USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > Norwalk, history from 1896 > Part 4
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*In the possession of the Rev. William J. Slocum, pastor in 15 of St. Mary"- Church, Norwalk, and loaned by him at the exhibition of Norwalk relics in 1594.
[O'Callighan, in describing one of these Indian fortresses some miles west from Norwalk, states that they " were built of five inch plank, nine feet high, bound around with thick beams, +A " Chichester Inn" is alluded to in old Norwalk Land , and studded with port-holes." The old Norwalk fort is to-day Register -.
supplanted by the Consolidated road's bridge improvement.
27
NORWALK.
The Neck, The Pasture, The Pease, The Plantinge, The Rocks, The Water-Glen, Toilsome, might have, to some extent, been lacking in speech-elegance, yet were they models of natural exactness, and a few of them of natural eloquence; which statement holds true when this naming system is followed down somewhat.
By degrees the territory covered by the Indian purchases, a territory bounded east and west by the Saugatuck and Rowalton waters and south by the sea, and butted twelve miles to the north by the "Mohawk Country," became populated, and the enlarged vocab- ulary bearing the same realistic stamp as the one from which extract has been made, anon embraced Bald Hill, Ball Mountain, Barbadoes, Barnum's Swamp, Betts' Swamp, Barren Marsh Creek, Bartlett's Meadow, Bartlett's Ridge, Beaver Pond, Beaver Dam, Behind Noon, Bear Swamp, Benedict's Hill, Benedict's Point, Belden Hill, Between the Banks, Between the Parts, Boggy Branch, Boston Bridge Brook, Bouton's Swamp, Blatchley's Field, Bridge Brook, Brushy Ridge, Buckingham Ridge, Buckmeadow Hill. Butler's Brook, Canaan Ridge, Canoe Hill, Captain's Plain, Captain's Spring, Caterpillar Lots, Chestnut Hill, Compo, Com- stock's Park, Cove-Woods, Cove Branch, Clapboard Hill, Cranberry Plains, Crow Hill, Crow Swamp, David Keeler's Pond, Drye Hill, Drum Hill, East Rocks, Egypt, Elm Branch, Ely's Bars, Ely's Neck, Flax Hill, France, Game Swamp, George's Brook, George's Hill, George's Spring, Great Hill, Great Swamp, Government Line, Grumman's Hill, Hale's Meadow, Hanford's Brook, Hanford Meadow, Hanford Swamp, Handsome Ridge, Hazel Plain, Hayes' Hill, Hitchcock's Hollow, Honey Ridge, Home Ridge, House Ridge, Horse Hollow, Horse Pound, Holmes' Plain, Hop Meadow, Hoyt's Plain, Hoyt's Hunting Woods, Huckleberry Hills, Indigo Hill, Kellogg's Ridge, Kellogg's Swamp, Keeler's Ridge, Keeler's Orchard, Keeler's Hollow, Ketchum's Hill, Lupton's Boggs, Mamachimon's Bridge, Mam- achimon's Meadow, Marvin's Swamp, Marvin's Ridge, Marvin's Meadow, Marvin's Plain, Matthias Meadow, Mill Brook, Millstone Hill, Millstone Ridge, Natt's Boggs, New Dam, New Pound Ridge, Nod, Old Hill, Old Well, One-Mile Tree, Ox Pound, Pampaskeshanke Creek or River, Pine Tree, Platt's Farm, Parting Swamp, Plum Trees, Pound Ridge, Poplar Plains, Partrick's Plain, Pympewaugh Falls, Pympewaugh Plain, Rattlesnake Pasture Swamp and Woods, Rayle Hill, Raymond's Hill, Round Hill, Rock House Woods, Seer Hill, Soatuck Playne, Scudder's Woods, Silver Mine, Stadde Ridge, Shovel Hill, Stuart's Field, Stuart's Swamp, Sticky Plain, Spring Ridge, Smith's Ridge, Smith's Hills, Stepp Rock, Split Rock, Reed's Farm, Ridgefield Line, The Great Hill, The Great Meadow, The Great Bridge, The Great Swamp, The Other Side of the River, The Hithermost Wading Place, The Oven, The Stamping Place, The Elm or Western Branch of Norwalk River, Turn of the River, Titus Farm, Wolf-pitt Hills, Whitney's Hill, Whitney's Plain, Winnipauk Ridge, Woodpecker's Ridge, Wolf Borough, White Wood Swamp, White Oak Shade, etc.,' all of which argues pains, progress and prosperity.
Most of the localities named on pages twenty- six and twenty-seven are, with no great difficulty, pointed out to-day, and quite a number of them re-
main name-unchanged. It may be difficult to account for the origin of a few of the appellations, but a large share of them are self-explaining.
28
NORWALK.
THE ISLANDS.
From the Runckingheage Deed, Feb. 15, 1651, see page 14, it would seem that " all the islands" were made over to the Norwalk planters, who designated them as the " out- land division." An early authenticated notice of said islands, subsequent to the Runking- heage transfer is found undated (vol. i, fol. 30) in the town records, wherein the town granted to Matthew Canfield the island that to-day bears his name. Mr. Canfield was one of the first Norwalk settlers, and doubtless himself made choice of the island referred to as one por- tion of his share of the "plantinge." He owned it until April 1, 1669, at which date, he being an inhabitant of Newark, N. J., tranferred his Norwalk rights and interests to his son Samuel. This son remained here for a period, but afterward parted with his Norwalk pos- sessions and removed to New Jersey. On March 8, 1672, he disposed, apparently, of the south half of Canfield's Island to his father's old neighbor, Ephraim Lockwood, as he ten months before sold his parent's house, lot, barn and shop to Thos. Fitch, Jr.
In 1655 the town gave to Stephen Beckwith the next island west of Canfield's, viz. : Half-Mile Island, and on Sept. 18, 1666, Judah Gregory, son of John Gregory, the settler, was voted the island west of Gregory's Point, and named for himself Judali's Island. The present Peach Island comprised at that day a part-perhaps the whole-of the island grant made to Judah Gregory. In 1670 the town contested, and evidently successfully so, (vide action of Feb. 20, 1672) the claim of John Gregory, Sr. to Cockenoes Island, and on Dec. 2. 1690, the Sachem Winnipauk, whose superb ridge lay a dozen miles to the north, close on to The Oblong, deeds thus :
I, Winnipauk, Indian Sagamour of Norwalk, do freely Give to my beloved friend Thomas Hanford, senior, Minister of Norwalk in ye County of Fairfield, in ye Colony of Connecticut, my Island of Land Lying against Rowerton, containing Twenty acres more or less, with all ye trees, Herbage, and other Appurtenances thereof ; which sd Island is bounded on ye East with y Island called Mamachimins, and Chachanenas, and on ye West with the point of Rowerton ; I the said Winnipauk Do by this my act and Deed, Alienate the sd Island from all claims of English or Indians, and as being my peculiar propriety, never by deed of gift, or sale made over to any, but now by this my deed I do give it freely to my beloved friend Thomas Hanford, senr., to possess, improve, to him and his heirs forever. In confirmation of this my act or deed, I have set to my hand & seal this second day of December Anno Domini One thousand six Hundred and Ninety .- (Norwalk Land Records, Vol. vii, fol. 313.)
After passing in 1651 into the Company's hands, several of the islands at least, were probably, for the time being, assigned to and appropriated by different inhabitants. Settled action, however, was taken on Jan. 4, 1702, to the following effect :
" Whereas the inhabitants of the towne of Norwalk, have had possession of severall Islands lying adjacent to their township, and allso improvement of them forty yeares, and longer, without being interrupted by any persons laying claime and prosecuting their claime in due forme of law, the sayd towne having had quiett possession long before the sayd law
29
NORWALK.
of possession was enacted, and ever since ; the select men and justice doe in the name of sayd towne and for their behoofe, enter and record unto the sayd towne, them, their heires and assignes for ever ; namely Cockenoes Island known by sayd name, and Mamachimons Island, and the Long Island, and Camfield's Island, known by sayd names, and all other Islands lying in or adjacent unto the towneshipp of Norwalk ; to the legallity of this record we whose names are hereunto sett and subscribed, our names and hands."
JAMES OLMSTEAD, Justice and Recorder. SAMUEL SMITH, THOMAS BETTS, SAMUELL BELDEN. Townsmen.
SAMUELL BETTS.
SAMUELL MARVEN.
Recorded this 4th day of January, 1702-3.
Exactly how the town viewed the matter of any previous bestowment of Canfield's, Half-Mile, Cockenoes, Judah's and Winnipauke (Longe) Islands, and just how it finally acted in relation thereto, is difficult, if not impossible, now to ascertain, but after the trans- action of 1702 the title to the islands would appear to rest in the town authorities, and said outlying divisions to be, from 1712, if not for ten years previously, negotiable after the usual manner of the disposition of real estate.
NORWALK EAST-SAUGATUCK LANDS.
Dep .- Gov. Roger Ludlow, having obtained the General Court's permission to start the Pequonnock plantation, proceeded in 1639 with a few companions from Hartford to the spot thenceforth to be known as Fairfield. Here he assembled the natives and treated with them for "all the lands lying west of the Stratford bounds to the Sasqua or Mill River," etc. This stream, therefore, was the original western " limitts of Fayerfield." To the west of this stream lay a diversified stretch of land claimed by the Maxamus Indians, and Fairfield. at about ten years of age, entertained the idea of enlargement in that direction, and made proposition to that effect to the Court. At its sitting, May 17, 1649, the Court took this proposition so far into consideration as to constitute Daniel Titterton and John Hurd, of Stratford, a committee to make a survey of the asked-for premises and report at the next Assembly, "that they may the better know what is to bee done therein." At the convening of the Court, May 21, 1650, said committee returned its report, and action as follows, was taken :
"This Courte, considering the Returns of Danyell Titterton and John Hurd, about a parcell of land lying neare the town of Fairefeild, according to theire order from the Generall Courte of Election, in May, 1649, doe graunt vnto the said Towne of Fairefeild the said percell of land to Sagatuck Riuer : provided the said Sagatuck doe not exceed tico myles from the bounds of the said Fairefeild."'
1 Colonial Records, 1636-1665.
30
NORWALK.
In other words, the western boundary of Fairfield was by this order extended two miles in that point of the compass from Sasqua River. As this still left a strip between the western Fairfield limits and the east bank of the Saugatuck, Norwalk's claim to these lands came to be recognized.'
The adjustment of the exact line between the two towns was a matter of some difficulty and because so. of procrastination. On May 21, 1653, each town was appointed to send two men to look at the ground and debate as to an agreement. If unsuccessful, two men from Stratford were to be selected for the purpose. The question seemed to con- tinue an open one until the Fairfield deputies to the Hartford Court of March 10, 1663, were instructed to inform Norwalk that its Fairfield bounds would be fixed in the May following : and on Oct. 8, 1663. John Hurd and Joseph Judson were elected to lay out the bounds between the two towns. At a meeting held in Norwalk on May 6, 1664, Thomas Fitch was empowered to bring the matter to an issue. Delay followed, but adjustment had to such a degree succeeded that on June 4, 1674, the town voted " allotments " on the east side of the Saugatuck "to the uttermost of our bounds eastward," and it was agreed " that the river shall be accounted the front of ye lots, and the utmost bounds easterly the rear, the whole breadth of yr ground upon ye hills, and lots to run across ye plain from end to end."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding the fact that the town on Dec. 16, 1684, hastened Samuel Hayes to Hartford for the purpose of procuring information, and as the vote would seem to imply. of acting in relation to the matter, definite Court-con- clusion does not seem to have been arrived at until 1687, which year's order appears to have accorded to Norwalk the old Indian "Compoe" domain, from which the line grad- ually bore north-westward from the Sound, passing near the Burr Plain of a later date, and thence continuing below the southern limit of the present town of Weston, and thence north-westerly it lost itself finally in the vicinity of the New York province angle at The Oblong.2
From 1687 to 1707 there was Norwalk occupation, to considerable extent, of the East Saugatuck territory. At a town meeting held February 28, 1706-7, a committee -Joseph St. John and Samuel Keeler, Sr .- was chosen to " view said property" and was instructed to " methodise " this land and bring it into "a capacity for drawing of lots." The committee proceeded to its duty, and on December 22, 1709. the following draft of lots (one acre to 50 pounds commonage) was presented to the town and ordered to be recorded. -Vol. iv. fol. 158, Norwalk Town Records. -
IMay 17. 1654 .- ". It is ordered that the towne of Norwalk shall possess and injoy all ye land which they purchased of the indians not of right belonging to the plantinge of Fairfield."
-This so-called New York province angle em- braced the extreme southeast portion of what, in
1896, is known as the township of Lewisboro', in Westchester County, New York ; a section, a part of which was once considered as belonging to Nor- walk. Lewisboro' (so named in honor of Hon. John Lewis, a benefactor of the town) was anciently known as Lower Salem, and was, during the revolutionary war, a sort of military seat.
31
NORWALK.
THE LOT-DRAWERS.
Acres-Commonage Acres Roods Rods
Acres-Commonage Acres Roods Rods
No. I .- Thomas Seymour,
100
0
00
No.22 .- Thomas Fitch,
150
3
O 00
" 2 .- Mr. Fitch,
314
6
I
00
" 23 .- John Hoyt,
100
2
0 00
3 .- John Nash,
166
I
13
" 24 .- Ralph Keeler, )
I57
3
0 12
5 .- Matthew Marvin, Jr.,
173
3
I 13
"
5 .- Matthew Marvin, Sr., !
" 6 .- John Gregory, Jr.,
50
I
0
00
" 27 .- Nathaniel Hayes,
115
2
I 08
" 7 .- Thomas Benedict,
50
I
O
00
" 28 .- Judah Gregory,
50
I
0 00
" 8 .- Zerubbabel Hoyt,
192
3
3
16 " 29 .- James Sension,
189
3
3 08
'. 9 .- Joshua Gregory,
50
I
O
00
" 30 .- John Benedict, " 31 .-- John Bouton,
100
O 00
" II .- Ephraim Lockwood,
170
I
I
26
" 32 .- Thomas Betts,
146
2
3
27
" 12 .- Samuel Canfield,
223
1
I
34
" 33 .- John Raymond,
300
6
O
00
" 14 .- Mr. Hanford,
300
6
O
00
" 34 .-- Daniel Kellogg,
135
2
2 00
" 15 .- Samuel Smith,
70
I
I
26
" 35 .-- Robert Stuart.
283 6.8 5
2
26
" 16 .- Samuel Hayes,
100
2
0
00
" 36 .- John Platt,
168 13-4 3
I
18
" 17 .- Richard Olmstead,
219.10 4
O
28
" 37 .- Nathaniel Richards,
272
5
I
31
" 18 .- Thomas Taylor,
55
I
00
16
" 38 .- Thomas Lupton,
70
1
I
14
" 19 .- John Gregory, Sr.,
353
7
0
9
" 39 .-- Mathias Sension,
150
3
0 00
" 20 .- John Rusco,
105
2
O
16
" 40 .- Samuel Benedict,
50
I
O
00
" 21 .- Mark Sension,
252 5
O
6
" 25 .- Thomas Benedict, Sr., " 26 .- George Abbott,
75
I
2
I
0 00
" IO -Richard Holmes,
175 3
2
00
" 13 .- Christopher Comstock, 146
2
3
28
" 33 .- Samuel Sension,
4 .- Samuel Belden,
10
2 NOMO 3
0
34 " 24 .- John Keeler, 1
418 .10 8
I
19
It was eventually determined that Fairfield should extend to the Saugatuck River, and when, in later years, the town of Westport was organized, it took portions from both sides of the Saugatuck.
THE STAMFORD BOUNDARY.
There are like points in tutored and untutored human nature. Piamikin, a Sagamore of the Indian-paradise-point, Norwalk's south-western portion, made what he, it is to be presumed, deemed a good bargain when, on March 24, 1645, he exchanged for "divers reasons and considerations " lands lying west of Five-Mile River, and deeded the same to Andrew Ward and Richard Law of Stamford, two veritable lights in that town's early history. Six years farther down, the same red Sagamore united in a conveyance whereby several principal Norwalk planters were given quiet and peaceable enjoyment of a portion of the same territory. Stamford and Norwalk were alike oblivious as to what Ponus' con- temporary had done until many moons had fulled. There were fine forests and farms at Five-Mile River and good water-power also, and the land on both sides the river was put under Norwalk tribute. Entirely unsuspicious of victimizing, either by duplicity or stu- pidity, as the case may have been, our pioneers crossed the stream, mowed the grass and felled the trees. From beyond the "staddle by the Oke" towards the west, the land was, as they supposed, their purchase. and they determined to make the most of it. This nat- urally roused Stamford, and an uncomfortable state of affairs was the consequence. Stam- ford, by solemn vote, decided to "confront" Norwalk, and Norwalk on Aug. 26, 1666,
50
32
NORWALK
agreed "that such men of our inhabitants as doe goe to cutt hay on the other side Five- Mile river the town will stand by." Two years after this, Sept. 30, 1668, Norwalk voted that the Deputies " shall do their best indevor " to bring about a settlement of the vexed subject. Stamford reciprocated and empowered Richard Law, Francis Bell and John Holly to "treat" with Norwalk men. Two years later Norwalk made advances toward a " loving and neighborly issu and agreement." Stamford's title ranked in point of age that of Norwalk, and the final outcome was that that sister settlement gained the day, and Norwalk's southwestern line was left about as Partrick had established it. North somewhat from this southwest point the ancient line took a northwesterly course, embracing what is now West Norwalk, and from thence still northwest, passing to the west of Haynes' Ridge in Canaan parish, and continuing until Pound Ridge was entered and embraced where the line ended in that of the province of New York.
THE OBLONG
This term is the designation of the debatable lands that lay north of the present boundaries of the townships of New Canaan and Stamford, and west of the Ridgefield line. The ownership-dispute of this romantic region was first occasioned through fail- ure on the parts of the Dutch and English to definitely establish the separation line between the New York and Connecticut colonies. There seemed to have been some Dutch and English understanding in 1654, in which Norwalk was interested, in so far as its " twelve miles north" possessions were concerned. On Oct. 13, 1664, the Court at Hart- ford sent the Connecticut Governor, with four attendants, to congratulate the English upon their occupancy of what had heretofore been Dutch territory and to, if possible, come to an agreement New York and Connecticut boundary-wise. The parties met, and on Dec. I, following, signed articles that conveyed to Connecticut all the land east of a north and south line drawn twenty miles east of the Hudson River. This appears to have been a piece of bungling, as it was subsequently ascertained that on account of the course of the Hudson, such a line would give Connecticut possession, at one point, to the Hudson's very banks. The Dutch, after a time, regained a footing in New York, and now all pre- vious agreements were null. In 1683 another agreement was made, and 61,440 acres went to Connecticut. This was not entirely satisfactory either, and for two hundred years there has been more or less dispute.1 Finally, the matter has been settled, and as Norwalk had ยท parted with that portion of its territory bordering upon the so-called Oblong to its daughter
In I717 New York was asked to define just where the line lay, and Norwalk, at a town meeting held Feb. 1, 1726, granted liberty to such of its Oblong citizens " that had lands taken away from them " by this new line, "to take up ye same in any of the un- sequestered common lands in the township of Nor-
walk." Alexander Ressigue was effected by this recent New York change, and on Feb. 19, 1729-30, John Stewart relinquished three-and-a-half Norwalk acres cut off "nigh unto York line on ye Pound Ridge." Pound Ridge now belongs altogether to the State of New York.
33
NORWALK.
townships of New Canaan and Wilton, it dropped all challenge to its Indian-granted land lying north of the limits of the two named towns. "Oblong" is now an obsolete desig- nation ; nevertheless, its southeastern angle was once Norwalk soil and the home of Nor- walk sons.1
The five preceding topics, entitled The Settlement, The Islands, The Norwalk East- Saugatuck Lands, The Stamford Boundary and The Oblong define, in some degree, the territorial divisions of ancient Norwalk, and serve to convey something of an idea of the extent of the first grant. In addition to what is to-day known as Norwalk and Wilton,2 portions of several other townships have been carved out of mother Norwalk.
ANCIENT AVENUES.
Record-paucity is a barring stone to investigation under several heads of Norwalk history. Still, inference is not altogether unlawful, neither is tradition always a dead letter, and meagre information, if supplemented by thorough oral sifting and a thoughtful survey of the ground, is likely to prove helpful. These suggest the conclusion that the pioneers laid out their roadways with reference not alone to the topography of the country, but also to convenient accessibility to certain primitive points, such as The Planting Soil, The Neck, The Pasture Lot, The Parade Ground and The Mill. There was no Town House in early Norwalk times, neither Town Clerk's Office. One of Thomas Fitch's home apartments answered the latter purpose, as a charge upon the proprietor's books intimates.3 Public gatherings were, for the first half-century, held in the Meeting-House,4 and it is more than probable that a chest or closet in the Recorder's possession, constituted the town archives. The town's artery, the abode-site of most of the town's first father's was built four rods wide, and nominated the " Town Street," but was for years hardly more than a tolerable pack-horse or ox way. The south end of this street was comparatively straight and level.
I Michael Lockwood and John Rusco were two Norwalk progenitors who lived close by this angle. Gen. Tryon's men, upon their return to the coast after the destruction in Danbury, seemed to find their way to one or both of these residents' homes. The two lived not far apart, and Mr. Lockwood's son ( Michael) was the husband of Mr. Rusco's daughter (Joanna). When the British ( Ridgefield wing ) reached Mr. Lockwood's house, they freely helped themselves to the good things contained in his larder. Upon quit- ting the despoiled home, they, with counterfeit ear- nestness, demanded that Mr. Lockwood should ac- company them. The family, it may well be imagin- ed, were thrown into consternation, but when Hop Meadow (in North Wilton) was reached, the British were suddenly formed into two columns, between which their prisoner was conducted in considerable circumstance, back to his depleted but now joyful hearthstone. Mr. Lockwood was the grandfather of
the late Carmi Lockwood of Norwalk, and Mr. Rus- co's descendants are well known citizens of this town to-day. As late as the days of Hons. Wm. T. Minor and Wm. Henry Holly of Stamford, surveys pertain- ing to The Oblong were made. These men saw that the Vista angle (some ten or eleven miles northwest of Norwalk, and in the vicinity of the old Michael Lockwood and John Rusco homes) was established, thus saving the town of Ridgefield to the State of Connecticut. This line, after having been slightly changed, is the present recognized boundary between the two States.
2 The greater portion, if not the whole, of the Wilton of 1896, was embraced in early Norwalk.
3Dec. 3, 1701, allowed to Thomas Fitch, for house room, 3 shillings.
+The use of the meeting-house for such purpose was abolished by vote early in the 18th century.
34
NORWALK.
The St. John tradition mentions the "Ely Swamp," but the town way-wardens took no pains to run their lines around either the Ely bogs or the adjoining Hanford knoll, which knoll has only until late years been removed to allow of passage thereat underneath the Consolidated road. The "Town Street" was not the oldest highway in early Norwalk. Before Norwalk was English-inhabited, its territory was trodden by the Stamford founders, whose route to Fairfield, indicated by barked trees, heaps of stones and "staddle patches," was the identical road that afterward it became the duty of the colonial surveyor to "keep clear of bushes, trees and stones,"' and along which, "once a month in the winter and every three weeks in the summer " John Perry was wont to carry the mails. It was over this same road, which was gradually straightened and shortened, that the mounted herald rode, on a memorable spring day in 1687, and loudly trumpeted in the ears of the Norwalk fathers and mothers that His Majesty James II had acceded to the throne of Empire and was King of England. This highway, along its entire Norwalk length, from the Noewanton to the Saugatuck, was known by the name of the "Stamford Path." It con- ducted from Stamford to Fairfield, the Norwalk and Saugatuck streams being approached, one by a foot-way, the other by a "lane," and both crossed at first by log rafts, probably. The " line of the road to the west of the Norwalk river" lay through the present Marshall Street, when, winding across to "Ponasses Path," it extended over Flax Hill, following nearly the lower Stamford road of to-day. To the east of Norwalk river, this highway traversed the Fort Point and Fitch Streets of 1896, and thence to Strawberry Hill, from whence it took an easterly direction, crossing Indian Brook not far from Indian Field, and making a sharp turn on Saugatuck Hill, led southeast to the northern base of Rocky Neck, from whence Compo was reached by ferry.
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