BIOGRAPHY: Moved to Preston, Conn. about 1716 where he purchased a farm of 150 acres adjoining his brother Joseph who had previously settled there. He was founder and first deacon of the "Second Church of Christ" in Preston, now the 1st Congregational Church of Griswold in New London County. Weaver and Yeoman.
Thomas Kinne (as he appears to have spelled his name), eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Knight) Kenney, was born in Salem Village, Essex county, Massachusetts, July 27, 1678. He married there, November 10, 1702, Martha Cox. In December 1715, Thomas Kinne and Martha, his wife, convey their land in Salem, and in the same month purchase one hundred and fifty acres adjoining the farm of his brother, Captain Joseph Kinney, on the south side of Pachaug river, in the township of Preston, now Griswold, New London county, Connecticut, near the present postoffice of Glasgo. Thomas Kinne was one of the founders and first deacon of the "Second Church of Christ in Preston", now the First Congregational Church of Griswold, and known as the Pachaug Church. He died on his farm on the banks of the Pachaug, October 1, 1756, and he and his brother, Captain Joseph Kenney, who died July 12, 1745, and many of their descendants are buried in "The Kinney Burying Ground" located between the two farms, in the southwestern part of the present town of Griswold, where the tombstones of Thomas and his wife Martha with their quaint inscriptions may still be seen.
"In Memory of Deacon Thomas Kinne Consort of Mrs. Martha Kinne, who died October 1, 1756 Aged 79 years."
"Here lies the body Of Mrs. Martha Kinne, wife of Mr. Thomas Kinne, who died October 25 A. D. 1747 Aged 66 years."
They had sixteen children, ten sons and six daughters, born between the years 1702 and 1727.
THOMAS KINNE (KEENEY) b.27 Jul 1678, d. l Oct 1756 m. MARTHA COX 10 Nov 1701; founder of and deacon in Second Church of Christ (Congregational) in Preston CT, buried in Old Kinne Burial Grounds on banks of Pachaug River in SE Griswold; weaver & yeoman; sold his land in Essex Co MA and bought a 160 acre farm adjacent to his brother Joseph's farm; returned to old English spelling of KINNE while Joseph chose Kinney for his family
LAND: Essex Deeds, vol. 32, p. 136n, "Feb. 15, 1715/6, Thomas Kenny & wife Martha to Jonathan Putnam, their rights in common undivided lands of Salem, one right for my father's house & one right for John Martin's house."
MARRIAGE: He m. Nov 10 1701, at Preston, Martha Cox, (b. abt 1681, d. Oct 25 & bur Oct. 28, 1747, age 66), She was bp. as an adult at Salem Village Oct. 19, 1701. Prob descendant of Moses Cox as she names her 6th ch. Moses, which name does not appear previously in the Kinne family. Moses Cox, Sr., was b. July 18, 1630, Hampton, Eng. His first wife was Alice Wise, dau of Sir Humphrey & Susan Wise. She was lost at sea Oct. 20, 1657, as they were enroute to the New World. By her, he had a son, Moses, Jr., b. Nov. 2, 1649, who had a dau Martha, b. abt 1680/1, who presumably m. Thos. Kinne. Wm. Swaine & wife Prudence Marston emigrated on same boat as Moses Sr. & Alice (Wise) Cox, & later the wid., Prudence (Marston) Swaine became 2nd wife of Moses Cox, Sr. Hence she is often ascribed to be the mother of Martha, & wife of Moses Cox, Jr. By some records Martha is also erroneously ascribed to be the dau of Robert Cox, Mariner of Boston & wife Martha, but Savage states he had one dau., Elizabeth, b. 1677 & no others
