History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 172

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 172

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Richard Law came with the first settlers from Wethersfield, is on the second and third lists of the settlers, and received, at the first assignment of land, eleven acres. He married Margaret, daughter of Thomas and Frances Kilborn, of Wethersfield, who was born in 1612.

Jolin Lum was here in 1642, and received a house- lot in the distribution of that date.

William Mayde (Mead) received, Dec. 7, 1641, five aeres, house-lot, with woodland. The wife and son of William Mead died here in 1658.

John Miller received from the town, in October, 1642, five acres, house-lot, and marsh and upland, as the other men. This name is on Chapin's list of the Wethersfield colony, where he was in 1630. He died soon after coming to Stamford, in 1642, leaving three sons.

Matthew Mitchell came with the settlers from Wethersfield. His name stands next, on the first list of the colony, to the minister's, and heads both the next two lists. He paid about three times as much as any other of the settlers towards the survey of the land, and received twenty-eight acres in the first dis- tribution of the land.

Thomas Morehouse is on the list of those who shared in the first distribution of land, and received seven acres. In 1649 he was herc, as appears from his testimony in court. Savage makes him in Fair- field in 1653. His will and inventory are on the Fairfield records, Sept. 11, 1658. His wife Isabel is mentioned in the will, and children, Hannah, Samuel, and Thomas, the last of whom was to be paid his por- tion in four years ; Mary in five years; and so each child one year later; and if any of them die before seventeen, their part to be divided, if unmarried.

William Newman hath assigned to him by the town, in October, 1642, two acres marsh and three acres woodland. In 1659 complaints having been made to the court in New Haven respecting the "sizes of shoes," the court, hearing that William New- man had an instrument which he had brought from England, which "was thought to be right to deter- mine this question, did order that the said instrument should be procured and sent to New Haven, to be made a 'Standard,' which shall be the rule between buyer and seller, to which it is required that all sizes be conformed." Mr. Newman was evidently a man of note in the young colony, aud once represented the town in the General Court.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

John Northend came with the colony from Wethers- field, and is on each of the first three lists of the set- tlers. He received in the first distribution of the land eight acres.

John Ogden received, Dec. 7, 1641, ten acres, house- lot, with woodland, like the first company. In 1642 he agreed with Governor Kicft, of New York, to build a stone church for twenty-five hundred guilders. In 1644 he was a patentee of Hempstead L. I.

Richard Ogden, brother of the above, went to Fair- field, where he became a man of note.

- Pierson received, in the distribution of No-

- vember, 1642, a house-lot. The Christian name is obliterated, but that of Henry is given to the Pearson who emigrated with Mr. Denton in 1644. A Jacob Pearson (Pierson) was landholder in 1661.

Thomas Pop received, Dec. 7, 1641, a house-lot, with woodland, the same as the first company. This name should probably be Popc, and he probably went soon after the colony settled here over to Hemp- stead.

James Pyne received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, house- lot, and woodland, the same as the first company. He went to Hempstead, L. I., and was accepted as free- man from that town of the Connecticut colony in 1664.

Thurston Raynor came with the first company from Wethersfield. His name on each of the first three lists stands next to Matthew Mitchell. In the first distribution of lands he received twenty acres. He sold his lot in Wethersfield, which contained three hundred and thirty acres, to Richard Treat. On reaching Stamford he was appointed to the New Haven court with senatorial honors. This distinc- tion places him among the foremost of our pioneers. From Stamford he went to Southampton, L. I., where he was held in honor.

John Renoulds appears on the list of the settlers of Wethersfield, from which place he probably came with the first settlers of Stamford. His name is on the second and third lists of the colonists. He re- ceived, in the first allotment of land, eleven acres.

John Rockwell received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, home-lot, and woodland, as the first company.

Daniel Scofield received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, home-lot, and woodland, as the first company. He dicd in 1671. His children were Daniel, John, Rich- ard, Joseph, Sarah, the wife of John Pettit, and Mary. His widow Mary became the third wife of Miles Mer- win. The son Joseph suffered so much from hard- ships in King Philip's war as to lose his life in 1676, giving his estate to his brothers and sisters. His will, dated Sept. 4, 1664, gives to his wife one-third the es- tate, with use of the house for her lifetime; to his daughter Sarah, five pounds; and to her two children, five pounds ; and to the other four children, Daniel, John, Joseph, and Mercy, the rest of the estate. His wife and two of the sons, Daniel and John, were made executors.

John Seaman came with the first company from Wethersfield. His name is on each of the first three lists of the colony, and he received in the first distri- bution of land three acres.

Simon Seiring appears on the records, in 1642, as landholder, where his name is spelled Cymon. He is reported on the list of those who went, in 1644, with Mr. Denton to Hempstead, L. I.

Samuel Sherman came with the first settlers from Wethersfield. His name appears on each of the first three lists of the new colony, and he received, in the first distribution of land, ten acres. He was assistant in the New Haven court in 1662, and his reappoint- ment for the next two years. He was also sent to the General Court of Connecticut, after the union of the town colonies, in 1665. In his sale of house and land, in 1654, he is said to be "now living in Stratford." In leaving Stamford he probably took every member of his family, as the name does not subsequently occur on our records. The descendants of this pioneer of Stamford have numbered many very eminent men, among whom are John Sherman, the present Secretary of the Treasury, and Gen. Wm. T. Sherman.

Vincent Simkins came with the first company from Wethersfield.

George Slauson came probably from Sandwich, Mass., with Thomas Armitage, in 1642. He appears in our account of the first church of the town as a lead- ing member, and he was also evidently a man of note in civil life. I suppose him to have been the representa- tive from the town in 1670. He had three children, as appears from his will, dated Dec. 16, 1694,-Eleazer, John, and a daughter who married John Gould. He died Feb. 17, 1695. His son John married, in 1663, Sarah Tuttle, of New Haven, and had a son John born in 1664, and Jonathan in 1667. The wife of this John was killed Nov. 17, 1676, by her brother, Benjamin Tuttle, who was executed for it the follow- ing June. He then married a second wife, Elizabeth Benedict, and had a daughter Mary and a son Thomas. He died in 1706. He was doubtless the ancestor of the present Slason families in town.

Thomas Slawson in November or December, 1642, received a house-lot, and three acres "in the field," besides. Savage says he did not stay long in Stam- ford.

Henry Smith came with the first company from Wethersfield. His name is on each of the first three lists of the new colony, and in the first distribution of land he received three acres. Whence he came to Wethersfield is not known. He was promoted for freeman in 1670, and died in 1687. He had a son John, mentioned in his will, and a daughter Rebecca, who married, July 2, 1672, Edward Wilkinson, of Milford, and a daughter Hannah, who married a Lawrence.

John Smith, Sr., received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, house-lot, and woodland, the same as the first com-

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pany. He and his son John went to Hempstead, L. I. John Smith, Jr., received, Dee. 7, 1641, two aeres, house-lot, and woodland, as the first company. In 1675, John, Jr., in a deposition, gives his age at sixty years, and says that while in Stamford he was called Rock John Smith, for distinction.

John Stevens received, Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, house-lot, and a woodland, as the first company. The descendants of this pioneer have been quite numerous.

Samuel Swain, in September, 1642, is engaged to build at the common charge of the townsmen a mill, as appears from a record of that date, and his name oeeurs later in the records.

James Swead received a house-lot in the distribu- tion of November, 1642.

John Towne received in the distribution of Novem- ber, 1642, a house-lot ..

Capt. John Underhill had assigned to him in Oeto- ber, 1642, house-lot, eight acres, and woodland, as the others. He was made a freeman in Boston in 1631.

Andrew Ward .- This name appears in the first record of the "Corte holden at Newtown, 26th April, 1636." He was one of the five worthies, who thus liad in their hands the destinies of the new settle- ment at Newtown (Hartford), and so those of the State. The record states that he had been dismissed from the church of Watertown, Mass., on the 28th of May last, and he with his associates are authorized to renew the covenant. He continued a member of the court until September, 1639. At the session held October, 1639, he is nominated by the court to be pre- sented for the vote of the county for magistrates in April next. In 1637 he is reported in the records of the General Court as collector of Wethersfield, and he doubtless eame to Stamford with the Wethersfield settlers. His name is on each of the first three lists of the pioneers, and during his life here he was a prominent man. He was chosen magistrate for the colony in 1646 to represent it in the higher branch of the New Haven. court. His will, still found on record in Fairfield, bears date June 8, 1659, and makes bequests to his wife Esther, son John, daughter Sarah, daughter Abigail, and his two youngest sons, Andrew and Samuel. It is stated also that his other children had received their portions. From this pio- neer of the town have descended eminent names. Henry Ward Beecher gets his middle name from him, and his daughter Mary was grandmother of Viee- President Aaron Burr.

Jonas Weed eame to Watertown in 1631, where he was made freeman, and thence to Stamford in 1642. He died here in 1676. His will, on record at Fair- field, dated Nov. 26, 1672, makes his legatees his wife Mary, and his children John, Daniel, and Jonas; Mary, wife of George Abbott ; Doreus, wife of James Wright; Samuel; John Rockwell for Elizabeth ; Sarah ; and Hannah, wife of Benjamin Hoyt. His administrators were his wife Mary, and his sons

Daniel and John. The widow died in 1690. His son John married Joanna, daughter of Richard " Westcoat." The son Jonas married, Nov. 6, 1670, Bethia, daughter of John Holly, and to him the father gave, in 1671, the house where he was then living. The descendants of this Jonas Weed have been very numerous here, and they have, also, always been among our prominent citizens.

Thomas Weeks went from Wethersfield to Hadley and returned to Wethersfield, from which place he probably came with the first company of settlers to Stamford. His name is on the second and third lists of the colonists, and he received, in the first distribu- tion of land, six acres.

John Whitmore came with the first company of settlers from Wethersfield. His name is on the second and third lists of the colonists, and he received, in the first distribution of land, ten acres.

Jonas Wood, Sr., came with the first company of settlers from Wethersfield. His name is on each of the first three lists of the colonists, and he received, in the first distribution of land, eight acres. IIe was among the settlers of Springfield in 1636, from which place he went to Wethersfield. In 1643 he bring ; an action against Thomas Newton, of Fairfield, when he is reported as from Long Island. In 1654 he was in Southampton, L. I., as appears from an action against him in the court of magistrates at New Haven. In that action he is called Hallifax Jonas by Richard Mills, of Stamford, in his testimony. In 1658, Jonas Wood (O) and Jonas Wood (H), both of Hunting- ton, L. I., agents for the inhabitants of the same, de- sire to join with this colony (New Haven). In May, 1662, on the petition of Huntington, L. I., he is ap- pointed by the General Court in Hartford the first townsman and eustom-master. He became on Long Island a man of some prominence. His name heads the list of those to whom the town of Huntington was granted in 1666.

Jonas Wood, Jr., came with the first company of settlers from Wethersfield. His name is on the second and third lists of the colonists. He received, in the first distribution of land, seven acres.

Edmund Wood came with the first company of settlers from Wethersfield. His name is on each of the first three lists of the colonists. He received, in the first distribution of land, seven acres.

Jeremiah Wood came with the first company of settlers from Wethersfield. His name is on each of the first three lists of the new colony.

Francis Yates is on Chapin's list of the residents of Wethersfield, between 1634 and 1673. He went to Stamford, where he stayed until 1644, when he removed with Mr. Denton to Hempstead, L. I.

The healthful climate and fertility of the soil soon attracted other settlers, and not much time elapsed ere the little colony was rapidly being augmented by an enterprising class of people. The following is a list of those who came in between the years 1643 and

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

the breaking out of the Revolution : Joseph Arnold, Richard Ayres, Sr., Samuel Baker, John Banks, John Beachgood, John Beldin, Matthew Bellamy, Samucl Blackley, Joseph Blackley, Josiah Blackman, Wil- liam Blanchard, Israel Boardman, Richard Booloch, Ephraim Bostwick, Nathaniel Borden, Richard Bou- ton, Daniel Briggs, Samuel Brooker, Samuel Bryan, Richard Chester, Daniel Chichester, William Clem- ents, John Cluggstone, John Clock, Thomas Corey, Cary Conklin, James Crawford, Nathaniel Cross, Cornelius Curtiss, Francis Dan, Richard (Daniels) Daniel, John Davis, Rev. John Davenport, Cornelius Delavan, Peter Demill, Anthony De Forest, John Dixon, Dr. John Drew, John Dufrces, John Emcry, John Faucher, Mary Fountain, Samuel Fountain, Eneas Fountain, Jeremiah Gager, Joseph Gale, Jerc- miah Gaylor, John Gold, Capt. George Gorham, Robert Harris, Benjamin Hickox, Richard Higgin- bottom, William Hubbard, Samuel Hutton, John Ingersol, Samuel Jarvis, John Jeffrey, Isaac Jointer, John Judson, William King, John Ketchum, Henry Kimball, Thomas Lawrence, John Lecds, John Lloyd, John Lewis, David Lines, John Longwell, - Loder, John Marshall, Jonathan Maltby, Thomas Mathews, Nathaniel Middlebrook, John Mott, Robert Nichols, Hugh Norton, Abner Osborne, John Pardee, James Parkerton, Robert Pelton, John Perry, Joseph Pardy, George Philips, Stephen Platt, Nathaniel Pond, Thomas Potts, Andrew Powers, Joseph Purdy, Samuel (Provost) Provorce, Isaac Quintard, Henry Rich, Zach- ariah Roberts, Samuel Richards, Thomas Skelding, David St. John, James Hait, Jonathan Selleck, John Selleck, John Stone, Charles Stuart, Joseph Stud- well, Christopher Sturges, William Sturdivant, John Thompson, Edward (Tryon) Tryhern, Charles Thorp, John Todd, Jr., Joseph Turney, James Walsh, John Waters, Daniel Wescott, John Wescott, Justus Wheeler, Joseph Whiting, Jamcs White, Nathaniel Wiatt, Benjamin Wheaton, Dr. John Willson, Zophar Wilmot, Joseph Wilmot, John Williamson, Gilbert Woolscy, Richard Ambler, Robert Almsley, Elias Bayly, Robert Bassct, Rev. John Bishop, Peter Brown, Thomas Brown, Clement Baxton, John Chap- man, Thomas Colgrave, Stephen Clayson, Thomas Caskrye, Samuel Dean, Peter Disbrow, John Elliott, John Ellison, Robert Fordham, Joseph Garnsey, William Gifford, Richard Hardy, William Hill, Thomas Hunt, Henry Jackson, Edward Jessup, Joseph Joncs, John Karman, Caleb Knapp, Joshua Knapp, Edmund, Jonathan, and Joseph Lockwood, John Martin, Richard Mills, David Mitchel, Thomas Morris, Daniel Newman, Thomas Newman, Henry Olwieson, William Oliver, Robert Penoyer, John Pctct, Debrow Petie, Potter Williams, G. Rivis, Robert Rugg, Richard Scofield, Thomas Sherwood, James Steward, George Stokey, Humphrey Symings, Charles Tamtor, Gregory Taylor, Nicholas Theale, Thomas Uffit, Robert Meher, John Waterbury, Jr., N. Webster.

GRIST-MILL.

One of the greatest inconveniences usually met by the early settlers of any section is the want of mills for grinding grain. The pioneers of Stamford gave this matter their early attention, for as early as Sep- tember, 1641, an order was passed for the erection of a mill at a common charge. It was promptly erected and "sct agoing," but during the same year was sold to private parties.

THE PERFIDY OF THE DUTCHI TRADERS .- THE UN- DERHILL MASSACRE.

The following concise statement of an affair which at one time wore a threatening aspect, endangering the very existence of the community, is from the pen of the late Rev. E. B. Huntington :

"Some of the Dutch traders had stripped an In- dian, who had been tempted by them to drink too much, of a valuable dress of beaver skins. On re- covering from his drunken fit, the insulted red man revenged himself by killing two Dutchmen, and fled to feast his memory with the great revenge among a distant tribe. He could not be found. The Dutch governor at New Amsterdam, Kieft, sought an oppor- tunity to punish the Indians for the revengeful deed. The next winter the Mohawks fell upon two of the Hudson River tribes, and after killing their warriors scattered the remnant in utter destitution to find food and shelter from the piercing cold among the Dutch on the South. The time for a civilized revenge had now come; and at the instigation of Kieft, with the sanction of his counselors, more than a hundred of those helpless fugitives from their savage foe were sent from their quiet sleep on earth to the spirit world of their race by a blow from the Dutch soldiers so sudden that they could not even beg for life.

" Then Indian blood was stirred. Savage vengeance awoke. With almost electric despatch Indian warrior pledged to Indian warrior, and clan to clan, the direst vengeance on their foe. 'More than fifteen hundred warriors,' according to De Forest, rallied from the confederacy of eleven clans to constitute this aveng- ing army. 'A fierce war blazed wherever a Dutch settlement was to be found; on Long Island and on Manhattan, along the Connecticut and along the Hudson.' From Manhattan to Stamford the coast was desolatcd, Dutch and English alike atoning to the inexorable spirit of Indian revenge for the inju- rics that had been hcaped upon the Indian's race.

" Within hearing distance of the Stamford settle- ment* were three Dutch settlers who had excited the wrath of the restless and brave Mayano. He nobly met them, armed as they werc, with his bow and arrows, and brought two of them to the ground. The third only saved himself by a well-directed blow which laid the fearless savage at his feet; and the daring of the fallen sachem had made the extermi- nation of his tribc a necessity to the safety of the

* Detween Greenwich and Stamford .- O' Callaghan.

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whites. A company of soldiers were immediately dispatched to capture them. At Greenwich they were directed by Capt. Patrick to the rendezvous of the maddened Indians, but on reaching it not a soul could be found. Proceeding on into the Stamford settlement they find Patriek with his own foriner comrade in arms, our Capt. John Underhill. They immediately suspeet him of having given the Indians notice of their approach. They taunt him with the treaellery.

"He who had led his trusty men so sueeessfully against the bravest of the New England savages could not brook sueh insolence from Dutehmen, even though in arms. He contemptuously spat in the faee of their leader and turned to walk away. A pistol- ball brought him to the ground in death, and the Dutchmen returned to the pursuit of their savage foe.

"Underhill, who had been no friend to the Duteh settlers, now sympathized with their mortal hatred of the Indian enemy. He had already signalized liis bravery in the Pequod war. His was already a name of terror to Indians far and near ; and to his presence our Stamford eolony had doubtless owed their eom- parative exemption thus far from savage invasions. It was no time for him to rest inaetive when his friends and neighbors were exposed every hour to some sudden and relentless massaere. He offered his serviees to the Duteh Governor, and was at onee sent into the field. The troublesome Indians about Stam- ford were the first to feel his power. With one hun-, dred and thirty men he started from New Amsterdam on a cold and cloudy morning in the February of 1644. They were able to land at Greenwich Point that evening in a furious storm. With the early dawn of the next morning the resolute eaptain was again on the march. All day did the sturdy Duteh soldiers, under their valiant leader, plod their toilsome way through the snow until, at eight in the evening, they had reached the vieinity of the hostile eamp. Soon the elouds gave way, and a elear, bright moon, flash- ing from the snowy erystals, lighted their way to their horrid work. By a little after ten they filed round the southern spur of a ridge stretehing towards the north- west, and the village, a triple range of wigwams, lay reposing before them, awaiting their attaek. With marvelous eelerity the captain eireles the doomed village with his trusty men. Now spring upon them, as hounds unleashed upon their prey, the stalwart forms of more than a hundred warriors, all prepared for their death grapple with the foe. But neither their sudden rush, nor their wild war-ery, eould in- timidate their assailants. Coolly they are received, a tenth of them captured, and the rest impetuously hurled baek. For a whole hour the unrelenting struggle went on. A hundred and thirty men wrestled in mortal strife with more than five hundred of the enemy, and when the doomed Indians were at length driven baek within their lines of defense, one hundred

and eighty of their fallen comrades were already still and stiffening in the blood-stained snow. Nor would they yet raise the flag of truce or cry for quarter. Each undaunted spirit, left beneath such shelter as his own or his neighbor's wigwam could give, con- tinued the fight. This was the opportunity for which Underhill was prepared. He called for fire. Torehes lighted the wigwams. Indian men, women, and chil- dren, issuing from their burning homes, were driven back to perish in the flames. Before the morning dawned more than five hundred who, the night before, had gone to their usual rest, were now sleep- ing their last sleep with the unconscious dead.

"By noon of the next day the victors had already reached Stamford on their way home, having in this signal chastisement of the Indians of this neighbor- hood secured the perpetual peaee of the English set- tlements."

INDIAN DEEDS, ETC .- THE STAMFORD PATENT, 1685.

The following is a copy of the Indian deed which, in consideration of "twelve coats, twelve howes, twelve hatehets, twelve glasses, twelve knives, four kettles, and four fathom of white wampum," was con- veyed, July 1, 1640, to Capt. Nathaniel Turner for the New Haven jurisdiction the lands at Stanford :

" Bought of Ponus, sagamore of Toquams, and of Wascussue, sagamore of Shippan, by mee, Nathaniel Turner, of Qnenepiocke, all the grounds that belongs to both the above said sagamores, except a piece of ground* which the above said sagamore of Toquais reserved for his and the rest of said Indians to plant on-all of which grounds being expressed by meadows, upland, grass, with the rivers aud trees; and in cousideration hereof, I, the said Nathaniel Turner, amm to give and bring, or send, to the above said sagamores, within the space of one month, twelve coats, twelvo howes, twelve hatchets, twelve glasses, twelve knives, fonr ket- tles, four fathom of white wampum: all of which lands bothe we, the said sagamores, do promise faithfully to perform, both for ourselves, heirs, executors, or assigns, and herennto we have sett our marks in the presence of many of the said Indians, they fully consenting thereto.

WILLIAM WILKES,

" Witness,

JAMES -

" PoxUs

his mark.

"OWENOKE, Sagamore Ponus' son.

" WESCUSSEE

his mark.

"pd in part payment 12 glasses.

12 knives. 04 coats.

* This exception was probably that beautiful headland now owned mainly by Capt. B. L. Waite and the Scofield brothers, Alfred and Ben- jamin. This tract, in 1672, was given to the Rev. Eliphalet Jones, then just called to assist the Rev. Mr. Bishop. The terms of the gift are: " Mr. Jones shall have that peice of land at Wesens which was improved by the Engins in case it be cleared from all English and Engins, and this land to be Mr. Jones' proper right in Ine of that piece of land granted to him on the west side of the Southfield."-Hunting; n.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 172

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