History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 171

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 171

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Thomas Armitage received ten acres of land, De- cember, 1641. According to Savage, he belonged to Lynn, Mass. He came from Bristol, England, in 1635, in the ship "James," with the Rev. Richard Mather and others, and removed in 1637 to Sand- wich, Mass., wheuce he came to Stamford as above. In 1647 he appears on the list of Hempstead settlers.

Robert Bates came from Wethersfield with the first colony, and is on the list of the thirty who paid one

hundred bushels of corn to the New Haven "friends," who had surveyed and transferred the territory to them. His lot in Wethersfield, which was thirty and a third rods in width, containing one hundred and eighty-two acres, was sold in 1641 to William Gib- bons. His death is recorded, at Stamford, June 11, 1675. His will, probated Nov. 1, 1675, makes be- quests to his son John, his daughter Mary Ambler, and son-in-law Jolin Cross. He bequeathed certain negroes, who are to be made free at forty years of age.

Francis Bell is on the list of the twenty-nine set- thers who were assigned land in 1640, when he re- eeived seven acres. As his name does not appear on the Wethersfield records with the other Stamford settlers, it is probable he was still quite young. He became prominent here, and has been fully rep- resented in every generation since in descendants both of his own and of other names. His wife Re- becea died here in 1684, and he Jan. 8, 1690. His son Jouathan was the first ehild born in the town, and his birth was in 1641. Mrs. Bell's clothes, of which the inventory is on record, Book 1, page 12, were by the husband's order divided equally between the two daughters, Rebecca Tuttle and Mary Hoyt. The inventory of Lieut. Francis Bell, dated January, 1689, is found on page 116, of first book of records, amounting to three hundred and seventeen pounds twelve shillings. His will, on record at Fairfield, dated 3, 24, 1689, makes bequests to his son Jona- than, grandson Jonathan, Mary Hoyt, granddaughter Hannah, and "granddaughter Rebecca, whom he had brought up," and to his daughter Tuttle's four sons, -Jonathan, Simon, William, and Nathaniel.

Samuel Clark eame with the company from Wetli- ersfield, and is on each of the first three lists made at the time of the settlement. He received seven acres of land. Savage supposes he was at Milford iu 1669, thence removing to Hempstead, L. I .; that he mar- ried Hannah, daughter of Rev. Robert Fordham, aud was living in New Haven iu 1685.

John Coe, son of Robert, received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, house-lot, and three acres woodland. He was born in Eugland, Norfolk Co., in 1622, and he came with his father to Watertown, thence to Wethersfield, and thence to Stamford.

Robert Coe was born in Norfolk Co., England, in 1596, and came in the "Francis" to Watertown, Mass., in 1634. He was admitted freeman at Boston, Sept. 3, 1634, and is enrolled auiong the settlers of Water- town the same year. He brought with him his wife 'Ann, aged thirty-three years, and three children : John, aged eight years; Robert, aged seven; and Benjamin, aged five. In 1635 he went to Wethers- field, where he remained until the settlement of Stau)- ford. While here he represented the town in the General Court of New Haven. He was the deputy from the town to the General Court of Connecticut in 1656, and was sheriff of the county from 1669 to 1672.

the

Sam. Sherman

692

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

is now living. He is one of the most successful far- mers in the town of Sherman, where he now resides, on his beautiful homestead, near Sherman Centre. The Briggs family belong to the Society of Friends.

Mr. Rogers is a staunch Republican and an uncom- promising advocate of temperance, not only to the prohibition of the sale and use of spirituous liquors, but also that of tobacco in any form. He is an active member of the Congregational Church, and holds the office of deacon of the same. He possesses some lit- erary proclivities, and is an occasional contributor of local news items to the press.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

STAMFORD.

Geographical -Topographical -The First Settlement in 1640-Order under which Settlement was made-First Assignment of Lands-First Permauent Settlers-Pioneers from 1640 to 1775-First Grist-Mill- The Perfidy of the Dutch Traders-The Underhill Massacre-Stainford in 1685-Indian Deeds, etc .- Deed of 1645 -- Report to General Court of Deed of 1645-Agreement of Ponus and Onax, 1655-Agreement with Tuphance and Penahay, 1667-The Stamford Patent.

THIS town lies in the southwestern .part of the county, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Westchester Co., N. Y .; on the east by Now Canaan and Darien ; on the south by Long Island Sound; and on the west by Greenwich.

The surface of the town is undulating, and the soil is a fertile gravelly loam. The same holds true to- day as written by Barber in 1836 : "This is a pleasant and fertile township, rich in the resources of agricul- tural opulence, abounding in the means of subsist- ence, with the advantages of a ready and convenient market."

THE FIRST SETTLEMENT.

The first movement towards the settlement of this town was made in the early part of the year 1640 by a number of sturdy pioneers from Wethersfield, who, having become dissatisfied with certain rules and reg- ulations governing that parish, decided to scek a peace- ful retreat elsewhere, and under the leadership of Rev. Mr. Davenport, of honored memory, who had been their champion in the dissensions at Wethersfield, re- solved to locate farther inland, and in the following year, leaving their old home, pursued their course westward, and settled where now is located the borough of Stamford, then in the New Haven jurisdiction.

The following is a copy of the order under which the settlement was made :

" Whereas, Andrew Ward and Robert Coe of Wethersfield were deputed by Wethersfield men the 30th of the 8th month, commonly called Octo- ber, 1640, to treat at New Haven, ahout the plantation lately purchased by said town called Toquams, which being considered of it was agreed upon by the said court and justices aforesaid that they shall have the said plantation upon the terms following; first, that they sball repay unto the said town of New Haven all the charges which they have dis- hursed about it, which comes to thirty-three pounds as appears hy a note or schedule herunto annexed ; socondly, that they reserve a fifth part of

said plantation to he disposed of at the appointment of this court to sucli desirable persons as may be expected, or as God shall send hither, pro- vided that if within one whole year such persous do not come to fill up those lots so reserved that then it shall be free for the said people to nominate and present to this court some persons of their own choice which may fill up some of those lots so reserved if this court approve of them ; thirdly, that they join in all points with this plantation in the form of government here settled, according to agreement betwixt this conrt and Mr. Samuel Eaton about the plantation of Totokett. These articles being read together with Mr. Samuel Eaton's agreement in the hearing of the said parties or deputies, it was accepted hy thiem and in witness thereof they subscribed their names to the articles in the face of the court."

It is evident that the dissatisfied body of persons from Wethersfield were thoroughly in earnest in the determination to make a settlement here, for the first records in the old town book show that each man who signed the compact to remove hither was to begin and prosecute the design of a plantation "under paine of forfiturc of 5 lb a man." As an interesting relic of that period the entire record, of which the above is an extract, is inserted.

"1640-41. A town ho(ok of the) freeholders of the towne (of Stam- ford as it) was afterwards called, but now Rippowam contayn(n)in(g the acts) and conclusions of the companie of Wethersffeld men, to (begin a) removal thither this winter. And also their most matteriall acts and agreements, touching the place how they came by it, theire rat(es) and accounts, their divisions and grauts of land, and records of every man's land, and passages of land from one to another.

"First these men whose names are underwritten have hound them s(elves) under the paine of forfiture of 5 lb a man to goe or sende to Ripp(owan) so begin and psecute the designe of a plantatiou there hy ye 16th o(f) may next, the rest, theire familyes thither by ye last of novem- be(r) 12 months, viz. Ri Denton, ma mitchell, Thur Rainor, Roht. Coe. And Ward, Ri Gildersleue, Edm Wood, Jo Wood, Jer Wood, Sam Clark, Tho Weekes, John Wood H, Jer Jagger, J Jisopp, Jo Seaman, Sam Sher- man, Hen Smith, Vincint Simkins, Dan Finch, Jo Northend, 20.

" And whereas the purchase of the place and vewing of it first mayde by our friends of uew hauen and we stand indebted to them for it: it (is) ordered at the same time That 100 bushels of corne at 35 a bushell he paid in towards it we raised and sent them as followeth, m(r) ma mitchel,

bu. p.

Sergt. M. M

14.3

T. Reiner

5.3

Mr. Denton

4.1

And. Ward.

4.1

Ra. Coe.

4.1

Ri. Gildersleue.

4.0 3.2

Jo. Reynoulds

3.2

Jo. Whitmore.

Ro. Bates.

3.1 3.1

Sa. Sherman.

3.1

Jef. Firries

3.7

Dan. Finch.

3.0

J. Northend.

2.3

Jonas Wood, H

2.3

Edm. Wood.

2.2

Jon Wood

2.2

Sam. Clarke

2.2

Fra. Bell

2.2

Jer. Jaggar.

2.2

Jo. Not or M. M ....

2.1

Tho. We(eks)

2.2

Jer. (Wood)

2.1

Th(o Morehouse)

2.1

(Ro Fisher)

2.0

(Jo. Jissop).

2.0

(Hen. Smitb)

1.3

(Vincint)

1.3

Jo. Seaman.

100.0

The following is a highly interesting record, show- ing, as it docs, the first assignment of lands and the names of the first permanent settlers of Stamford:

" Also this is to be noted that in a full meeting of its company there was intendiug to come hitler the same spring that we came, many of

Ri. Raw

Ri. Crab ..

693

STAMFORD.

those twenty-eight mon aforementioned and Jolin Jisop wero soverally considered of, and what quantity of land was meet for overy man deter- mined of, the man under consideration absenting himself while his caso was in hand, and so successively ; and when he was called in again and demanded if so much gavo him content, and so contentment and satis- faction was by ovory one of theso mon acknowledged; and they set down theso numbers of acres of march and upland after the samo pro- portion as followeth :

Math Mitchell.

Thurston Rainer.

Mr. Donton.

And Ward

Ro. Coe.

Ri. Gildersleue. 13

R. Law

Jo. Renoulds

Jo. Whitmore ..

Ri. Crab ..

Jeff. Firries.

Ro. Bates.

Sam. Sherman 10

Dan. Finch

Jonas Wood II

Jo. Northend .. 08

Jer. Jagger

Edm. Wood.

John Wood, O.

Sam. Clark

Fra. Bell

Tho. Marshall.

Jer. Wood.

Thos. Weeks

Ro. Fisher :.

Jo. Jissop ..

Hen. Smith

Vincint, -

276

During the following season the little settlement was gladdened by the arrival of others anxious to rear their homes in these fertile lands, as the follow- ing records show :

" And in town meeting, Dec. 7, was there granted, besides houso lots as otlier men had, Tho. Armitage, ten acres; Jo. Ogden, ten acres ; Wm. Mayd, (Mead), five acres ; with woodland as chosable as those above.

" Also to these men, besides, house lots as otliers, (Joh)n Stovens, Tho. Pop, Tho. Hyoute, Hen. Akerly, Jo. Smith, senr., Jo. Smith, jun., (John Rockwell, Jam. Pyne, Dan. Scoffeld, & Jo. Coe ; every of them two acres (home lot) and three acres woodland in the field now to be inclosed."

" (Oc)tober 1642, in a general town meeting was given these, follow- ing) these lots as other men, marsh & woodland, viz: ( )ine, Jo. Underhill, eight acros ; to Robert Hustico seven acres ; ( ) acres ;

Jo. Miller, fivo acres, to Jo. Finch, six acres ; ( )reo acres ; & to every of them woodland aftor the same pro(portion, & to Willi)am New- man two acres marsh & three acres woodland.

"( )ember 1642, was granted these men every man (a house lot &) land in the field to be inclosed, viz : Jo. Lum, Jam. Sw(ead), ( ), Symon Seiring, & to Jonas Weede a houso and (pasture lan)d in tho field to be inclosed. ( ) Pierson, Jo. Towne & Wm. Graves have had every one (a house lot) & Tho. Slawson house lot and three acres in the field ( ) and eight men aro freeholders as above."

EARLY SETTLERS.

Henry Ackley received Dee. 7, 1641, two acres, home-lot, and three acres of woodland. Savage makes him at New Haven in 1640. The colony records mention him there as rebuked for "building a eellar and selling it without leave" in April of that year.

Thomas Armitage received ten acres of land, De- eember, 1641. According to Savage, he belonged to Lynn, Mass. He came from Bristol, England, in 1635, in the ship "James," with the Rev. Richard Mather and others, and removed in 1637 to Sand- wich, Mass., whence he came to Stamford as above. In 1647 he appears on the list of Hempstead settlers.

Robert Bates came from Wethersfield with the first eolony, and is on the list of the thirty who paid one

hundred bushels of corn to the New Haven "friends," who had surveyed and transferred the territory to them. His lot in Wethersfield, which was thirty and a third rods in width, containing one hundred and eighty-two acres, was sold in 1641 to William Gib- bons. His death is recorded, at Stamford, June 11, 1675. His will, probated Nov. 1, 1675, makes be- quests to his son John, his daughter Mary Ambler, and son-in-law John Cross. He bequeathed certain negroes, who are to be made free at forty years of age.

Francis Bell is on the list of the twenty-nine set- tlers who were assigned land in 1640, when he re- ceived seven acres. As his name does not appear on the Wethersfield records with the other Stamford settlers, it is probable he was still quite young. He became prominent here, and has been fully rep- resented in every generation since in descendants both of his own and of other names. His wife Re- becca died here in 1684, and he Jan. 8, 1690. His son Jonathan was the first child born in the town, and his birth was in 1641. Mrs. Bell's clothes, of which the inventory is on record, Book 1, page 12, were by the husband's order divided equally between the two daughters, Rebecea Tuttle and Mary Hoyt. The inventory of Lieut. Francis Bell, dated January, 1689, is found on page 116, of first book of records, amounting to three hundred and seventeen pounds twelve shillings. His will, on record at Fairfield, dated 3, 24, 1689, makes bequests to his son Jona- than, grandson Jonathan, Mary Hoyt, granddaughter Hannah, and "granddaughter Rebecca, whom he had brought up," and to his daughter Tuttle's four sons, -Jonathan, Simon, William, and Nathaniel.

Samuel Clark came with the company from Weth- ersfield, and is on each of the first three lists made at the time of the settlement. He received seven aeres of land. Savage supposes he was at Milford in 1669, thence removing to Hempstead, L. I .; that he mar- ried Hannah, daughter of Rev. Robert Fordham, and was living in New Haven in 1685.

John Coe, son of Robert, received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, house-lot, and three acres woodland. He was born in England, Norfolk Co., in 1622, and he came with his father to Watertown, thence to Wethersfield, and thence to Stamford.

Robert Coe was born in Norfolk Co., England, in 1596, and came in the "Francis" to Watertown, Mass., in 1634. He was admitted freeman at Boston, Sept. 3, 1634, and is enrolled among the settlers of Water- town the same year. He brought with him his wife Ann, aged thirty-three years, and three children: John, aged eight years; Robert, aged seven; and Benjamin, aged five. In 1635 he went to Wethers- field, where he remained until the settlement of Stam- ford. While here he represented the town in the General Court of New Haven. He was the deputy from the town to the General Court of Connecticut in 1656, and was sheriff of the county from 1669 to 1672.

Jo. Seaman

694

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Richard Crabb .- His name first appears on the roll of the general meeting of the freemen, at Hartford, for the election of magistrates, Jau. 16, 1639; and April 9, 1640, he is present as deputy, and must have been a man of some note. He came to Stamford with the company from Wethersfield, and is on the list of those who paid the hundred bushels of corn to the New Haven colony, and of those to whom the first assignment of land was made. He received ten acres. His land must have been assigned him west of the present limits of the town, as he is spoken of subse- quently in the records as belonging to Greenwich.

Rev. Richard Denton came with his parishioners from Wethersfield. His name heads the first list of the new colony, and stands third on the list of those who paid for surveying the tract. He received four- teen acres, only two of the settlers exceeding him in the assignment of land.

Jeffrey Ferris, made freeman in Boston in 1635, came with the first settlers, is on the list of those who paid for the survey, and received ten acres at the first assignment of land. Savage says he was from Water- town, Mass., where he was made freeman, probably May 6, 1635, whence he came to Wethersfield. He sold his lot in Wethersfield, of forty-five acres, to John Deming. He came with the first colony from Weth- ersfield, and in 1656 is one of the eleven Greeuwich men who petitioned to be accepted under the New Haven jurisdiction. His will, found on the Probate records at Fairfield, is dated Jan. 6, 1664. He wills to the four boys he brought up ten pounds sterling apiece if they live with any of his children uutil they are eighteen years old, the money then to be put out for them until they are twenty years of age. His will names also his wife Judy, son James, son Jonathan Lockwood, and Mary Lockwood, son Peter's three children, and son Joseph's two. Judy Bowers, his widow, receipts for her widow's portion, March 6, 1667. His marriage contract with his wife Susaunah, widow of Robert Lockwood, of date May 28, 1661, pledges certain legacies to the children of Robert Lockwood, deceased, and mortgages his Greenwich lands and " housings." He died in 1666. The name Ferris is from Leicestershire, house of Feriers, from Henry, son of Gualchelme de Feriers, to whom Wil- liam the Conqueror gave large grants of land iu the three shires of Stafford, Derby, and Leicester.

Tradition invests the emigration of this family to this country with the hues of romantic adventure,- the ancestress, high born, following her plebeian lover out into this Western world, to share with him here the fortunes which English aristocracy would not allow there.

Daniel Finch, made freeman in Boston, 1631, and enrolled same year among Watertown settlers. In 1636, he was constable in Wethersfield, whence he came with the Stamford settlers, 1641, and is on each of the three first lists of the colony. He received nine acres in the first distribution of land. Savage

supposes he was from Watertown, Mass., and that he came in the fleet with Governor Winthrop; that he was made freeman May 18, 1631; that he went to Wethersfield in 1635 or 1636, where he was constable in the latter year. He also makes him remove in 1653 to Fairfield, where he married, Dec. 25, 1657, Elizabeth, widow of John Thompson, and died March, 1667. His marriage agreement with Elizabeth Thomp- son is on the Probate records at Fairfield.

John Finch is assigned by the town in October, 1642, six acres, with marsh and upland, as the other men. He died here in 1657. He sold his house and home-lot in 1653 to Richard Ambler.

Robert Fisher was here early, if not with the first colony. He had land assigned him by the town, as appears from the testimony of Thomas Morehouse, March 17, 1649, in which he says that John Whit- more sold to his son John the land which was Robert Fisher's by gift of the town.

Robert Gildersleeve came with the first company from Wethersfield, and is on each of the first three lists of settlers. He received, in the first distribution of land, thirteen acres. While here he was a rep- resentative from the town iu the General Court at New Haven.

William Graves received a house-lot in the distri- butiou of November, 1642.

John Holly was here, as present records show, as early as 1647. William H. Holly, Esq., copied from the records several years ago the birth of John, son of John Holly, in October, 1642, which would suggest that the family may have been here eveu as early. He purchased land on the 26th of 12th month, 1647, of Willianı Newman, and from that date his purchases of real estate are numerous. He was a noted man, and much in the public service. In 1679 he gave his house and lot to his son Samuel, and land to his son John, reserving to himself and wife half the fruit of the orchard. He also gave land at the same date to his son Increase. In his will, on record at Fairfield, his legatees are his wife Mary, and his children John, Samuel, Increase, Elisha, Jonathan, Elizabeth Tur- ney, Bethia Weed, Hannah Hoyt, and Abigail.

Thomas Hoyt, or Hyatt, received three acres of woodland. This name was spelled very variously on the records,-Hoyette, Hyat, Hyot, Hioute, Hout, Hoyt, Hoight, Hayt, Hiat, Hoit, and Hoyte. Thomas "Hyat" died here in 1651. I suppose him and Simon to be the ancestors of the Stamford Hoyts. The inventory of his estate was rendered in court in 1662, amounting to £132 2s. 3d. The court gave to the widow her third, and made Cornelius Jones ad- ministrator, to divide the rest among the six children. The administrator was so well pleased with the case as to take for his wife the widow Elizabeth, and their marriage is on record, 1. 8. 1657. The children are recorded as giving receipts to their father-in-law Cor- nelius Jones, as follows : Caleb, Dec. 23, 1661 ; Ruth, then become Mrs. John Wescot, Feb. 9, 1667; Re-

695

STAMFORD.

bceca, 13. 8. 1674, for twelve pounds eleven shillings seven penee; Thomas, 21. 8. 1674, a like sum; and Deborah gives similar receipts, 30. 9. 1669. These receipts are for their several portions of their father, Thomas "Hiat's" estate. Jolin " Hiat," of " Younk- ers," N. Y., gives receipt, July 6, 1689, for twenty pounds, current pay, to the said Cornelius Jones, his father-in-law. After careful collation of names I am unable to distinguish among the settlers the two family names Hoyt and Hyatt. Within twenty-five years of the settlement I find these different ways of spelling the same name. On pages 113 and 114, Records No. 1, the estates of both Thomas Hyatt and Simon Hoyette are receipted for by the heirs of both. In these receipts we have the following different spell- ings : Hoyt, 1662; Hiat, 1669 ; Hoyte, 1661; and the promiscuous entry of these receipts for the two es- tates would seem to indicate that they belonged to the same family. Joshua, son of Simon, spells his name Hyot. When the name became settled in its two leading forms, Hoyt and Hyatt, as distinct family names, I hardly think the records will show.

Simon Hoyt was probably here with the first set- tlers. I take the liberty of entering his name in one of the places whose name has been effaced by time. He died here in 1657, and his name occurs quite often on the records of the town. The inventory of his es- tate is on record, dated Oct. 9, 1657, and amounting to two hundred and twenty-five pounds. After his death his widow Susanna, it appears, married a Bates. His children, as indicated by receipts given for their portions of their father's estate, were Joshua, Moses of Westchester, John, Samuel, Benjamin, Mrs. Samuel Finch, and Mrs. Samuel Firman. In the distribution of the estate of their mother, then Susanna Bates, Feb. 1, 1674, besides the above names, appeared also that of Thomas Lyon, who probably had married one of her daughters.

Robert Husted was one of the company who re- ceived land in October, 1642. He had come from Mount Wollaston, now Braintree, Mass. He is prob- ably the father of that Robert Hustis who, according to Bolton's Westehester, went from Fairfield to West- chester in 1654. His will, dated July 8, 1652, makes bequests to his son Angel of all his lands in Green- wich, with housings; to his son Robert all his lands in Stamford, with cattle and housings; to his wife a maintenance and other bequests ; and to his daughter Ann, ten pounds. In 1654 his widow, Elizabeth, by will makes bequests to her son Angel, of Greenwich ; to Robert, of Stamford, and to her daughter Ann, the wife of Richard Hardy. In the will of Robert the name is Husted, and in that of the widow the name is written Hustis, and both are equally distinct, and that they refer to the same family is also as clear as the form of the name. The names of the children are also changed from Husted to Hustis, though in the second will the name is spelled both Hustes and Hustis.

Jeremy Jagger came with the first company from Wethersfield, and is on each of the first three lists of the colony. He received, in the first distribution of land, three acres.

John Jessup came with the first colony from Weth- ersfield, and is on each of the first three lists of the colony. He received, in the first distribution of lands, five acres. In 1664 he represented Westchester in the Connecticut Assembly. His name is spelled on our records, Gesseppe, Giseppe, Gesoppe, Gishop.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 171

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572