USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > The ancient historical records of Norwalk, Connecticut; with a plan of the ancient settlement, and of the town in 1847 > Part 7
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2. Land in the field; swamp & upland 16 acres; one half to him and his heirs forever ; the other half after his decease, to return to the town.
3. Ten acres of upland lying in the woods ; lying near the Towne over the North Brook so called.
4. Three score acres of land in the woods -- bounded by marked trees, adjoining part of the land of Saml. Hayes, and Ensign John Beldin, above Chesnut Hill.
5. Salt marsh meadow, 2 Acres, bounded E. by the cove, & N. & N.W. by the bank of upland. S. by a fence and a small creek near John Bouton's meadow.
5. Three Hundred pounds right in commonage.
92
NORWALK.
[1697.
Buckingham, the towne doth agree to pay it as follow- eth, both for specie and price, vizt. ; winterwheat, at five shillings per bushell, Indian corn at two shillings and six pence per bushell, Rye at foure shillings per bushell, porke at three pence farthing per pound ; biefe at two pence per pound ; all good and merchantable, and none of the inhabitants to pay above one third part of their rate or proportion in Rye.
Allso at the same meeting the towne by their vote did manifest their desire that the Reverend Mr. Steven Buckingham should be ordayned pastor of the church in Norwalk before winter; in case the sayd Mr. Bucking- ham will please to give the towne a dispensation soe long as till the last day of May next insueing for the compleating and finishing the house, and allso till the next Michaelmast for the fencing and cleareing of the land engaged by the towne to be fenced and cleared for improvement.
Concurrence of the Town with the Church in settling the Minister.
Allso at the same meeting the towne made choyse of Matthew Marvin and James Olmstead for to signifie unto the Reverend Elders at the time of ordination, the desire and good agreement of the towne with the church in the ordayning of the Rev. Mr. Steven Buckingham.
A Gallery in the Meeting House.
Oct. 25, 1697. Voted and agreed to erect the foun- dation of a gallery in the meeting house, over the fourth part of sayd house ; speedily, before the ordination if it can be accomplished. And have made choyse of Ralph Keeler, and Samuell Keeler, and John Whitney to doe the work, and to doe it soe as in their best judg- ment, best for the strength and conveniency of the gal- lery, &c.
93
TOWN RECORDS.
1697.]
Entertaining the Elders and Messengers at the Ordination.
Allso (Oct. 25, 1697). The towne made choyse of Matthew Marvin, Serjnt. John Platt, and Samuell Hayes, and John Bennidick and Thomas Betts, who are by the towne desired to take care for the providing of a comfortable entertaynment for the Reverend Elders and Messengers when heare at the time of ordination ; the charge of their entertaynment to be payd by the inhabitants of the towne.
Flax for the Drum-cord.
Allso voted and agreed for to allow to John Crampton for the yeere insueing, for beating the Drum .on all publique occasions, and allso to sweep the meeting house, and to keepe the house cleane and decent ; and the towne engages for to allow and to pay unto sayd Crampton two pounds ten shillings for his labour; and the towne allow the townsmen for to furnish the sayd Crampton with soe much flax as may make necessary cords for the towne's Drum; to procure the flax where they can, and the towne to pay the cost of the flax.
Indian Deed to Mr. Hanford.
Know all men by these presents, that I Winnipank, 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 Rower- ton, containing Twenty acres more or less, with all ye trees, Herbage, and other Appurtenances thereof ; which sd Island is bounded on ye East with ye Island called Mamachimins, and Chachanenas, and on ye West with the point of Rowerton; I the said Winnipank Do 5*
94
NORWALK.
[1699.
by this my act and Deed, Alienate the sd Island from all claims of English or Indians, and as being my pecu- liar 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.
The mark of
Winnipank.
Signed, sealed, and deliver- ed in the presence of JOHN GREGGORY, SAMUEL HANFORD.
Winnipank Indian, ye subscriber, acknowledged ye above Instrument to be his free act and deed, before me in Norwalk.
Dec. 28th, 1698, NATHAN GOLD, Assist.
Hungry Spring.
Feb. 23, 1699. Voted and agreed that Thomas Seamer shall be warned for to lay open to the use of the towne the Spring called Hungry Spring ; for free passing of man and beasts to the sayd spring; he to remove any fence or incumbrance in the way to sayd spring, that is or was by him sett up or erected.
The price of fire wood.
Feb. 23, 1699. It was voted and agreed that all persons as carry fire wood to Mr. Buckingham, shall be allowed for each load of wallnut wood three shillings and six pence, and for each load of oake wood is al- lowed two shillings and six pence.
95
TOWN RECORDS. '
1700.]
Building a school house.
November 27, 1699. Agreed that the towne would build a schoole house as soon as may be with convenien- cy ; and the dimensions of sayd house is agreed to be as followeth : the length 20 foote ; the breadth thereof eighteene foot; and at least six foot betweene joynts &c. &c.
Certain Town Charges in 1699 .*
s. d.
Burning the woods, Serjt. John Platt one day, 2 6
Saml. Belden one day burning woods-one day 2 6 (and so of seven others in succession. ) Samuell Smith for towne barres 2 6
John Platt for a pound of butter 0
9
The widow Hyett a 3d part of a wolfe 3 4
Allowed to James Hayes for flax 2 pounds for the 2 0 Towne's Drum delivered to John Crampton, S
Samuel Keeler for mending the towne barres 1 6
Charges for wolves.
£ s. d.
Ensigne Belden, five wolves
2 10 0
Samll. Beldin, one wolf
10
0
Saml. Hayes, one wolf
10 0
Josh. Rockwell, one 3d of a wolfe
3
4
Tho. Gregory, one wolfe
10
0
Saml. Smith, one wolfe
10
Elizar Hanford, one wolfe
10
0.
Ebenezer Sension, a 3d of one wolfe
3
4
Powder and Lead.
April 10, 1700. It was voted and agreed by the inhabitants and hearby declared as the towne's act, that there shall be a rate made and levyed forthwith, for the
* The town clerk had turned over several leaves, and made this record out of its order.
96
NORWALK.
[1701.
procuering of powder and lead for the towne store or magazine ; to be levyd in money, a halfpenny on the pound.
Certain Town Accounts. Dec. 30, 1701.
Joseph Ketchum, for running the lyne be- £ s. d.
twean Stamford and our towne, 0 3 6
Itm. One day burning woods, 0 2 6
Allso half one side of the pound : allso
some rayles carrying to the towne Barres,- all 0
9 0
Allso, a pint of rum, 0 1 0
Samuell Keeler, one day burning woods, 0 2 6
His horse to the Court at New Haven, 0 7 0
Allso one day renewing the bounds of the
purchase ; him and his horse,
0 4 0
Allso a pint of rum,
0
1 0
Samuell Hayes, his horse to Hartford, One third of a wolfe, 0
0 10 0
Serj't. John Raymond, one-sixt part of a wolf, 0
1 8
Zerubabell Hoyt, half one wolf, 0
5 0
Allso burning the Islands, 0 0 18
Matthias Sension, for beating the drum,
1 2 6
Allso a drum-cord, 0 3 0
John Copp, Schoolmaster.
Dec. 30, 1701. Voted and agreed by the towne that they would have a schoolemaster for the next yeere in- sueing in case he can be obtained. Allso voted and agreed that Mr. John Copp shall be the person for that work in case he can be obtained on reasonable termes.
Allso voted and agreed, that for the paying of the charge of a schoolemaster shall be as followeth : that all children from the age of five yeeres old to the age of
3
4
Samuel Beldin, two-thirds of a wolf, 0 6 8
07
TOWN RECORDS.
1701.]
twelve yeeres, shall all pay an equall proportion ; ex- cepting the feamale ; all that doe not goe to schoole, and all youths above the age of twelve years as goe in the day, shall pay equally with the others above sayed; and all night schoollars shall pay a third part soe much as the day schoolers; and the schoolers to pay fifteene pounds ; and the remaynder of the charge of schoole master's sallary shall be payd by the towne according to their list of estate in the publique list of the Col- lonie.
Payment of the Town rate in 1701.
Voted and agreed, that the town rate shall be payd in maner as followeth, vizt, in wheat at 5s. per bushl, Indian corne at 3s. per bushell, flax at 9d per pound, oats at 1s 8d, rye at 3s. 6d, Barley at 3s. per bushell, and not to pay to any, above a third part of their debt in flax, oats, Barley, but 2 thirds of all be in wheat or Indian corne.
The Islands. '
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 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 Mamachimon's 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
98
NORWALK.
[1703.
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. (From Book 2 & 3.)
Sitting in the Deacons' seat.
Jan. 14, 1702. The towne did, by their vote, allow John Gregory, senior, liberty to sitt in the Deacon's seat before the pulpitt, for the advantage and benefitt of his hearing the word preached.
Allso at the above sayd meeting the towne did by vote grant and allow, unto Matthew Marvin, liberty to sitt in the Deacon's seat before the pulpitt for the bene- fitt of his hearing the word preached.
Horse sheds by the Meeting house.
Jan. 14, 1702. Granted liberty to those inhabitants out-dwellers, for to erect shelters for their horses for the Saboath and publique occasions, by Matthias Sen- sion's jr. Lott in the common, not to hinder or obstruct his passage to his barne and yard, or to his shop.
In case of fine by the Sergeant Major.
Feb. 26; 1702, it was voted and agreed by the towne that in case the present select men shall be fyned by the Serjnt. Major, for the townes defect in not having their proportion of armes and ammunition in their towne stock according to law, the towne engages to pay the fyne, and that by way of rate.
The meeting-house bell."
Feb. 3, 1703. The towne voted that the Bell should be fetcht from Ralph Keeler's and forthwith hung up in
99
TOWN RECORDS.
1704.]
the meeting house for to be wrung ther for the proba- tion of the goodnes of the Bell.
At the same meeting the towne made choyse of Ralph Keeler and James Stewart to hang the bell in the meeting house, and to doe all that is necessary res- pecting the hanging the sayd bell, and allso to put a new tongue into the bell if it shall in there judgments soe need it.
Ringing the bell, and beating the drum.
Dec. 1704. William Lees did engage with and un- to the towne to beat the Drum or ring the bell, and that on all publique occasions. And also to sweep the meet- ing house every week decently ; and the towne engages to allow and pay unto sayd Lees the next yeere the sum of one pound ten shillings.
Fetching arms from Stanford.
Allso the towne engages to pay any damage that may be done, or happen to be done, in the armes that are to be fetcht from Stanford ; and allso to pay those persons as shall fetch them, reasonable satisfaction for their labor.
Seating the meeting house in 1705.
Voted, that the meeting house shall be seated with as much conveniency as may be ; and that the order or method of seating the meeting house shall be in the act of the towne bareing date Feb. 21, 1698 ; only further agreed that noe person shall be degraded, or brought lower than they are now seated.
Allso voted and agreed that the first long seat in the gallery of the meeting house shall be accounted and deemed as the fifth long seat below, and those as sitt below have liberty there to sitt still.
Also that there shall be twelve men seated in the long
100
NORWALK.
[1706.
seat of the gallery ; namely, the first seat of the gal- lery.
Also, there is to be two seats of the gallery seated on the woman's side of the gallery, if need be.
Allso, the towne made choyse of Thomas Betts, senr., Samuell Smith, senr., and Ralph Keeler, senr., they to seat the meeting house according to the order of the towne.
Seating the Meeting House in 1706.
The towne made choyse of a committee, vizt. ; James Olmstead, John Benedick, senr., Samuel Smith, senr., Zerubabell Hoyt, Thomas Betts, senr., Ebenezer Sen- sion, Joseph Platt, persons with whom the towne have left that affaire, vizt., the seating of the meeting house ; and they the sayd committee to order and determine that matter according to their best discretion ; they to have respect to age, quality, and the estates of persons in the publique list, and the towne to abide their deter- mination.
Allowance to Mr. Buckingham instead of his yearly Firewood.
Feb. 28, 1706-7. Voted and agreed by the towne, to allow Mr. Steven Buckingham twenty pounds pr. year, to be paid in specie as his rate is to be payd in, he freeing the towne from the obligation they are under, in finding or providing his firewood.
Mr. Buckingham's agreement thereto.
The town of Norwalk, performing their above mention- ed engagement, as to summ and price, are now freed from the obligation concerning fire wood to me.
S. BUCKINGHAM.
101
TOWN RECORDS.
1707.]
Cutting Sedge.
Dec. 18, 1707. The Towne by their present act, do prohibit any person or persons cutting any sedge or Crick-thatch, on any of the towne's right, before ye first day of September, annually ; and if any person shall presume to act contrary to this act, he or they shall, after the first half load, forfitt twenty shillings for every half load ; to be paid by the person or persons delin- quent, half to ye use of ye town, the other half of said twenty shilllings to the complainer who shall prosecute the same to effect.
School Keeping in 1707-8.
Feb. 10th, 1707-8. Voted and agreed, that there shall be a schoolmaster hyred according to law.
Also, voted and agreed, that ye school master Hired shall attend and keep ye schoole two months on this side of the river, and one month on ye other side.
Also granted liberty to those our inhabitants over the river, to erect a schoole house in a convenient place, not prejudissing the highway.
The Town keeping good hours.
Also voted (1707-8), and agreed, that there shall be no votes passed nor any grants made by the towne, nor any record made of any votes, after nine of the clock at night .*
* "In 1708, John Belden, Samuel Keeler, Matthew Seymour, Matthias St. John, and other inhabitants of Norwalk, to the number of twenty-five, purchased a large tract between that town and Dan- bury. The purchase was made of Catoonah, the chief sachem, and other Indians, who were the proprietors of that part of the country. The deed bears date Sept. 30, 1708. At this session [1709], it was ordained, that it should be a distinct township, by the name of RIDGEFIELD."-Trumbull, p. 460.
102
NORWALK.
[1708.
Keeping order in town meeting.
Dec. 16th, 1708. Voted and agreed that there shall be a moderator chosen, who shall have power to put to vote all matters or affaires that are then in adjitation, and also to endeavour to keep good order and decorum in speaking ; and all who are disorderly in speaking, to be by words corrected by the moderator ; and also that if any person shall, notwithstanding, be so bold as to pro- ceed in disorderly speaking, when corrected by the mo- derator, he shall suffer by fyne, imposed on ye delin- quent by ye moderator and the majority of the towns- men, to the sum of five shillings, to be leavied by dis- tress on the estate of the delinquent.
Over River Burying Ground.
Dec. 16, 1708. The town grants to ye inhabitants on the west side of Norwalk River, a piece of ground for a burying place, on any convenient piece of land in commons ; and John Benedick, senr., Zerubabell Hoyt, and Thomas Betts, senr., are appointed a committee to appoint the place.
Sitting in the great Pew.
Feb. 10, 1708-9. The town votes Mr. Samuell Hayes into ye great pue, to sitt in upon publique days, &c.
Stray Jades.
March 4, 1708-9. The town makes choyse of John Steward to claim and sell all stray jades for the town (when no better claim appears), that shall be brought out of ye woods to ye town by the Horse Hun- ters, and that the horse hunters shall have half of what ye horses shall fetch, when they are sold .*
* In Hinman's Catalogue of names of Puritan settlers, under Matthew Griswold, is noticed " A severe lawsuit between said
103
TOWN RECORDS.
1709.]
The Tide Mill.
Dec. 15, 1709. The town grants by a major vote, to Joseph Birchard, Thomas Betts, John Betts, and John Gregory, jr., the liberty to Damm up ye crick lying be- fore ye sd Gregory's, with also the privilege of the stream that runs into ye said crick and through the said damm : provided that they the said Joseph, &c. * * do sett upon the said work in order to the erecting a grist mill upon the damm that they shall so erect, within one year from this date ; and do accomplish the work of the said mill within ye term of three years from the day of these pre- sents ; and so long as they the said undertakers do maintaine a good sufficient grist mill, the said stream shall remain to them and to their successors that shall so maintaine ye same : they to grind all grain into good and sufficient meal for the town, for the toal stated in ye law ; and not to grind for any strainger coming with his grain to said mill, so long as any of ye inhabitants of this Towne's grain is lying in said mill unground ; ex- cepting any of said inhabitants shall allow any strainger their turn.
A Platform to the Gallery.
Dec. 15, 1709. The town by major vote grants to John Bartlet, James Lockwood, and Samuell Keeler, jr., a liberty to erect and build on ye west side of the meet- ing house, a plattform from ye gallery unto the north Griswold and Reinold Marvin." " The arbitrators awarded that one half the horses should be equally divided between them, and that the other half should go to the colony, and Marvin should look them up; and appointed a committee to sell the horses and exe- cute the award." Upon this Mr. Hinman remarks : "The arbi- trators must at least have resided at Dutch Point, if they were not Dutch Justices." This record may explain the matter without the necessity of so uncharitable a supposition. ;
104
NORWALK.
[1710.
window upon the cross plates ; and with others that · shall present, for a sufficiency to erect upon the same four pues, which shall remain and continue for their use, to seat themselves in ye time of publique service : and that during the fall term of ye town's pleasure ; so that whenever they shall see cause to make any altera- tion of that matter so as to deprive them of their seats, the town ingages to allow such charge, that the said buildings shall be advantageous to ye town, as by indif- ferent persons may be adjudged ; they relinquishing all other seats in the meeting house, during ye time of their sitting.
The Meeting House Belfry.
At the same meeting, the town (granted to Samuell Keeler, jr., twenty acres of land in one place, and twen- ty-six acres of land more, to " take up in ye woods") -upon condition that he the said Keeler do erect a Belfree upon ye top of our meeting house, and com- pleatly finish the same ; and hang the bell that is now hung upon ye meeting house, or any other that may be obtained seasonably before ye said belfree is finished ; and to cloase ye sides of the upright where now ye bell hangs ; all to be compleated by the last of June next insuing; the town to provide stuff for ye closing ye upright, and to cart the same, with the timber that shall by the said Keeler be prepared for ye belfree, to ye meeting house ; and also find ye nails that will be wanted for ye whole work; also the sayd Keeler to fraim in ye top of ye turret a good sufficient cedar stump to fix a weathercock on, if ye town see cause ; or a pinnicle.
Gregory's Point.
Dec. 29, 1710. (The town granted some land to
105
TOWN RECORDS.
1713.]
John Benedict) "which grant is by way of exchange with the said John Benedict for a free passage for carts, horses and men, as they may have occasion, unto ye point of land extending itself into ye harbor, which pas- sage is limited to ye way that is and hath been improv- ed, along through ye said Bennedick's land unto ye said point, which privilege is to remain to the town forever ; which point is known as commonly called GREGORY's POINT."
Seating several persons in the Meeting House:
Dec. 29, 1710. The towne grants liberty to William Stirdevant, Jonathan Wood, Richard Cosier, Andrew Lyon, John Fillio, Thomas Austin, to sitt upon ye seat joining to the Little pue, in ye North East corner of the meeting House, and their wives to sit on the oppo- site seat, joyning to ye North West corner of ye meet- ing house.
Allso-to Samll Carter to sitt in ye seat be- fore ye hinde pillar, with John Marvin, &c., and to James Hayes to sit in ye seat where Lt. William Lees formerly satt.
The Bell rung at nine o'clock at night.
Dec. 11, 1713. The town grants to Zerubbabell Hoyt twenty-six shillings in pay, or two thirds money, for his ringing ye bell at nine a clock at night, for ye year ensuing ; and the said Hoyt ingages to performe the same.
A Highway to Ridgefield.
Dec. 16, 1713. The town by major vote made choice of Capt. Joseph Platt, Capt. John Raymond, and En- signe James Stewart, for their committee to make a set- tlement of a highway or road to Ridgefield, if they and
106
NORWALK.
[1717.
the committee of Ridgefield can agree ; and doth fully impower said committee to make restitution to such persons that sª highway may take land from within the limits of Norwalk township.
Attending Meeting in Ridgefield.
March 1, 1713-14. The town by a major vote frees Jonathan Wood, senr., from paying any rate to ye min- istry in Norwalk, for ye future after this year's rate is paid, provided ye said Wood attends ye meeting in Ridgefield on ye Sabbath and so long as he continues so to do.
A Sabbath Day House for John Taylor.
March 1, 1713-14. The town by a major vote grants liberty to John Taylor to erect a small house for his family's conveniency on ye Sabbath, on such part, of ye town's land near ye meeting house, as ye select men shall allow or find convenient.
A New Meeting House.
Dec. 11, 1717. The town by a major vote deter- mines to build a new meeting house, of such dimensions as shall hereafter be concluded upon ; to be erected on ye north end of Ensign James Stewart's Home lot.
At ye same meeting the town by a major vote grants a rate of one penny in a pound in money to be leavied upon the inhabitants of the town, to be collected this year, and put into ye hands of ye town treasurer, to be improved by the committee that shall be chosen and ap- pointed for managing ye business of ye new meeting house.
At the same meeting ye town by a major vote deter- mined that what money is granted by the town, viz. (ye penny on ye pound) to be colected this year, shall
107
TOWN RECORDS.
1718.]
be layed out in buying nailes and other necessaries for the new meeting house.
At the same meeting the town by a major vote de- termines that the accomplishment of ye work of sª meet- ing house shall be indeavored for within the term of four years.
At the same meeting the town by a major vote de- termines that what is found necessary to be done in reparing the old meeting house to make it comfortable for the time being until the said meeting house be built, be out of hand done.
Whether to repair the old Meeting House.
Jan. 9, 1718-19. It was proposed by way of vote, that those that were for repairing, and for making an addition to the old meeting house, should signifie their minds by passing out of ye house first, and be numbered ; and that those who ware for erecting a new meeting house, on the place where John Keeler's barn stands, should pass out of the house afterwards & be numbered. Upon tryall of which, those that were for repairing and adding to the old house were in number twenty six that passed out, and Lt. Taylor declared himself to be of that mind though he passed not out. And those that were for the meeting house to be erected as aforesaid, were in number thirty that passed out, and Capt. Platt and myselfe declared to be of ye same mind with them, tho not passing out.
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