History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 138

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317

USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 138

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This grant was the cause of a long and bitter con- troversy. The Masons, guardians of the Mohegans, raised an outery against it, the neighboring colonies caught it up, and the reverberation was loud in Eng- land, where the throne was led to believe that great

wrong had been done the Indians by giving away their land. It was, however, after a long struggle settled, and the proprietors were permitted to quietly hold possession. After the death of Winthrop and Saltonstall, the land thus held by them was by the courts legally distributed among their respective heirs. In May, 1703, that part of New London which was afterwards called the North Parish of New Lon- don was added to the township of New London by a grant of the General Court. This tract 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 be- tween the north 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; then as the bounds of Norwich run down to the Great River." This grant provided "that any proprietors of lands, whether of English or Indians, within the tract so added, who held legal titles to the same should have it reserved and secured to the re- spective possessors."

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 Capt. James Avery, who sold her to Charles Hill.

Joshua Raymond, who married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Nehemiah Smith, was an early land- holder on the Indian reservation, and must have erected there a house at a very early period, as he died in 1676. His son Joshua in his will mentions among his bequests, "also my father's homestead farm in New London, in the Mohegan fields."

The Raymond farm in Mohegan was situated near the head of Haughton'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 pos- session and occupied by the family one hundred and seventy-five years. It was last sold by George Ray- mond, of the fifth generation, in 1841, to Capt. Wil- liam Fitch, the present owner of the farm. Mr. Fitch, soon after his purchase, took down the ancient house and erected a fine mansion on the site.

Many of the descendants of Joshua Raymond have been among the most active and influential citizens in the town, holding important trusts in both church and State.

A short time previous to the death of Joshua Ray- mond he had bargained a tract of land to Oliver Manwaring, his brother-in-law. A deed which his widow had executed conveying the previously-bar- gained premises was questioned as to its validity, and in October, 1704, Manwaring petitioned the General Court to grant liberty to and empower Elizabeth Den- nis (Raymond), the relict of Joshua Raymond, to execute a deed of conveyance to all the lands agreed

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upon by her former husband in his lifetime. The petition was granted and deeds executed.

The land commonly known by the name of the Indian or sequestered lands, lying between the estab- lished lines of the towns of New London and Nor- wich, lying 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 use and benefit of the Indians, by deed of feoffment in favor of Hon. Gideon Saltonstall, Capt. John Mason, Maj. John Livingston, Capt. Daniel Fitch, and Capt. John Stanton, which tract was forever set- tled upon the Mohegan tribe of Indians, " so long as there shall be any Mohegan found or known of alive in the world." Excepting, however, out of the tract described some small parcels then in the possession of persons holding under former grants, which parcels were in the general deed confirmed to them.

The western part, which was divided from the eastern by a line running north and south, then " famously known," was conveyed by a general deed, signed by Owaneco; Ben Uncas, Ceser, and several counselors and chief men of the tribe, to Maj. John Livingston, Lieut. Robert Denison, Samuel Rogers, Jr., and James Harris. Excepting, however, out of the tract conveyed all former grants made by the General Court and by the Indians to persons then in actual possession.

These proceedings gave great uneasiness to the in- habitants of New London, who regarded the land granted to them by the act of addition to the town- ship in May, 1703, and expressly guaranteed by their patent. A town-meeting was held July 17, 1710, and a committee appointed to prosecute Maj. John Liv- ingston and his associates before the General Court for a breach of law. Then began a struggle for posses- sion which continued many years. The North Parish was in an unsettled and disorderly state, and for sev- eral years afterwards no man felt secure of his title. It was not until about the year 1721 that the land matters became tranquil in the North Parish. The General Court had refused to confirm the acts of the town of New London, and consequently all acts of the town and grants made by the same were void.

In October, 1720, the General Assembly appointed James Wadsworth, John Hooker, and John Hall a committee to settle the difficulties relating to the land titles in the North Parish, and to provide for the settlement of a gospel minister in the parish.

Two of the committee, Messrs. Wadsworth and Hall, accordingly met at the house of Mr. Joseph Bradford, who then lived on the farm now owned and occupied by J. Randolph Rogers, Feb. 22, 1720-21, and there held a commissioners' court, with power to hear and determine all disputes respecting claims to lands in the Mohegan territory.

This court proved to be one of pacification. Almost

every claimant was confirmed in his possessions. The deed of trust was also confirmed, and the rever- sion of the sequestered lands, when the tribe should become extinct, settled upon the town of New Lon- don. All the General Court grants were ratified,- the farms of Winthrop and Saltonstall, six hundred acres to the schools, two hundred acres to Caleb Watson, the purchase of Livingston and his asso- ciates,-excepting, however, five hundred acres to be secured to the use of the ministry in North Parish, and in general all Indian contracts made previous to 1710.

In May, 1721, the commission reported their doings to the General Assembly held at Hartford, which having heard and considered the same, it was ap- proved and confirmed and ordered to be recorded.

The tract to be set out to the ministry was left un- determined by the commissioners. The inhabitants could not by any means hitherto used be led to an agreement as to where the meeting-house should be located, and it was desirable to lay out a farm for the minister as near to the meeting-house as practicable. This matter of locating the site for a meeting-house was therefore left unsettled, and, at the request of the inhabitants, referred to the General Assembly.

That tract of land which was purchased of Owan- eco in 1710 by Maj. John Livingston, Maj. Robert Denison, Samuel Rogers, Jr., and James Harris was in 1713 surveyed by John Plumbe and laid out into divisions, and subdivided into lots of from one hun- dred to six hundred acres each.

The first division contained about two thousand nine hundred acres, and was subdivided into five lots of five hundred to six hundred acres each. This division lay on the north side of Stony Brook, that runs into Haughton's Cove, and extended from Stony Brook to Norwich line, and from the land secured to the In- dians in trust to lands of Winthrop and Saltonstall on the west.

The second division extended from Stony Brook on the north to a brook that runs into Stony Brook near Cochegan Rock, and from the land secured to the Indians on the east to lands of other persons on the west, following on the south side the small brook so far as it runs northwest, then leaving the brook and running along the north side of the hill called Ray- mond Hill. This division was subdivided into five lots. In the year 1710, James Harris and Sarah, his wife, conveyed by deed to John Merritt and Mercy Raymond, relict of Joshua Raymond, a tract of land lying west of the Gilbert farm, which Samuel Rogers. gave to his daughter, Mary Gilbert, now owned by J. Dwight Baker, containing about two hundred acres.

The next year James Harris conveyed all his in- terest in the lands conveyed by Owaneco to himself and others in 1710 to Mercy Raymond and John Merritt. Mercy Raymond at this time was living on Fisher's Island. She removed a few years afterwards on to her land in North Parish, and built the house

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where she afterwards lived, now occupied by S. Deni- son Bradford, about one-fourth of a mile west of the present Congregational church.

About this time the land was being taken up and settled upon with great rapidity. Speculation in lands had become prevalent.

BIOGRAPHIICAL SKETCHES OF THE EARLY SET- TLERS.

James Rogers the first came to America in the ship " Increase" from London, in England, in 1635, at the age of twenty years. He is first known at Strat- ford, Conn., where he married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Rowland. In the year 1656, Mr. Rogers having dealings in New London, liked the place so much that he afterwards fixed himself there as a per- manent inhabitant. Here he soon achieved property and influence. His landed possessions became very extensive, consisting of several hundred acres on the Great Neck, a large tract of land at Mohegan, at the place now called Massapeag, several house-lots in the town plot, and two thousand four hundred acres on the east side of the river which was held in partner- ship.

James Rogers was born about 1615, son of Rev. John Rogers, of Denham, in England, who died in 1639. The descendants of James Rogers have claimed that he was descended from Rev. John Rogers, of London, who was burned at the stake in Smithfield in 1555, during the reign of "Bloody Queen Mary." Recent genealogical researches have made it quite doubtful as to the lineal connection of this stock of Rogers with that of the martyr.

James Rogers died at New London in February, 1688. He had seven children, and all but the youngest child were born at Stratford.

Samuel Rogers, the eldest son of James the first, was born at Stratford, Dec. 12, 1640, and married, Oct. 17, 1664, Mary, daughter of Thomas Stanton. They first settled at New London, where they remained only a few years, and then removed to the outlands of the town, in the vicinity of the Mohegans, and be- came the first English settlers within the limits of the town of Montville. Uncas, the good friend of Samuel Rogers, had persuaded him to settle in his neighbor- hood, and as an inducement had given him a valuable tract of land on "Cochiknack Brook," now Oxoboxo, and had further promised, in case of inroads by prowl- ing bands of Narragansetts, that he would rally at once with his warriors for his protection. Here Rogers built his home, in the midst of a wilderness, and reared a family of six children, the descendants of which afterwards scattered over the town and became per- manent inhabitants. These descendants are quite numerous at the present time, some still occupying the same lands formerly owned by their ancestor, Samuel Rogers. He died Dec. 1, 1713, and was buried in the "old Rogers burying-ground," located on the farm late owned by Oliver Baker, deceased.

Daniel Rogers, born about 1665, eldest son of Sam- nel, married, in 1702, Grace Williams. He was a farmer, and inherited a large tract of land from his father in Montville, and from time to time purchased other lands in the vicinity where he lived. Several deeds of land to him are extant, dating back from 1727, and running down to 1765; also deeds from him to his sons. One of the latter is dated Jan. 24, 1753, to his son Thomas, and one dated April 16, 1771, in which, " for the consideration of love, good will, and fatherly affection I have and do bear unto my well-beloved sons, Alpheus Rogers and Thomas Rogers," he conveys to them certain tracts of land near where he then lived. The house in which he lived at the time of his death stood on the south side of the highway leading east from the Congregational church, on the farm now owned by A. A. Parker. He died about 1771, aged one hundred and five years. Tradition says that his appearance in the last years of his life was that of a venerable old man, his long gray hair covering his shoulders, and often seen in the fields without any hat upon his head, gave him the appearance of an old prophet.

Richard Raymond, the ancestor of that large family of Raymonds who have been residents of Montville since its first settlement, and who have been among its most influential and prominent citi- zens, makes his first appearance at Salem, Mass., where he and his wife, Judith, were members of the church in 1634. He was made freeman there the same year. He with his family appear to have left Salem about 1650, and first settled at Norwalk, pre- vions to 1654, and afterwards removed to Saybrook, where he died in 1692. His sons scattered them- selves along the shore of Long Island Sound. John, his son, settled at Norwalk, where he died and left descendants. Samuel married Mary Smith, daughter of Nehemiah Smith, and settled at New London, where he died without children in 1705. Daniel, an- other son of Richard Raymond, married Elizabeth Harris, daughter of Gabriel Harris, of New London, and had two daughters, Elizabeth and Sarah. After the death of his wife he married a second, Rebecca Lay, daughter of John Lay, of Lyme, by whom he had children. He settled at Lyme, where he died in 1696. His second wife survived him and married Samuel Gager, of Norwich.

Joshua Raymond, second son of Richard, born about 1639, married, Dec. 10, 1659, Elizabeth Smith, another daughter of Nehemiah Smith. He was among the first settlers in the town of Montville, though he did not make it his permanent residence. He first settled at New London, and for a short period may have resided on his farm in Mohegan. Mr. Raymond was actively engaged in the Pequot war, and was by the Council appointed commissary of the troops. A short time before his death he was directed to fit out a vessel at New London for the Barbadoes, to obtain provisions for the troops. He was also one

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of the committee appointed to survey and lay out a road from New London to Norwich through the Mo- hegan fields. For his services in laying out this road he received a grant of land in Mohegan, on which he built a house, which after his death came into the possession of his descendants. He died at New Lon- don, April 24, 1676. His death was supposed to have been caused by a wound received in the great swamp- fight in December, 1675. After his death his widow married George Dennis, of Long Island.

Joshua Raymond (2), born Sept. 18, 1660, son of Joshua Raymond (1), married, April 29, 1683, Mercy Sands, daughter of James Sands, of Block Island. They resided at Block Island. Mr. Raymond having his business in New London, was absent from his family much of the time. The care and management of the home affairs devolved upon his wife, who was a woman of great energy and executive ability. He died at his residence on Block Island in 1704. Soon after his death she removed with her six children to the North Parish of New London, now Montville, where she with Maj. John Merritt purchased a tract of land containing about fifteen hundred acres. She built a house on a commanding site, on what has since been called "Raymond Hill." Here with her son Joshua she lived until her death. In his will he gave to his son Joshua "the homestead at Block Island, one hundred sheep, twenty cattle, a team and cart," also "his father's homestead farm in the Mohegan fields." She died at Lyme, while on a visit to her friends, May 3, 1741, aged seventy-eight years, and was buried near the stone church in that town.

Joshua Raymond (3), born about 1697, son of Joshua Raymond (2) and Mercy Sands, married, Aug. 31, 1719, Elizabeth Christopher, daughter of John Christopher. He was actively engaged in the affairs of the town and church, and held offices of trust in both ; was elected representative several years, and held the office of justice of the peace for New London County from 1738 to 1743. Mr. Raymond and his wife united with the church in 1724, was chosen deacon in 1740, and held the office until his death. She died May 12, 1730, aged thirty-three years. He afterwards married, Nov. 23, 1730, Sarah Lynde, of Saybrook. He died Nov. 12, 1763.

Joshua Raymond (4), born Dec. 22, 1723, son of Joshua Raymond. (3), married, Oct. 4, 1750, Lucy Jewett, eldest daughter of Capt. Nathan Jewett, of Lyme. He settled at Montville, upon a portion of the land formerly owned by his grandmother, Mercy (Sands) Raymond. He, like his father, was pos- sessed of large business qualifications. An active member of the church and society, he was chosen deacon of the church in 1763, and held the office until his death ; was elected representative to the General Assembly several years. He died Sept. 14, 1790. She died Feb. 26, 1811, aged eighty-one years.

John Raymond, born Jan. 18, 1725, son of Joshua Raymond (3), married, in 1747, Elizabeth Griswold,

daughter of Rev. George Griswold, of Lyme, by his first wife, Hannah Lynde. He owned and occupied the old Raymond farm, situated at the head of Haugh- ton Cove, and first occupied by his great-grandfather, Joshua Raymond (1). He was a military man, and at one time was lieutenant under Col. Whitney in the French war. He was stationed at Fort Edward in November, 1756, from which place he sent home letters written on birch-bark and wrapped in brown paper. She died Jan. 16, 1779, of smallpox. He died May 7, 1789.

Sherwood Raymond, born Oct. 28, 1786, son of Christopher Raymond, and of the seventh generation from Richard Raymond, married Fanny Fitch, a descendant of Rev. James Fitch, the first minister at Norwich. He settled at Montville, and lived on his grandfather's farm. He was a farmer, owned a large tract of land, and kept a large herd of cattle. He was a man of large business qualifications, and held many important offices in the town. He was elected representative five times, and served with accept- ance. He was elected senator of the Ninth District in 1846, and held the office of justice of the peace many years. In March, 1842, he united with the Congregational Church, his wife having been a mem- ber since 1824. At the time the new Congregational church was built, Mr. Raymond contributed the sum of five hundred dollars towards the erection of the edifice. He died at Montville, much respected and highly honored by the people of his native town. His wife survived him several years, and died at the. residence of her brother, Col. Asa Fitch, of Bozrah, in 1879. She was a devoted Christian, and gave large sums to charitable and benevolent objects. None ever knew her but to love and respect her. She was kind and generous to the poor and afflicted.

Alexander Baker, the common ancestor of a numerous family, probably born in London, England, about 1607, came from London in the ship " Eliza- beth and Ann" in 1635, at the age of twenty-eight years, with Elizabeth, his wife, aged twenty-three years, and two children,-Elizabeth, aged three years, and Christian, aged one year. They landed at Boston, where they settled and became permanent residents. . He was a rope-maker. Previous to their departure from London he obtained a certificate from a minister of the Established Church, showing his honorable standing in the church, and before two justices of the peace took the oath of allegiance. After their arrival in Boston they had born to them nine children, who were all baptized, the parents having been admitted to the church in that place.

Joshua Baker, the fourth son, born April 30, 1642, and lineal ancestor of the Baker families in Montville, removed from Boston about 1670, and settled at New London, where he received shares in the town plot and became a large landholder. He was a carpenter and house-builder. About the year 1700 he received a deed from Owaneco, the chief of the Mohegans,

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conveying to him a large tract of land in Mohegan, on which he afterwards settled. A portion of this land some of his descendants still occupy. This tract of land was situated in the vicinity of the famous "Cochegan Rock," which stood on the land.

He married, Sept. 13, 1674, Hannah Mintern, relict of Tristram Mintern, of New London. She was the daughter of George Tongue. Her sister Elizabeth was the wife of Governor Fitz John Winthrop. Another sister married John Wickwire, the ancestor of the Wiekwire families who have been residents of Mont- ville.

Joshua Baker died at North Parish (Montville), Dec. 27, 1717, and left his large estate to his four sous and five daughters. The eldest son, Joshua, Jr., probably received a double portion, and came into possession of the homestead of his father. He mar- ried Marian Hurlbut, March 27, 1705, and had eleven children. His inventory, as exhibited to the Probate Court in New London, was £1029 19s. 7d., which was given by will to his seven sons and four daughters. He died in 1740. His wife survived him, and after- wards married John Vibber. James Baker, son of Joshua, Jr., was the executor of his father's will, and inherited the homestead.

John Dolbeare emigrated from Wales to Amer- ica with his wife, whose name is not known, and set- tled in Boston. His occupation was that of a brass- founder. The " coat of arms of the Dolbeare family," says tradition, "exhibits the family once to have been the fourth family in the kingdom of Great Britain." It is understood that he had twenty-four children,- twenty-two sons and two daughters. He continued his residence in Boston until his death in 1725. He purchased of James Harris, a land speculator living in the North Parish of New London, about 1700, a large tract of land lying between Oxoboxo Pond and Gardiner's Lake, and containing one thousand acres or more. This land was never occupied by him, but after his death all the land possessed by him in the North Parish was taken possession of by his twenty- fourth child, George, who moved on to the land and commenced improvements on it. A pitcher now in the possession of Mr. Samuel Allen, of New Hartford, is said to have been a gift of John Dolbeare. Upon it is the inscription, "The gift of Mr. John Dolbeare, of Boston, to the Church of Christ in New Salem, in Conn., New England, Oct. 1st, 1737." This John Dolbeare was probably the eldest son of John Dol- beare the first, and brother of George, who inherited all his father's land in North Parish of New London, a part of which was located in New Salem Society, now in the town of Salem, Conn.

George Dolbeare, born about 1715, married Mary Sherwood, and had three sons and three daughters. Hannah married Guy Richards, of New London ; Mary married William Avery, of Groton; and Abigail married Elihu Hinman.

He died March 27, 1772, aged fifty-seven years.

She died Jan. 1, 1790, aged eighty years. Large por- traits of Mr. George Dolbeare and his wife, Mary, are now in the possession of Mrs. Lockwood, of New Lon- don, a descendant, and were exhibited, among other valuable relies, at the late centennial at Groton, Sept. 6,1881.

John Dolbeare, the eldest son of George Dolbeare, married, Dec. 22, 1769, Sarah Raymond, daughter of Christopher Raymond and Eleanor Fitch. He settled at Montville, on land given him by his father, where he lived until his death, April 9, 1806. He had a family of thirteen children,-eight sons and five daughters.

Another son of George Dolbeare, whose name was George Benjamin, born Dec. 25, 1753, married Mar- garet Fox, daughter of Ezekiel. His eldest daughter, Lucy, was the second wife of Lorenzo Dow, the ec- centric preacher.

Many of the descendants of John Dolbeare the first still reside in this town.

Capt. Samuel Chester, "commander, owner, and factor in the West India trade," arrived from Boston and located in New London about 1663, he about that time receiving a grant of land in New London for a warehouse, and at the same time was carrying on business at Boston.

He was a plain, practical business man. His knowledge of surveying, as well as navigation, proved of great service in laying out the lands in the new settlements. He had a large landed estate, partly on the east side of the river, now Groton, and covering the ground where Fort Griswold and the monument now stands, and partly in the North Parish of New London, now Montville, upon which his grandson, Joseph Chester, settled and gave to New London County a worthy family of sixteen children, who have been a credit not only to their native town, but to other places where they have subsequently located.

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History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 138

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1317

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317