rattifie and confirme unto Mr. James FITCH senr, Capt. James FITCH, Mr. Benjamine BREWSTER, Lieut. Thomas TRACY, Lieut. Tho. LEFFINGWELL, Mr. Christopher HUNTINGTON, Mr. Simon HUNTINGTON, Ensign Wm. BACKUS, Mr. Thomas WATERMAN, Mr. John BURCHARD and Mr. John POST, and the rest of the said present proprietors of the township of Norwich, their heirs, suckcessors and assigns forever; the aforesaid parcell of land as it is Butted and Bounded toghether will all the woods, meadows, pastures, ponds, waters, rivers, islands, fishings, huntings, fowleings, mines, mineralls, quarries, and precious stones, upon or within the said tract of land, and all other proffitts and comodities therunto belonging, or in any wayes appertaining; and Doe also grant unto the aforesaid Mr. James FITCH senr, Capt. James FITCH, Mr. Benjamine BREWSTER, Lieut. Thomas TRACY, Lieut. Tho. LEFFINGWELL, Mr. Christopher HUNTINGTON, Mr. Simon HUNTINGTON, Ensign Wm. BACKUS, Mr. Thomas WATERMAN, Mr. John BURCHARD and Mr. John POST, and the rest of the proprietors, Inhabitants of Norwich, their heirs, successors and assigns forever, that the foresd tract of land shall be forever hereafter deemed, reputed and be an intire towneship of itself -- to have and to hold the said tract of land and premises with all and singuler their appurtenances, together with the priviledges and immunities and franchises herein given and granted unto the sayd Mr. James FITCH senr, Capt. James FITCH, Mr. Benjamine BREWSTER, Lieut. Thomas TRACY, Lieut. Tho. LEFFINGWELL, Mr. Christopher HUNTINGTON, Mr. Simon HUNTINGTON, Ensign Wm. BACKUS, Mr. Thomas WATERMAN, Mr. John BURCHARD and Mr. John POST, and other the present proprietors, Inhabitants of Norwich, theire heirs successors, and assignes for ever, and to the only proper use and behoofe of the sayd Mr. James FITCH senr, Capt. James FITCH, Mr. Benjamine BREWSTER, Lieut. Thomas TRACY, Lieut. Tho. LEFFINGWELL, Mr. Christopher HUNTINGTON, Mr. Simon HUNTINGTON, Ensign Wm. BACKUS, Mr. Thomas WATERMAN, Mr. John BURCHARD and Mr. John POST, and other proprietors, inhabitants of Norwich, their heirs, successors, and assigns for ever according to the Tenor of East Greenwich in Kent, in free and common soccage and not in capitto, nor are they capable according to the custom of the country, yielding, rendering and paieing therefore our sovereign Lord the king, his heires and successors, his dues according to Charter. In witness whereof, we have caused the Seale of the Colony to be hereunto affixed this twenty-first of May, 1685, in the year of the reigne of our sovereign lord James the Second, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith.

ROBERT TREAT, Governor.

{SEAL} March 30th, 1687, pr order of the Govr & Compony of the Colony of Connecticut.

Signed pr JOHN ALLYN, Secrety.

Entered in the pub. records, Lib. D: fo. 138, 139, Novr 27th, 1685 pr JOHN ALLYN, Secrety.