Several family generations are represented in the Forseth-Tift Family Collection.

The earliest papers are of various ancestors. Hempsteads, Miners, Crary's and Chesboroughs, living in the Stonington and Groton area of Connecticut.

The Forseth branch of the family first appears in Preston, Connecticut in the early 1800's when Hannah Chapman, the daughter of Uriah Chapman, marries Charles Forsythe

In 1806, their daughter, Hannah Forseth (1785-1878) marries Amos Tift (1784-1829), the son of Solomon Tift and his wife Eunice Borrows of Stonington. They have several children, three of which; Ann, Lucius, and Elizabeth Jane, wrote letters contained in the collection

The Tift family lived in Groton, Connecticut although Amos Tift and Lucius also spent a great deal of time in Key West. It was on a return voyage from Key West that Captain Amos Tift died.Lucius appears to have remained in the south while the Tift girls and their descendents staying in the New England area.