The Grinnell family is of Huguenot origin. It is some times recorded as Grennell. Matthew Grinnell lived in France. Religious persecution caused him to leave that country and seek a new home in America. He was in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, as early as 1638. Matthew and his wife, Rosa (surname unknown) settled in Newport, R. I., in 1630. Matthew died before 1643.
DANIEL GRINNELL, born about 1636, is believed to be the son of Matthew. Whether he was born in New England or France is unknown. He was reared in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and married Mary Waddell, of that place, in 1657. Mary was born in November, 1640, daughter of William and Mary Waddell. Daniel died after 1703. Apparently Daniel and Mary had only one child, Daniel Grinnell, Jr.
DANIEL GRINNELL, JR., born in 1658, at Portsmouth, R. I. In 1683, he married Lydia Peabody, who was the thirteenth child of William Peabody and Elizabeth Alden, and the granddaughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullens. They moved to Saybrook and reared a large family. Daniel, Jr. died about 1740; Lydia on July 13, 1748. Ten children were born of this marriage, the fifth of whom was George Grinnell.
GEORGE GRINNELL, born about 1695, probably in Little Compton, Rhode Island. On January 31, 1725, he married Mary Bull, daughter of Daniel Bull and Mary Mygatt and great-granddaughter of Captain Thomas Bull. George Grinnell died in 1759, his widow on September 20, 1775. They had six children, the third of whom was Mary Grinnell.
MARY GRINNELL, born about 1730, at Saybrook. In 1755, she married Deacon Jedediah Chapman, son of Major Jedediah Chapman and Hester Kirtland. Mary died in July, 1776; her husband on February 29, 1816.
The Grinnell family thus merges into the Chapman family.
The Lyons Family 
Leave a comment