USA > Connecticut > New London County > Montville > History of Montville, Connecticut, formerly the North parish of New London from 1640 to 1896 > Part 7
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The General Court, sitting at Hartford in October, 1698, granted to their honored Governor, Fitz John Winthrop, and the Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall, who had preached the election sermon, conjointly a tract four hundred acres of land, " to be taken up where it may not prejudice any former grant to any township or particular person." This land was surveyed and laid out by John Prentis, Surveyor, on the 20th day of Feb- ruary, 1698-9. It was bounded and described as follows: " The north bound is a line running from a pine tree by the side of a pond, above Samuel Rogers' farm, commonly called Twenty-mile Pond (Gardner's Lake), standing on the east side of said pond due east two hundred and forty rods to a great white oak marked N. E., which oak is on the top of a long fair plain hill, and in fair sight of a hollow where there is a small swamp on the east of it; from thence in a line which runs due south to a young chestnut tree on the east side of the little pond (Oxoboxo), which tree stands within a rod of said pond, under a clift of rocks, and is marked for a south- east corner; and from thence in a line which runs due west two hundred and forty rods to a large fair spreading white oak upon the brow of a hill, with a plain on the top of it, which oak (Governor's Tree) is within ten rods of a fresh meadow with high rocks, three or four in the middle of it, and bear- ing from the said tree about N. N. W., which tree is marked for the south corner; and from thenee in a line running north
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by the west side of a small island in the aforesaid great pond, and on the north to the aforementioned pine tree on the east side of the said great pond, marked for the northwest corner, containing four hundred acres, more or less."
The grant was the cause of a long and bitter controversy. The Masons, guardians of the Mohegans, raised an outcry against it, the neighboring colonies caught it up, and the rever- beration was loud in England when the throne was led to believe that great wrong had been done the Indians by giving away their lands. It was, however, settled and the proprie- tors held the possession. After the death of Winthrop and Saltonstall, the land was distributed among their respective heirs. John Prentis and John Hough were a committee ap- pointed by the General Court in 1703 to survey and lay out a tract of land consisting of eighty acres to the heirs of John Plumb. Their report was as follows: " Beginning at a great white oak tree on a hill, which tree is the Governor's and Mr. Saltonstall's northeast corner, marked W. S. P., run- ning south one hundred and sixty rods by marked trees to a white oak tree near a long valley, which tree is the southwest corner; thence east by marked trees eighty rods to a black oak tree by a ledge of rocks on the side of a hill marked on four sides and P. R., which is the southeast corner; thence north one hundred and sixty rods to a small walnut tree in a ridge of rocks by a gutter, marked on four sides and P. R .; thence west to the first bound lying east of the great pond, about three-quarters of a mile and bounded west with the Gover- nor's and Mr. Saltonstall's land, east with Samuel Rogers' land and north and south with the common land."
About the same time a county grant was made to Caleb Watson of Hartford of two hundred acres. This grant was surveyed and laid out by John Prentis, John Hough, and John Plumb, Jr., and was described as follows: " Beginning at the south side of the little pond (Oxoboxo) running west about forty rods to Captain Wetherall's corner, then south one hun- dred and twenty rods to a rock which is Atwell's corner, then
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east southerly two hundred and forty rods to a chestnut tree marked on four sides, standing by the road between Norwich and Lyme: then northeast to a brook that comes out of the little pond aforesaid, and then on to the said pond and the first bound. Bounded south by Richard Manwarring, west by Capt. Wetherall, south by Atwell's land and William Dodge's land, and east with the brook that comes out of the little pond."
In May, 1703, that part of New London which was after- wards called the North Parish, was added to the township of New London by a grant of the General Court. This tract of land was described in the application for the grant as " being a small tract of land lying on the west side of the Great River (Thames) in the town of New London, and lying between the north bounds of the town and the northeast bounds of the town of Lyme, and by a straight line from the northeast corner of Lyme bounds to the southwest corner of Norwich south bounds, as the bounds of Norwich run down to the Great River." This grant provided " that any proprietors of lands, whether English or Indians, within the tract so added, who held legal titles to the same, should have their lands reserved and saved to the respective possessors.
Joshua Raymond, who married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Nehemiah Smith, was probably the second person who be- came an actual settler on the reservation. He was one of the committee that laid out the road between Norwich and New London, leading through the Mohegan fields, and for this service received a small tract of land on the route, to which other lands were added by purchase from time to time. On this land he built a house which stood for many years. Mr.
Raymond's farm was situated near the head of Houghton's Cove. The house stood on a commanding site on the west side of the road leading from New London to Norwich, and was in the possession of the family one hundred and seventy- five years. It was purchased of George Raymond, of the fifth generation, in 1841, by Captain William Fitch, who took
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down the ancient house, and erected a new one on the same commanding site. Many of the descendants of Joshua Ray- mond, the probable second actual settler in this town, have been among its most active and influential citizens, holding impor- tant trusts in both church and state. Among the earliest grantees under the Indian deeds were Charles Hill, Samuel Chester, George Tongue, and Daniel Fitch. Charles Hill's tract of several hundred acres was conveyed to him by Uncas in 1678, in exchange for " Betty," an Indian woman, taken captive in Philip's war and given to Captain James Avery, who sold her to Charles Hill. A short time previous to the death of Joshua Raymond, he had bargained a tract of land to Oliver Manwaring, his brother-in-law. A deed, which the widow had executed conveying the land after her hus- band's death, was questioned as to its validity, and in October, 1704, Manwaring petitioned the General Court to grant lib- erty to, and empower Elizabeth Dennis (Raymond), the relict of Joshua Raymond, to execute a deed of conveyance to all the lands agreed upon by her former husband, Joshua Ray- mond, in his lifetime. The petition was granted, and a deed executed, conveying the land bargained to Oliver Manwar- ing.
Samuel Chester owned a large tract of land in the north- west part of the town, a portion of which is now in the town of Salem. This tract, containing several thousand acres, was conveyed to him by Uncas, June 13, 1683. From him the name " Chesterfield " is supposed to be derived.
Richard Poole also owned land along the ridge north of Saw Mill Brook (Oxoboxo) and from his name is supposed to be derived that of Pools or "Poles Hill." This tract was afterwards inherited by the Baker and Wickwire families.
In the year 1705, while the Queen's Court of Commission- ers was convened at Stonington, Captain John Prentis testi- fied before that court that he had surveyed and returned about three thousand acres between the town of New London, as the line formerly run, and the town of Norwich to nineteen
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different persons. It was also stated that the following per- sons had actually settled on the Indian fields, viz .: Samuel Rogers, Sr., Samuel Rogers, Jr., Benjamin Atwell, Israel Dodge, George Le Fevre, Samuel Gilbert, James Harris, Thomas Jones, Sr., Thomas Jones, Jr., William Mynard, and George Tongue. Others who had lands laid out to them were Governor Winthrop, the Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall, Daniel Wetherall, John Plumb, Caleb Watson, George Denison, Charles and Jonathan Hill. January 11, 1709-10, Owan- eco, then sachem of the Mohegans, signed a deed conveying five hundred acres of land to Robert Denison of Stonington for the consideration of twenty pounds, part in silver money and the remainder in goods at money price. The land com- monly known by the name of the Indians or sequestered lands lying between the ancient lines of the towns of New Lon- don and Norwich, on the west side of the Pequot (Thames) river, and being a part of the North Parish of New London, was in the year 1710 by consent of Owaneco and his council divided into two parts. The eastern part, bordering on the river, was put in trust for the Indians by a deed of feoffment in favor of the Hon. Gurdon Saltonstall, Captain John Mason, Major John Livingston, Captain Samuel Fitch, and Captain John Stanton, which tract was forever settled upon the Mo- hegan tribe of Indians, " so long as there shall be any Mohe- gan found or known of alive in the world;" excepting, how- ever, out of the tract described " some small parcels in the pos- session of former purchasers," which parcels were confirmed to them. The western part, which was divided from the eastern by a line running north and south, these " famously known " was conveyed by a general deed, signed by Owaneco, Ben Uncas, Cesar, and several councilors and chiefsmen of the tribe to Major John Livingston, Lieutenant Robert Deni- son, Samuel Rogers, Jr., and James Harris; excepting, how- ever, out of the tract thereby conveyed all former grants by the General Court and by the Indians to persons then in pos- session of them. The price paid by the grantees for this large
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tract of several thousand acres was only fifty pounds. The division of the land was to be in the proportion of two-fifths to Livingston and one-fifth to each of the others. Livingston afterwards purchased the share of Rogers, which made him the holder of three-fifths.
" These proceedings," says Miss Caulkins, " gave great uneasiness to the inhabitants of New London, who regarded the Indian land granted to them by the act of addition to the township in May, 1703, and expressly guaranteed by their patent. A town meeting was held July 17, 1710, and a com- mittee appointed to prosecute Colonel Livingston and his associates before the General Court for a breach of law. This was the beginning of a struggle for possession which con- tinued many years. The North Parish was in an unsettled and disorderly state; no man felt secure of his title."
It was not until about the year 1721, that the land mat- ters became tranquil in the North Parish. The General Court refused to confirm the acts of the town, and conse- quently all acts of the town and grants made by the same were void. In October, 1720, the General Assembly ap- pointed James Wadsworth, John Hooker, and John Hall a committee to settle the difficulties relating to land titles, and also to provide for the settlement of a gospel minister in the North Parish. Messrs. Wadsworth and Hall accordingly met at the house of Joseph Bradford, who then lived on the farm now owned by John Randolph Rogers' heirs, and there held a Commissioners Court, with power to hear and decide all disputes respecting claims to land in the Mohegan territory. This court proved to be one of pacification; almost every claim- ant was quieted in his possession, the deed of trust was con- firmed, and the reversion of the sequestered land, when the tribe should become extinct, settled upon New London. All the General Court grants were ratified, the farms of Win- throp and Saltonstall, six hundred acres to the New London schools, two hundred acres to Caleb Watson, the purchase of Livingston and his associates; excepting, however, five hun-
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dred acres, to be taken out and secured to the use of the min- istry, and in general all Indian contracts previous to 1710. In May, 1721, the committee reported their doing's to the Gen- eral Assembly, and was by it confirmed.
The tract reserved for the ministry in the North Parish was left undetermined by the committee. The inhabitants could not by any means hitherto used be led to agree where the meeting-house should be built, and it was desirable to lay ont a farm for the minister as near to the meeting-house as practicable. This matter of locating the spot for the erection of the meeting-house was therefore left unsettled, and at the request of the inhabitants, referred to the General Assembly.
That tract of land purchased of Owaneco in 1710 by Col- onel John Livingston, Major Robert Denison, Samuel Rogers, Jr., and James Harris was in 1713 surveyed by John Plumb and laid out in divisions, and subdivided into lots. These divisions and the lots were as follows, viz .: " The first divis- ion lots, which lies on the north side of Stony Brook, are bounded southerly on said brook, northerly on Norwich south line, easterly on land belonging to John Phunb, and on land said to belong to the estate of Ralph Parker, deceased, and by Trading Cove Brook, and westerly by the land secured to the Mohegan Indians by feofees in trust and extending west by land of Governor Winthrop's estate and Governor Salton- stall.". The whole tract of the first division contained about twenty-nine hundred acres, and was subdivided into five lots of from five hundred to six hundred acres cach. " The first lot begins by the north side of Stony Brook at a tree marked at the westerly end of land belonging to John Plumb, and from thence runs west by north up the brook, two hundred and twenty-eight rods, to a black oak tree marked on four sides, thus - standing by the side of Stony Brook; thence north by marked trees to the Norwich line, which line is abont east with said Plumb land, and runs to the said north and south lines secured by feofees in trust. The second lot begins at the aforesaid black oak tree, thence to and up the said
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Stony Brook, west by north two hundred and thirty rods to a large ash tree by said brook, marked on four sides and on the east side thus=, thence north by marked trees to Norwich south line; bounded west by the third lot and east by the first lot. The third lot begins at the aforesaid ash tree and thence running northerly by the aforesaid Stony Brook two hundred and six rods to a large, gray oak tree, marked on four sides, and on the east side thus =, thence north by marked trees to Norwich south line; bounded west by the fourth lot and east by the second lot. The fourth lot begins at the aforesaid gray oak tree by the brook, thence running west by north with the aforesaid Stony Brook, one hundred and ninety-seven rods to a white oak tree, standing by said Stony Brook, marked on four sides thus E, thence north by marked trees to Norwich south line; bounded east by the third lot, and west by the fifth lot, and in the center running over the tract of land which John Plumb purchased of Owaneco.' The fifth lot and last runs from the aforesaid white oak tree westerly across the swamp ninety-six rods to a walnut tree standing on the south side of the swamp, marked, which tree is the northwest corner of land belonging to James Harris, Jr., thence north running to Norwich line, running between land belonging to John Winthrop, Esq., deceased, and Gurdon Saltonstall, Esq., on the west side near to Norwich line, running a portion of the way by land of John Plumb. This fifth lot includes all the land that lies west of the north line and to Norwich line, it being a tract that runs toward the great pond and belongs to this lot and contains about one hundred acres, which lies in the second division, on the south side of the aforesaid Stony Brook, and is in the fifth lot of said second division. The second division lots, which abutt northerly on said Stony Brook and running from said brook southwest, abutting on a line that runs in a swamp and brook from land of Joshua Baker, Jr., by land of Daniel Rogers northwest with the brook, so far as the brook runs northwest; thence northwest leaving the
6
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brook, until it comes to land laid out to several persons. This division is divided into lots of about three-quarters of a mile in length, as follows: The first lot begins at the southeasterly side of land belonging to Jonathan Hill at a tree marked on four sides, standing on the line of the west side of the Mohe- gan land secured by feofees in trust; thence running south on the said lines to a swamp a little north of the house of Joslma Baker, Jr., at a maple tree, marked, which is the east side of this lot and abutts on the aforesaid land of Jonathan Hill. The width of this lot adjoining Mr. Hill's land is one hundred rods, and is somewhat shorter than the rest of the lots by reason of said Hill's land running in upon it. At the northwest corner of this lot is a marked tree by said Hill's land, and this line runs by marks nearly southwest to the brook or swamp; the southeast is bounded by the brook to the afore- said swamp, which brook runs nearly northwest and southeast. This lot is in an angular shape. The second lot adjoins the first lot on the northwest side and is one hundred rods in width, from the northwest corner of the said first lot to the northwest corner of the second lot, at an oak tree marked on four sides, and from said oak tree running southwest to the brook over the hill: thence southeast with the brook to the said first lot, bounded north with Jonathan Hill's land. The third lot ad- joins the south side of Stony Brook, for the reason that it lies west of Jonathan Hill's land and is somewhat longer than the first two lots, except the east side abutts partly on Jonathan Hill's land. The northwest corner is at a white oak tree by the aforesaid Stony Brook marked thus =, being in width by said brook eighty-five rods; thence southwest over the hill, and abutts southerly on a triangular piece of land that adjoins on land of Major John Merritt, which triangular piece is not vet divided. The fourth lot begins at the aforesaid white oak tree marked =, and runs by the brook nearly one hundred and sixteen rods to a chestnut tree by the brook marked thence running southwest over the hill to the aforesaid line one hundred and ten rods, running northwest and southeast
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adjoining said triangular piece. The fifth lot begins at the aforesaid chestnut tree, thence running westerly by the brook, one hundred and forty-four rods to a large black oak tree by the side of a swamp at the brook marked, and on the east side, V, thence running up a hill southwest to other land laid out. This last lot adjoins easterly on the fifth lot of the first division and runs westerly with land of Phillip Malsworth, about two hundred and forty rods, abutting northerly on Stony Brook and southerly on other lands formerly laid out. This lot belongs to Samuel Rogers, Jr., and is to be included with the fifth lot of the first division."
JOHN PLUMB, Surveyor.
New London, June 12, 1713.
Mr. John Vibber was one of the early settlers in North Parish and owned large tracts of land in various localities in the parish. He was one of the many land speculators that in those early times made it their special business to trade in land. On the 17th day of January, 1716-17, John Vibber conveyed by deed a small tract of land containing fifty acres to Colonel John Livingston, the same having been conveyed to John Vibber by Samuel Comstock in 1713. This land was situated on the Saw Mill Brook Cove " commencing at Cold Spring, thence by and adjoining the road from Norwich to New London until it comes to a white oak stump upon a knoll by the said road; thence a west line to the common land; thenee beginning at the first bound, viz .: the north bound and from the said road to run due west to common land, together with the right of dower of his wife, Johanna Vib- ber." The 27th day of February, 1740-1, George Hill and John Vibber exchanged farms, George Hill conveying the farm on which he then lived to John Vibber in the following manner: To all People to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: Know ye that I, George Hill, of the Town of New London, in New London County and State of Connecti- cut, for the consideration of four hundred pounds, and also
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a certain tract of land with the appurtenances thereof which I have received of and from my father-in-law, Mr. John Vibber, of said New London, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said John Vibber, all that my farm or tract of land where I now dwell, with the buildings and fences thereon, containing one hundred and sixty (160) acres. Beginning at the southwest corner of Abraham Avery's farm on Fort Hill in Mohegan at the brook, and thence west to a rock and stone on it, being the ancient bounds of said farm, and thence northerly about two hundred rods to a forked red oak, marked C. H., the ancient northwest corner of said farm, and thence east to the northwest corner of land that was set out by my sister, Jane Avery, and thence east with the afore- said land and land I sold to my brother-in-law, Abraliam Avery, to the first bound, the same being bounded by marked trees and the brook."
[Seal. ] GEORGE HILL.
" To all People to whom these presents shall come, Greet- ing: Know ve that I, John Vibber, of the Town of New London, in the County of New London and State of Connecti- ent, for the consideration of one hundred and sixty (160) acres of land received of and from George Hill, and which is hereby acknowledged, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and con- vey to the said George Hill a certain tract of land in North Parish of New London, where I now dwell, containing by es- timation one hundred and seven acres, be the same more or less, with the house, barn, orchards, fences and appurtenances belonging to the same, bounded as follows: Beginning at the northerly corner at a stake and stone, which is the corner bounds of my son, John Vibber Jr.'s land, and joining unto the land of Peter Wickwire, and from thence easterly on said Wickwire's land, two hundred and thirty-eight rods to a wal- nut staddle and stones at Ebenezer Williams' fence; thence southerly on said Williams' land about twenty-four rods to a crooked white oak tree in Jason Allen's line and fence; thence
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westerly two hundred and forty rods to the southerly corner of John Vibber, Jr.'s land at the fence; thence on land of said John Vibber, Jr. to the first bound. Also the easterly half I have on the hill called " Poles Hill," containing twenty- eight acres; the other half belonging to my son John Vibber, Jr."
[Seal. ]
JOHN VIBBER.
Mrs. Mercy Raymond, on the 24th day of June, 1725, executed a deed of gift to her son, Joshua Raymond, to all the land she held in her own right, situated on Block Island, lying at a place commonly called the great pasture in the neck, and commonly called the " Corn Neck," on the east end of said island, and is on the west side of the path that leads to Sawco, and all her other land on said island howsoever bounded or reputed to be bounded, excepting only about five acres of land, called the Quaker lot, and her right at a place called Charlestown on said island.
In the year 1710, James Harris and Sarah, his wife, con- veyed by deed to John Merritt and Mercy Raymond, a tract of land a little west of the Mohegan fields, beginning west twelve rods from the southerly corner of the Gilbert land which Samuel Rogers gave to his daughter, Mary Gilbert, at a walnut tree; thence northwest three hundred and forty- four rods to a tree near the side of a hill on the west side of the head of a swamp; thence northeasterly one hundred and four rods; thence southeast three hundred and forty rods; thence southwest to the point of beginning. (This last line being on the westerly side of the Gilbert farm, now owned by David A. Johnson, Jr.) Also one other piece of land con- taining one hundred acres on Saw Mill Brook, westerly of the house of Samuel Rogers, lying between said house and the Widow Miner's.
In the year 1710, Samuel Gilbert and his wife Mary Gil- bert and Nathaniel Gilbert, their son, conveyed by deed to John Merritt and Mercy Raymond the farm on which they
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lived, and which was conveyed to Mary Gilbert by her father, Samuel Rogers, situated northwest of Samuel Rogers' dwell- ing-house.
The same year Owaneco conveyed to Robert Denison, Samuel Rogers, James Harris, and John Livingston, a large tract of land described as south from the northwest corner tree to white rock in the great river (Thames), bounded on the east by the footpath or highway as it now runs from New London to Norwich.
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