USA > Connecticut > New London County > Norwich > History of Norwich, Connecticut: from its possession by the Indians, to the year 1866 > Part 23
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Gove, Samuel and Nathaniel, adm. 1723.
Green, Robert of Peagscomsuck, 1696.
Grist. Thomas Grist married Ann Birchard, Aug. 14, 1721; adm. 1726.
Grover, Ebenezer, first mentioned about 1720.
Hall. Thomas Hall, adm. 1701 ; probably came from Woburn. Thomas, Jr., adm. Dec. 21, 1712.
Hamilton, Solomon, a resident in 1738.
Hammond, Joseph, 1712. Caleb, married Nov. 21, 1723, Mary Brew- ster ; adm. 1727. Elijah, adm. 1730.
Isaac, of Norwich, bought a farm on Mohegan hill in 1734, for £660.
Harrington. Isaac Harrington died 1727; left wife Sarah, and four children, Isaac, Silvanus, James, and Patience.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Harris. John Harris, adm. Dec. 21, 1712, died 1728; left wife Susan- nah ; other legatees, "brother Robert and his son John of Brookline, in New England."
Gibson, son of Samuel Harris of New London, born 1694, settled in 1726 on a farm in New Concord, now Bozrah. His wife was Phebe, daughter of Capt. George Denison. He died in 1761. He was the father of Dr. Benjamin Harris of Preston.
Hartshorn. David and Jonathan Hartshorn, brothers, from Reading, settled at the West Farms, and are on the roll of inhabitants in 1702.
David was a physician ; selectman in 1709 ; built a saw-mill on Beaver brook in 1713; was one of the first deacons of the West Farms church ; died Nov. 3, 1738, aged 81. He was a man of good report, and a valu- able citizen. His wife was Rebecca Batcheler.
Jonathan Hartshorn, probably son of Jonathan above named, married in 1709, Lucy Hempsted of New London, and in 1726 removed with his family to Cecil county, Maryland.
Haskins, or Hoskins. Richard and John were early residents. Rich- ard died in 1718, leaving nine children; estate, £1,257. John died in 1719, leaving seven children.
Daniel, adm. Dec. 5, 1721, married Melitable Badger.
Hazen. Thomas Hazen, adm. Dec. 21, 1712. He and his wife were received to church membership by letter from the church in Bosford.
John Hazen, adm. 1715. Joseph and Jacob also became residents near this time.
Heath. John Heath came from Haverhill. His wife, Hannah, was received into the church, and her son Josiah baptized, 1715.
Hendrick, Isaac, a resident in 1721.
Hill, Charles, a Separatist in 1748.
Hodges, Ephraim, adm. 1729.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Hough, John, 1678; son of William Hough of New London, and there born Oct. 17, 1655. He was a house-builder, and much employed both in Norwich and New London, acquiring lands and houses in each place. He died at New London, Aug. 26, 1715, suddenly deprived of life by a fall from the scaffolding of a house on which he was at work. He was a large man, of a military turn, and active also in civil affairs, extensively known and highly esteemed. The sudden stroke that swept him into eternity, resounded through the country with startling emphasis.
The wife of Capt. Hough was Sarah Post of Norwich. He had a farm in New Concord Society, the land being an original grant from the town in payment for building a school-house. His youngest son, Jabez, born in 1702, inherited this farm, and there died, Jan. 24, 1725, only seventeen days after his marriage with Anne Denison of New London. The farm was after this the homestead of his older brother Jolin, and from him it went to his son Jabez, who married Phebe Harris, who died at the age of 92, July 23, 1820.
Hutchins. John Hutchins, adm. Dec. 20, 1715 ; a constable in 1726 and 1727.
Thomas Hutchins, inn-keeper at Newent in 1733.
Hutchinson, Joshua, adm. April 29, 1729.
Jennings. Land granted to Jonathan Jennings in 1677. In 1684 he had other grants at Senemancutt and Sucksqutumscot. He removed to Windham, and there died June 27, 1733, in his 79th year. His son, Ebenezer, was the first male child of English parentage born in Wind- ham .*
Jones, John, a resident in 1712; died 1749.
Johnson. "Ten acres of land at Lebanon Valley," granted to John Johnson in 1677; also a grant at Westward hill. His cattle-mark was registered in 1683 ; he was a Lister in 1698.
Isaac Johnson of Norwich died Jan. 7, 1708.
Ensign William Johnson of Canterbury, who probably went from Nor- wich, died Feb. 23, 1713.
Ebenezer Johnson of the West Farms, 1718, married Deborah Cham- pion.
* Weaver's Ancient Windham.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Kelly, Joseph, a resident in 1716. Thomas, adm. 1719. Probably both came from Newbury.
Kennedy, Robert, a resident in 1730; had wife Mary.
Kimball, Richard, 1722.
King, Edward, a resident in 1699 : adm. 1701; died before 1726.
Kingsbury. Joseph, from Haverhill, Mass., with his sons, Joseph, Jr .. and Nathaniel, adm. 1710. The wife of the elder Joseph was Love Ayres, and of the younger, Ruth Denison, both of Haverhill. The wife of Nathaniel has not been ascertained. He had son John, born in 1710, and Nathaniel in 1711.
Joseph Kingsbury, Sen. was one of the first deacons of the West Farms church, chosen in 1718. Joseph, Jr. was one of the eight pillars, and their wives, Love and Ruth Kingsbury, were among the earliest members received. Dea. Joseph Kingsbury died in 1741.
Joseph Kingsbury, Jr. was an ensign in 1721, selectman in 1723, cap- tain of a company in 1726, chosen deacon in 1736, and died Dec. 1, 1757, aged 75. He had 13 children.
Mrs. Ruth Kingsbury, relict of the second Deacon Joseph, died May 6, 1779, aged 93, leaving behind the remarkable number of 231 descendants, viz., 5 children, 61 of the next generation, 152 of the 4th, and 13 of the 5th. The homestead farm is still in possession of descendants of the same name.
Andrew Kingsbury, an officer of the Revolution, and subsequently, from 1793 to 1818, State Treasurer of Connecticut, was a descendant of Joseph, Jr., in the line of his son Ephraim.
Kirby, Richard, adm. 1721.
Knowles, Thomas, adm. 1710.
Knowlton, Joseph, accidentally killed, 1718; "no estate but two cows."
Mary, daughter of Thomas Knowlton, a member of the church in 1709.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Ladd. In 1709, Samuel Ladd, from Haverhill, Suffolk Co., Mass., purchased land of David Hartshorn "on the hill beyond Thomas Hide's farm." Adm. 1710.
Nathaniel Ladd was selectman in 1721, but in 1729 had removed from the town.
David Ladd, another early settler at the West Farms, married Mary Waters. His family and that of Capt. Jacob Hyde were linked together by a triple marriage of their children. The three brothers, Samuel, Ezekiel and Joseph Ladd, married the three sisters, Hannah, Ruth and Silence IIyde, both parties in the natural order of seniority, and cach of the sisters at the age of 19 years.
Lamb. Ebenezer Lamb married May 6, 1690, Mary Armstrong.
David, Isaac and John Lamb were residents about 1718. John died Aug. 16, 1727.
Lawrence, Isaac, owned the church covenant in 1700; was adm. 1702. Isaac Lawrence, Jun., had four children baptized at dates from 1711 to 1718.
Lee. Richard Lee, adm. 1705 ; died Aug. 7, 1713; left widow Sarah, and nine children : the oldest son Thomas 40 years of age, Richard 34 Joseph 32, and Benjamin 30.
Loomer, Samuel, of the parish of New Concord, adm. Sept. 13, 1726.
Lord. Cyprian, a younger brother of Rev. Benjamin Lord, settled in Norwich about 1720, and married in 1725, Elizabeth Backus.
Low. The only person of this name found on the records is David, adm. 1709; died Feb. 10, 1710, aged 23. His estate was settled by Thomas Leffingwell. The low semicircular head-stone that marks his grave is one of the oldest in the town-plot cemetery.
Lyon, Ebenezer, 1722.
Marshall. "Abial Marshall of Norwich and Abiah Hough of New London were married 18 Nov. 1708." Their oldest son, the second Abia Marshall, died in Bozrah, Dec. 1, 1799.
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Meach. John Meach is on a list of 1698.
Metcalf. Ebenezer Metcalf, from Dedham, married in 1702, Hannah, daughter of Joshua Abel of the West Farms, and had five children bap- tized, extending to 1711. He was on the roll of inhabitants in 1718, but removed to Lebanon, and there died Nov. 5, 1755, aged 76. He was a descendant of Michael Metcalf, who had lived at Norwich in England, but emigrated to this country with his wife and nine children in 1637, and settled at Dedham.
Merrick. Stephen Merrick married Mercy Bangs, Dec. 28, 1671, he being 25 and she 20 years of age. Mercy and Apphia Bangs were twin daughters of Edward Bangs of Plymouth colony, and were married the same day,-Apphia probably to John Knowles .*
Stephen Merrick came to Norwich about 1672. He was a constable in 1681, and appointed county marshal or sheriff in 1685.
Moore. Grants of land were made to William Moore in 1677 and 1682. He had land also at Potapaug and "over the river at a place called Major's Pond." He married the reliet of Thomas Harwood in August, 1677, and about twenty years later removed to Windham.
Morgan. Two of this name are found early at Norwich, and left fam- ilies there,-William and Peter. William was probably son of William and Margaret (Avery) Morgan of Groton, (born 1697.)
Peter was a son of John Rose-Morgan of New London, born in 1712. His wife was Elizabeth Whitmore of Middletown, and his house stood under the hill upon the site afterwards built upon by Rev. Joseph Strong, and now the residence of D. F. Gulliver, M. D. Peter Morgan removed to the Great Plain.
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Moseley, or Maudsley. The earliest notice of this name is found in the baptismal record :
"Increase and Sarah, children of Increase Maudsley, bap. 6 : 9 : 1715," that is, Nov. 6, 1715.
Increase Moseley, the father, died in 1731.
Increase, the son, born May 18, 1712, married in 1735, Deborah Tracy of Windham, and removed about 1740 to Woodbury, settling in that part
Gen. Dict., article Bangs. Merrick is there erroneously printed Herrick, and the date of the marriage 1670 instead of 1671.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
of the town which is now Washington. He there sustained various offices of trust and honor, representing the town in the legislature for some fifteen successive years, but removed to Clarendon, Vt., in 1781, and there died May 2, 1795.
His son, the third Increase Moseley In direct succession, probably born also in Norwich, settled in Southbury, and was a colonel of one of the Connecticut regiments during the Revolutionary war .*
Rev. Peabody Moseley, son of the first Increase, was born at Norwich in 1724. He was a Baptist clergyman, but about the year 1780, joined the Shaker society of New Lebanon.
Munsell, Elisha, 1720. Elisha, Jr., 1721. The latter was on the list of Separatists in 1748.
Norman, James, adm. Dec. 20, 1715. He was captain of a vessel ; kept also a shop of merchandize; and in 1717 was licensed to keep a house of entertainment. He died June 28, 1743.
Ormsby, John, adm. Dec. 20, 1715; died July 11, 1728. His relict, Susannah, died in 1752.
Joseph, adm. 1720 ; wife Abigail united with the church in 1721.
Palmeter, Daniel, adm. 1724.
Pasmore. The inventory of Joseph Pasmore of Norwich was exhib- ited in 1711, comprising a Bible, psalm-book, sword, articles of apparel, and twelve acres of land.
Peck, Benjamin, adm. 1700. The church record gives the names of eight children of "brother Benjamin Peck," that were baptized from 1703 to 1718. He died in 1742. Joseph, his oldest son, born in 1706, was father of the late Capt. Bela Peck of Norwich.
The ancestor of this family was Henry Peck of New Haven, whose twin sons, Joseph and Benjamin, were born Sept. 6, 1647.
* Cothren's History of Woodbury.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Pember, John : adm. 1722; son of John and Agnes Pember of New London. He married in 1716, Mary, daughter of Thomas Hyde, and settled at West Farms, where he died in 1783, aged 85.
Pettis, Samuel, adm. 1727.
Phillips, George, adm. 1726.
Pierce, Jonatlian and Ebenezer, adm. 1712.
Pike. Elizabeth, wife of John Pike, baptized Aug. 5, 1711 ; son John baptized 1712, and other children onward to 1723.
Pitcher. Samuel Pitcher, supposed to be a son of Andrew of Dor- chester, had son Benjamin baptized in Norwich, March 20, 1714. He was one of the selectmen in 1721, but in 1735 removed to Woodbury, Ct. A part of the family remained, and the name has been continued in the town to the present day.
Polly. Matthew, 1719, probably from Woburn. Abigail, wife of Daniel Polly, died June 8, 1725.
Prior, Joshua, a householder in 1733.
Raymond. Samuel Raymond of Norwich and Lydia Birchard of Leb- anon were united in marriage March 6, 1717. They had sons Samuel and Daniel, the former born Dec. 25, 1720.
Richards, Nathaniel, an inhabitant in 1716. Andrew, adm. 1727.
Roberts, Samuel, 1678, son of Hugh Roberts, an early settler in New London. He came to Norwich as a house-carpenter, in company with John Hough. These two men were often associated in work, and called themselves near kinsmen, the mother of each being a daughter of Hugh Calkins. The first school-house in Norwich, of which we have any notice,
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
was built by John Hough and Samuel Roberts, and paid for in land in 1683. They were the master-builders of many early houses in the town- plot,-the regular, substantial houses that followed the temporary habita- tions of the first encampment.
Samuel, son of Samuel Roberts, was born May 9, 1688.
Rogers, Theophilus, 1720 ; a native of Lynn, Mass., and reputed to be a descendant of John Rogers, the Smithfield martyr. He had studied physic and surgery in Boston, and settled at Norwich in the practice of his profession. IIe died Sept. 29, 1753. Two of his sons, Ezekiel and Theophilus, were physicians, and two others, Uriah and Col. Zabdiel, were conspicuous as active citizens and patriots of the Revolutionary period.
Rood. Thomas Rood was an early settler upon the outlands of the township. His wife, Sarah, died in March, 1668, and he in 1672. Nine children are recorded, the dates of birth ranging from 1649 to 1666, but the place of nativity is not given.
Thomas, Micah, Samuel and George Rood are on the roll of inhabit- ants in 1702. Micah obtained some local notoriety on account of a pe- culiar variety of apple that he brought to market, which was called from him the Mike apple, and has since been more extensively propagated. It is an early species, has a fair outside, an excellent flavor, and each indi- vidual apple exhibits somewhere in the pulp a red speck, like a tinge of fresh blood. Several fanciful legends have been contrived to account for this peculiarity. Micah Rood died in December, 1728, aged about 76.
Rosebrough. In 1693, the proprietors granted to George Rosebrough, "three or four acres of land, where his house stands." No other reference to the name has been observed.
Rudd. Jonathan and Nathaniel Rudd, brothers, came from Saybrook. The former settled east of the Shetucket, and the latter at the West Farms. It is probable that they were sons of that Jonathan Rudd who was married at Bride Brook in the winter of 1646-7.
Nathaniel Rudd married, April 16, 1685, Mary, daughter of John Post. His homestead was in that part of the West Farms which is now Bozrah. He died in April, 1727, leaving an estate valued at £689.
Daniel Rudd, one of the sons of Nathaniel, born in 1710, married for his second wife, (July 1, 1745,) Mary Metcalf, a daughter of the Rev. Joseph Metcalf of Falmouth, Me. She had previously been living with
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
lier relatives in Lebanon, to which place she came from her far-off home, according to tradition, in a three-days' journey, riding on a pillion behind Capt. James Fitch. Her son, Daniel Rudd, Jr., born June 10, 1754, married Abigail Allen of Montville, who died Jan. 20, 1857, wanting only a few months of being 100 years of age. Lucy Rudd, one of the daugh- ters of this couple, married, first, Capt. Henry Caldwell of the U. S. Marines, and second, Major-General Henry Burbeck, an officer of the Revolutionary war and of that of 1812. General Burbeck died at New London, Oct. 2, 1848, aged 95. His relict, Mrs. Lucy Burbeck, is still living. It is a singular coincidence, occurring, it is presumed, very rarely in the history of families, that Mrs. Burbeck's father, Daniel Rudd, and her husband, Henry Burbeck, were born on the same day,-June 10, 1754.
Sabin : often upon carly records written Sabiens. Isaac, adm. 1720.
Sluman. Thomas Sluman married, Dec., 1668, Sarah, daughter of Thomas Bliss ; constable in 1680 ; died 1683, leaving a son Thomas and five daughters. His relict married Solomon Tracy. Thomas Sluman, 2d, was on the roll of 1702.
Smallbent. Mark Smallbent died Dec. 26, 1696; left two young daughters; estate, £143.
Spalding. Andrew, son of Philip Spalding, was baptized July 15, 1722.
Starr. Samuel, son of Jonathan of Groton, married Ann, daughter of Capt. Caleb Bushnell, in 1727, and settled in Norwich.
Stickney, Amos, 1725.
stoddard, Thomas, a resident in the parish of New Concord, 1708; pres- ent at a church meeting in 1714.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Story. Samuel Story and wife were received into the church in 1722. They came undoubtedly from Ipswich. The inventory of his estate, taken in 1726, has among its items, "a wood-lot in Ipswich." He left a numer- ous family : five sons who were living are noticed in his will, the children of Ephraim deceased, and six married daughters, viz., Elizabeth Hidden, Mary Andrews, Dorothy Day, Hannah Nolten, Anna Proctor, and Mar- garet Choate.
Swetland. John, son of John Swetland, was baptized in 1708; another son, Joseph, in 1710. The family. in all probability, dwelt near the west- ern bounds of the town, within the present area of Salem.
Tenny, Joseph, adm. 1723.
Todd, Thomas, died Aug. 29, 1727. He owned one-third of a sloop called the Norwich. His reliet, Martha, married a Lathrop.
Thomas, Ebenezer, adm. 1727. He owned lands in Duxbury, and was probably son of Jeremiah Thomas of Marshfield, born Nov. 1, 1703. Eb- enezer, Simeon, and Thomas L. Thomas, active men of business during the latter part of the century, were his sons. He died Oct. 16, 1774.
Tubbs. Mary, wife of Joseph Tubbs, received adult baptism in 1718.
Walker, Jonathan, adm. 1722.
Warren, Robert, a resident in 1713 ; seleetman in 1721.
Way, John, adm. 1722.
Welsh, John, adm. 1705 ; died 1728 : estate, £333 ; inventory presented by his son John.
White, Daniel, adm. April 30, 1723. He married Elizabeth Ensworth, June 10, 1723, and died Sept. 9, 1727, leaving a wife and three small children. Estate, £407.
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Whitaker, Jonathan, 1710. He married, in 1718, Abigail Lambert.
Wightman, Daniel, 1727.
Williams, Joseph, adm. 1702; Charles, of Preston, 1687.
Willoughby, John, 1718.
Joseph, adm. Dec. 5, 1721. He afterwards purchased a farm in the North Parish of New London.
Wood, Thomas, a resident in 1716. Ebenezer, adm. Dec. 2, 1718; married Mary Rudd, March 12, 1718.
Woodworth, Isaac, adm. 1705; died April 1, 1714, leaving wife Lydia, and nine children between the ages of 8 and 27.
Moses, adm. 1719.
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CHAPTER XIV.
SETTLERS IN LONG SOCIETY, OR EAST NORWICH, AFTERWARDS INCLUDED IN PRESTON.
SOME of the earliest grantees on the Shetucket river, below its junction with the Quinebaug, were Samuel Andrews, John Reynolds, Josiah Rock- well, and Robert Roath. These grants in some instances crossed the river and took in the land on both sides. Reynolds and Rockwell were at work upon their land on the eastern bank when attacked by the Indians in 1676; but it is not probable that any permanent habitations were reared on that side until after the conclusion of Philip's war.
The Reynolds farm remained long in the possession of the family. A portion of it was sold to the Water Power Company in 1826 by persons to whom it had descended by regular inheritance.
The district on the east side of the river comprised Long Society, or East Norwich ; but the grants made by the town were not wholly limited to this society. A considerable portion of Preston was held originally by the same tenure. Its earliest land-owners and inhabitants settled under the authority of Norwich and were admitted to the privileges of the town, included also in the same church bounds, as parishioners of Mr. Fitch.
In all probability Greenfield Larrabee was the first settler in this region, -the first actual inhabitant of the town of Preston. Next to him we may reckon the sons of Norwich proprietors,-Thomas Tracy, Jun., Jonathan Tracy, Samuel Fitch, and Nathaniel Leffingwell, who were cultivating farms on that side of Shetucket river in 1680, or soon afterward.
The lands east of the town line were claimed by Owaneco, and used by him and his clan for their roving, hunting, and planting grounds.
The following entry is from the records of the General Court, at Hart- ford, May 10, 1679 :
" Whereas, Uncas his son hath damnified Thomas Tracy, Jun., in his swine, and Uncas is willing to make him satisfaction for the same in land, this Court grants him liberty to receive of Uncas to the value of 100 acres of land for the said damage, if he see cause to grant it to him, provided it be not prejudicial to any plantation or former grant made by the Court. Lt. Thomas Tracy and Lt. Thomas Leffingwell are ap- pointed to lay out this grant to the said Thomas Tracy, Jun., according to this grant."
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HISTORY OF NORWICH.
Thomas Tracy's farm east of the Shetucket was not far from Owaneco's claim, and it is not unlikely that the swine were lawfully slain in defence of his corn-fields. But this was an easy way of settling disputes; the Indians set but little value upon their lands, and the settlers were willing to be slightly "damnified," for the sake of the indemnity.
In 1699 the farmers east of the Shetucket petitioned the town that they might be relieved from the ministry rates in Norwich, and pay to Preston. This was not granted, as the people at West Farms and in the crotch of the rivers were similarly situated, and the privilege could not be consist- ently granted to all.
Amos .* Hugh Amos probably came from Boston, where a person of his name was living in 1666. He was propounded for freemanship at Norwich in May, 1671, but an earlier notice of him is the following :
Sept. 26, 1670. "A committee of three persons, John Bradford, Hugh Calkins and Thomas Leffingwell are to agree with Hugh Amos to keep the ferry over Showtuckett river."
This was after the privilege of keeping the ferry had been granted to Samuel Starr, and forfeited by him. "Hugh Amos and his neighbor Rockwell" are mentioned in 1678 as living near the ferry.
Amos died in 1707, leaving an estate valned at £410, consisting princi- pally of housing and 570 acres of land. His children then living were John, Mary, wife of Benjamin Howard, Samuel (of Stonington), and Ann.
Samuel Amos in 1685 obtained a deed of land lying "between Shunk- hungannuck hill and Conaytuck brook," of, the sachem Owaneco. A handsome sheet of water called Lake Amos, in the south-east part of Preston, near the line of North Stonington, probably obtained its name from him.
Ayer. John and Joseph Ayer, or Ayers, emigrants probably from Ips- wich, Mass., settled at Preston and North Stonington as farmers.
Joseph Ayer's farm was within the bounds of Norwich, East Society, and he was admitted an inhabitant in 1704. His will, dated at Norwich, Sept. 6, 1736, but not proved till 1747, mentions four children-Joseph, Timothy, Sarah Hazen, and Abigail, wife of Dennis Manough.
Benjamin. Joseph Benjamin settled in Preston about 1690, and is supposed to have come from Barnstable. The inventory of his estate was
* The list given in this chapter of early settlers does not cover the whole of Preston. It includes only those who settled in East Society under the authority of Norwich, and others whose names have been found in connection with the town at an early date.
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taken April 27, 1704. He left a widow Sarah, and children according to the inventory-"Joseph aged 30, John 22, Abigail, Jemima, Sarah, Mary and Marcy, all about 20." The appraisers of his estate were Thomas Stanton, Jonathan Tracy, and Samuel Lennerson, who were doubtless his neighbors."
John Benjamin died Aug. 2, 1716.
Belcher. William Belcher of Preston died Feb. 7. 1732. His will, dated Sept. 6, 1731, provides for wife Mehitabel, son William, and brother Elijah ; also his mother and sister. His estate was valued at £2,298. Among his bequests was a wood-lot to his pastor, Mr. Hezekiah Lord.
Billings. William Billings is supposed to have been the oldest son of William Billings of Stonington, and born in that plantation about 1665. In 1709 he is styled " Capt. William Billings of Preston." He had rights in the volunteer lands, probably derived from his father, who had fought against the Indians in Philip's war. He died in June, 1738 .* He was the father of Rev. William Billings, who graduated at Yale in 1720, set- tled in the ministry at Windham, and died May 20, 1733, leaving an only son William, afterward known by the same style and title as his grand- father, viz., Capt. William Billings of Preston. This last-named Capt. William died Nov. 28, 1813, in the 88th year of liis age, and was buried at Poquetannock.
Branch. Peter Branch, probably son of John of Scituate, had his cat- tle-mark registered at Norwich about 1680. He died in 1713, leaving nine children, of ages from twenty-eight years down to seven. In settling the estate, it was decided that a division could not be made without preju- dice to the children, and testimony to that effect was presented to the court, signed by the following persons, who were doubtless frecholders in the dis- trict at that time :
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