USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The history of Waterbury, Connecticut; the original township embracing present Watertown and Plymouth, and parts of Oxford, Wolcott, Middlebury, Prospect and Naugatuck. With an appendix of biography, genealogy and statistics > Part 14
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Benjamin Barnes was accepted as a proprietor of Water- bury, Jan. 15, 1677, (1677-8,) taking the place of Richard Seymour. He was an early settler, but probably was not of the first company. He had no allotment of fence in the first
* Mary Benedict and Abraham, Robert and John Andruss, " heirs of Abraham Andruss, coop- er," were all living in Danbury in 1754. (Wat. L. R., Vol. VIII, p. 514.) Whether this John Andruss was a son of cooper Andruss, or a grandson and represented Benjamin's interest, I am unable to say.
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division; but his name is found in the other divisions. He signed the agreement with Mr. Peck, in 1689 ; was moderator of proprietors' meetings, in 1694-5 ; " grave digger " in 1699; townsman, school committee, lister, hayward, collector and grand juror, at different times ; deputy to the General Court, in 1703. His house and home lot of two acres were on the corner of West and North Main streets, the lot being bounded, in 1687, easterly and south on highway, north on common and westerly on Samuel Hickox. The homestead and some out- lands he conveyed, in 1714, to his son Thomas, in considera- tion of the said Thomas taking care of him while he lived and paying his just debts, " and taking the care of his father's wife, if he should haue one, with a comfortable mantainance, and the whole term of her being his widow." Afterwards, in 1728, the homestead, now two and a half acres, was conveyed to Joseph Smith, father and son uniting in the deed. When the new meeting house came to be seated, " Goodman Barnes," (still a widower, apparently,) along with other aged worthies, was voted into the first pew at the west end of the pulpit.
Benjamin Barnes was married to Sarah -. He joined the Farmington church March 22d, 1690-1. He died April 24, 1731, being the last of the original proprietors who be- came settlers as early as he. His wife died in the great sick- ness, Dec. 21st, 1712. Their children were :-
1. Benjamin ; b. Sep. 1684 and d. in May, 1709. He was a bachelor proprietor, and his estate, being thirty eight acres and a £40 propriety, was distributed to his brothers and sisters.
2. John; b. Aug. 12, 1686, and was baptized in Farmington, (together with his brother, Benjamin,) Dec. 1, 1689. He became a bachelor proprietor at the age of 21; m. March 28, 1728, Mary, widow of Samuel Porter and d. of John Bron- son, and died March 21, 1763. His widow died Jan. 27, 1774. He had five child- ren, the four youngest of whom died in the great sickness of 1749. His occupa- tion was that of a "husbandman." He lived at Judd's Meadow, west of the river. 3. A son ; b. May 10, 1689 ; d. the same month.
4. Thomas ; b. May 11, 1690; baptized in Farmington, June 8, 1690. He had a bachelor lot, and was at different times selectman, school committee, constable, &c. He was a shoemaker and is called, also, "cordwinder." In Feb. 1718-19, his father gave to him, in the language of the deed, " fifty acres of land belong- ing to me which was given to my father by the generall court for pequot war serus." After the sale of his father's homestead, he lived, for a time, on the south- west corner of Cook and Grove streets. This place he sold, in 1735, to Jonathan Garnsey, and in 1752, lived on the west side of Willow street, a little north of
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Grove, in a house which is still standing. He was a sergeant in the train-band, and m. "Jan. 4, 1721," Susanna, the d. of Edward Scovill of Haddam. They had six children. He died Nov. 29, 1772. His will, dated Dec. 1768, mentions his wife, Susanna, a married daughter, Susanna Terrel, and one son, Daniel.
5. Ebenezer ; b. " March 15, 1693," and d. " March 10, 1713."
6. Sarah ; b. Aug. 15, 1695, and m. Thomas Day, Jr. They lived in Colches- ter in 1723, and then sold all their rights of land in Waterbury to Thomas Barnes.
7. Samuel ; b. " March 16, 1697 ;" m. June 4, 1722, Mary, d. of John Johnson of Derby, and had nine children.
BRONSON.
The name is usually spelled Brownson on the Hartford and Brunson on the Farmington records. John Bronson, the father of the Waterbury Bronsons, was early in Hartford. He is be- lieved, though not certainly known, to have been one of the company who came with Mr. Hooker, in 1636, of whose church he was a member. He was a soldier in the bloody Pequot battle of 1637. He is not named among the proprie- tors of Hartford in the land division of 1639; but is mention- ed in the same year in the list of settlers, who, by the "towne's courtesie" had liberty "to fetch woode and keepe swine or cowes on the common." His house lot was in the "soldiers field," so called, in the north part of the old village of Hartford, on the "Neck Road," (supposed to have been given for service in the Pequot war,) where he lived in 1640. Hinman, in his " First Puritan Settlers," thinks that his father, then an aged man, owning no land, Richard by name, was with him. Nov. 9th, 1640, he (John Bronson) and Andrew Warner were fined five shillings "for putting their hogs over the Great River, and five shillings for every day they left them there."
After the purchase of Tunxis (Farmington) by the Hart- ford people, John Bronson, about 1641, removed to that place. His house lot was on a road running out of the village in an easterly direction and half a mile distant. (Richard Bronson, supposed to have been his brother, also an original proprietor and from Hartford, lived near by.) He was one of the seven pillars at the organization of the Farmington church, in 1652. He was a deputy to the General Court, in May, 1651, and at several subsequent sessions, and "the constable of Farming-
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ton," who collected the rate for "ye Fort at Seabrook," in 1652. May 10th, 1670, "Cherry and will the indian with three of the milford indians were adjudged to pay to him for sider they stole from him twenty shillings." His name is on the list of freemen of Farmington in 1669. He died Nov. 28, 1680 .- Estate £312. His children were :-
1. Jacob ; b. Jan. 1641, m. Mary -; left posterity, and d. 1708. He lived in Farmington, in the society of Kensington. 2. John; b. Jan. 1644. 3. Isaac; b. Nov. 1645, baptized Dec. 7, 1645, in Hartford, by Mr. Hooker. 4. Mary ; m. an Ellis or Allis. 5. Abraham ; baptized Nov. 28, 1647. He signed the Mattatuck articles, but declined the responsibilities of a planter. He removed to Lyme, and m. Hannah, d. of Mathew Griswold, and d. at an advanced age, (Hinman says in 1647, which is probably a mistake,) leaving descendants. 6. Dorcas; m. Stephen Hopkins of Hartford, father of John of Waterbury, and d. May 13, 1697. 7. Sarah; m. Ebenezer Kilbourn of Wethersfield.
JOHN BRONSON.
He was one of the thirty original subscribers, in 1674. The name is written "John Bronson, Jr." The "Jr." on the Farmington records was usually applied to the son of Rich- ard; which fact has led to the conclusion that the settler in Mattatuck was the son of Richard, and not of John. I believe, however, but am not entirely confident, that John of Water- bury was the son of John of Farmington. I find this language used on the Farmington records, under date of March 28, 1695-"Land in Farmington belonging to John Brownson : son of John Brownson, at Watterbury." John, the son of the Waterbury John, lived in Farmington. But John, the son of Richard, appears also have had a son John.
John Bronson was an early settler of Mattatuck. He is not, however, named in the second division of fence, which fact in- dicates that he vacillated for a time. He lived on the north side of West Main street, where William R. Hitchcock now resides, having a lot of two acres; bounded north and south on highway, east on Lieut. Judd, west on Thomas Richason. He m. Sarah Ventris and d. 1796. His widow d. Jan. 6, 1711-
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12. The inventory of his estate, amounting to £141, 6s. 6d., with £22, 3s. debts, was taken Nov. 7, 1696. The estate was dis- tributed by Isaac Bronson and Dea. Thomas Judd, according to an order of the Court. The widow was to have a double part and the children to share equally, leaving out the eldest son John :--
It appearing to this eourt yt ye eldest soon has already received his full part by deed of gift from his father in his life time and by his own acknowledgment in court-it is to be understood yt ye widow is to have one third part of ye rale estate during her naturall life and a double part of ye personal estate.
Children :
1. John; b. 1670; d. June 15, 1716. He removed to Farmington (the part which is now Southington) and had several children.
2. Sarah ; b. 1672.
3. Dorothy ; b. 1675; m. Stephen Kelsey of Wethersfield. They were both living in 1723, and deeded their right in their father Bronson's estate to their son Stephen Kelsey of Wethersfield, (afterwards of Waterbury.)
4. Ebenezer; b. 1677 ; m. Mary Munn, Aug. 13, 1702, and d. May 23, 1727, leaving daughters, Elizabeth Knowles, Bethiah, wife of Lemuel Wheeler, and others. He lived and died in Woodbury. (See Cothren's Woodbury.)
5. William ; b. 1682 ; m. in 1707, Esther Barnes ; and d. in 1761, having had several sons and daughters. He removed to Farmington at an early date. To him his father's homestead was distributed "as his whole portion," valued at £14, 16s 4d.
6. Moses; b. 1686 ; m. Jane Wait of Stratford, and d. Ang. 12, 1754. His widow and all his children, thirteen in number, are named on the Probate record as living at his deeease. He was admitted as a bachelor proprietor Jan. 7, 1706- 7, and again in Nov. 1722, having the "fifth propriety lot," so called, which was formerly his own. It seems that he left Waterbury and was absent several years. His friends having no intelligence from him supposed him dead, and the Court, in 1712, ordered his brother William to take all needful care of his estate. (Hinman's Puritans.) He was discovered, however, the next year, in Stratford, where he re- mained some time afterwards, having several children born there. I find no men- tion made of him, as an inhabitant of Waterbury, from Feb. 1709-10, till after Nov. 28, 1722, when his bachelor lot was granted him a second time. Thomas Sherwood of Stratford assisted him in obtaining this grant, for which assistance, and for his journey, Bronson conveyed to him, by a quit claim deed, "one half of the one hundred and twenty three acres" of land-divisions then to be taken up, on the said bachelor's right. Bronson returned to Waterbury about 1723. He lived up the river on the west side.
7. Grace; b. 1689.
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ISAAC BRONSON.
He was one of the original thirty subscribers, and is be- lieved to have been one of the first company who came to Waterbury, having a meadow allotment in the beginning and being named in all the divisions of common fence. Ile ap- pears to have complied promptly with all the conditions of the articles of settlement. He lived on North Main street, a lit- tle north of the house of Augustus Brown, having a lot of four acres, bounded, in 1687, westerly on highway, southerly on John Stanley, northerly on John Newell and easterly on com- mon land. March 31, 1694, he purchased John Newell's house and lot of five acres next adjoining him on the north.
Isaac Bronson was one of the patentees named in the first town patent. He joined the Farmington church, May 15th, 1684, and was active in establishing a church in Waterbury. He was a petitioner with Mr. Peck to the General Court for liberty " to gather " a church, and was one of its seven pillars at its final organization, in 1691. When the train-band was re-organized, after the town was incorporated, in 1689, he was appointed corporal. About 1695, he became sergeant, and ever afterwards was known as Sergeant Bronson. He was deputy in May, 1697, and Oct. 1701, and townsman, school committee, town surveyor, &c., at different times. He seems . to have been one of the most respected of the early settlers. When it became necessary to provide for his declining years, he deeded half his homestead, &c., to his youngest son Ebe- nezer, on condition as follows :- The instrument is dated June 23d, 1714, and is signed by a mark, in consequence, doubtless, of feeble health. The grantor wrote, in his better days, a fair hand, for the times. Specimens of his writing may be seen in the old proprietors' book, (pamphlet form,) he having some- times acted as temporary clerk.
Know ye that i Isack brounson senr [&e.] in consideration of my son ebenezer brounson hoo now liues with me finding of me and my wife mary brounson with a sutable and comfortable mantenance and takingthe whole care of us both while we liue both in siknes and in helth I say for and in consideration here of I do gine and grant to my well be louced ebinezer brounson [&c.] the one half of my hom lot upon which my dwelling hous now stands which land is esteemed two aeres and a half be
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it more or less as it lies buted and bounded south on samuell standly east on John brounson west on highway north on the remainder of my homsted. Then my whole right in the lot he bought of Jolin Warner-Item, half my team two young heffers and a young mare and One half of all my tackling and Imploments belonging to a team To haue and to hold [&e.]
Several years afterwards, or Dee. 2, 1718, Ebenezer relin- quished his interest in his father's homestead, and his brother and brother-in-law, Thomas Bronson and Thomas Hickox, in consideration of five acres of land on the Farmington road, being the Tailor lot, so called, valued at £8, received of Ebe- nezer, assumed the care of their father and mother. On the same day, the father deeded to Ebenezer, "that he may be sutably rewarded and incouraged for what he has done for us," one acre of his home lot.
Isaac Bronson m. about 1669, Mary, daughter of John Root of Farmington, a non-fulfilling subscriber of the articles. He d. about 1719, and his widow soon after. An inventory of his estate was presented to court, Feb. 29, 1719-20, by " Mr. Isaac Bronson," his son, with an agreement among the heirs as to its settlement, they giving bonds for the support of the widow. The oldest son was to have £7 more than the other sons, and the latter £7 more than the daughters, eight in all. The amount distributed was £386. Thomas Clark and John Richards were appraisers of the estate.
Children :
1. Isaac; b. 1670, and died June 13, 1751. As early as March, 1694-5, he (with others) had a grant of land out East, on the south side of the Farmington road, near Carrington Pond, (south of Timothy Porter's,) where he proposed to settle ; but the enterprise was given up. After his marriage, he purchased (April 24, 1704) of Ephraim Warner a house and lot on the northwest corner of Cook and Grove streets, where he perhaps lived for a time. He owned land at Breakneck Hill at an early date. In June, 1701, he purchased of Thomas Warner twelve acres on the south side of the Woodbury road. He went there to live before March, 1707, (N. S.,) and is considered as the first permanent settler of what is now Middlebury. According to a tradition of the family, his eldest son, Isaac, was the first child born (March 27, 1707) within the limits of that town. His house stood where Leonard Bronson now lives. He was a bachelor proprietor ; a deputy to the General Court in 1723 and 1733, and one of the most respectable and in- fluential men of the town for many years.
2. John ; b. 1673, and died about the elose of the year 1746. His inventory amounted to £1,184, 4s. 8d. He is supposed to have lived first at Breakneck. His father owned a house there as early as April 6, 1702, and it is probable that John
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occupied it. The latter had a house of his own at Breakneck and twenty-two acres of land, Feb. 27th, 1705-6, which he bought, by exchange, of Joseph Gay- lord, Sen. Afterwards, with his father's help, he built a house on the east end of his father's lot, on Cherry, near the junction of Walnut street. His father gave him the land, (on which the house had already been built, Jan. 29, 1707-8,) two acres, batting east on highway, (which at this point was six rods wide,) west on his father's land, north on Benjamin Barnes' and south on Thomas Hickox's land. In April, 1743, he bought the old Hopkins' place ; but whether he lived on it, I am unable to say. He became a lieutenant of the militia and was, two or three times, selectman. He was licensed as a tavern-keeper by the New Haven County Court in 1730 and afterwards. It appears to have been his son John, who was also a lieutenant, who removed to Northbury about 1737, and afterwards to Amenia, N. Y.
3. Samuel ; born about 1676. He was a cooper, and lived in Kensington.
4. Mary ; b. Oct. 15, 1680; m. Dea. Thomas Hiekox and died in 1756. She seems to have been a woman of great efficiency, and while a widow, managed her own business and property, dealing much in real estate.
5. Joseph ; b. 1682, and d. May 10, 1707. His estate was distributed among his brothers and sisters in 1721, amounting to £24-a £40 propriety being estimated at £5 and sixty-eight acres of land, (being dividends on it,) at £19.
6. Thomas ; b. Jan. 16, 1686, and d. May 6, 1777. He was the fifth deacon (appointed 1750) of the Waterbury first church, his son Thomas being the sixth. He had a house and four acres of land on the corner of Cook and Grove streets, which he sold to Joseph Smith of Derby, Dee. 30th, 1726, for £145 ; butted west on heirs of George Scott and Thomas Barnes, all other sides on highway. The land he bought in 1717 of his brother John for £8. After the death of his father, he bought of his brother Ebenezer, (in 1726,) the family homestead, which he afterwards ocenpied. He was a lieutenant, and is so called on his gravestone.
7. Ebenezer ; b. Dec. 1688. He was baptized in Farmington, as were his older brothers and his sister Mary. He was a bachelor proprietor, and so were his brothers Isaac, John, Joseph and Thomas. He improved the old homestead for several years after the death of his father. In April, 1735, he bought of William Judd the place on the southwest corner of West Main and Willow streets, where he lived in 1744, and I suppose till his death, and where his son Andrew lived after him. In his will, he speaks of having already given his oldest son Andrew, "by way of acknowledgement of him as my eldest son, a yoak of steers, with £20 old tenor money, and some other small matters." He bequeathed to the first church in Waterbury, " forty shillings, lawful money, to lye in hank for the use and benefit of the church, the interest to be improved," so long as the church continue "in the present form and method," &e. He d. July 20, 1775. The amount of his in- ventory was £868, 11s. 4d. He is called in deeds, "yeoman."
8. Sarah ; b. Nov. 15, 1691, and d. 1748.
9. Mercy ; b. Sept. 28, 1694, and m. Richard Bronson of Woodbury.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
JOHN CARRINGTON.
He was an early settler of Farmington and one of the " eighty-four proprietors " of 1672. He signed the articles for the settlement of Mattatuck, in 1674, and appears to have joined the new plantation early ; for he is named in all the divisions of fence. He, however, neglected full compliance with the conditions of the articles, and was declared to have forfeited his rights, Feb. 6, 1682, (1682-3.) But little is known of him. He died in the early part of 1690, leaving a widow who deceased before the inventory was rendered, (June 30, 1690.) His son John was administrator and the estate amount- ed to £120, 11s. John had £23, each of the other children £12. Benjamin Barnes and Thomas Judd, the smith, were appointed guardians of the three youngest children, with in- structions to put them out, and not to be overruled by John, the administrator.
John Carrington's house lot of two acres was on West Main street, the south side, about where Leavenworth street now runs. It was bounded north and south on highway, east on Timothy Stanley, west on George Scott. It was sold, in 1710, by the heirs, to Timothy Stanley and George Scott, for £12.
Children :
1. John; b. 1667, and d. 1692, in Waterbury. Benjamin Barnes and Thomas Judd, Jr. were administrators. The estate, amounting to £59, 17s. 2d, was distribu- ted, his debts being first paid, to his brothers and sisters. He was a cooper.
2. Mary; b. 1672; m. Joshua Holcomb (?) of Simsbury. She was the wife of William Parsons of Farmington in 1721 and 1734-55.
3. Hannah ; b. 1675; m. William Parsons of Farmington, according to Mr. W. S. Porter. Should not the name be Joshua Holcomb of Simsbury ?
4. Clark ; b. 1678 ; m. Sarah Higason, and lived in Farmington. He was there in 1721-2.
5. Elizabeth ; b. 1682 : m. John Hoskins of Windsor.
6. Ebenezer ; b. 1687 ; removed to Hartford, and died in Waterbury, adminis- tration being taken out, (in 1711,) by his brother-in-law, William Parsons of Hart- ford. He left no family.
THOMAS CLARK.
His grandfather, William Clark, came from England and settled in Dorchester, Mass., about 1637. Thence he removed to Northampton, in 1659, and d. in 1690. His son Willianı,
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the father of Thomas of Waterbury, after the birth of his children, removed to Lebanon, Conn.
Thomas Clark was born (in Northampton) April 14, 1690. His mother Sarah (Strong) was the sister of Timothy Stan- ley's wife. When a mere child, as tradition runs, his uncle Stanley visited his father's house in Lebanon and inquired, at first in a sportive way, which of his young nephews would go and live with him and be his boy, as he had none of his own. Thomas spoke up promptly and said that he would go. But as he was so young, it was finally arranged that his elder broth- er, Timothy, should accompany his uncle to Waterbury. But Timothy soon became home-sick and returned to Lebanon and Thomas was allowed to take his place, to become, afterwards, the adopted son and principal heir of Stanley. He was accept- ed as a £40 proprietor, Dec. 12, 1711. He became a " cloth- weaver," learning his trade of his uncle, with whom he con- tinned to live after marriage, managing the farm, and taking care of the " old folks." In June, 1713, his father, by adop- tion, deeded to him a part of his property, and at his death gave him a large proportion of the remainder, by will. After the decease of Stanley, Clark occupied the old homestead. Here he wove " plain cloth at 1s-3d pr. yard,"* " checkerd shirtin at 1s 3d per yard ;" "druged [drugget] at 12d. a yard ;" striped flannel, &c., &c. He probably occupied himself at his loom during the winter season and in bad weath- er. He continued to cultivate his farm and exchanged its sur- plus products for the spare products of his neighbors' in- dustry. He had a slave, named Mingo, t who, when not need- ed at home, worked for those who wanted him, for hire. When his sons became old enough-Timothy, Thomas, David -they occasionally labored at farm work, for others, frequent- ly with the team, and their wages were charged to the debt- ors by their father. The girls, too-Mary, Sarah, Hannah, Hepzibah-though belonging to one of the "first families "
* The book in which he kept his " accounts," commencing in 1727, is now in my possession, having been loaned me by his granddaughter, Mrs. Aurelia Clark.
t At Dea. Clark's death, Mingo was to be permitted to choose which of his master's sons he would live with. Being attached to his old home, he resided for a time with Thomas; but after the latter commenced keeping tavern, he did not like his occupation and went to live with Timothy, on Town Plot. He died, worth considerable property, in 1800.
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of the town, and having more than the usual accomplish- ments of that time, frequently "went out to work " by the day, or the week, thus contributing to the support of a numer- ous family. Honest labor was in those days respectable, and none was too good to engage in it. In addition to his other business, Mr. Clark seems to have kept for sale some of the common goods which are found in a retail store, such as " shug- ger," molasses, salt, wine, "rumb," tobacco, nails. He ap- pears to have bought his goods sometimes in Derby and some- times in New Haven. He also occasionally took boarders, and has several charges against the Colony for "victeling " sol- diers that were passing through the town. Being appointed a justice of the peace in 1736, (which office he held twenty- five out of the twenty-nine years of his remaining life,) he be- came somewhat acquainted with legal forms, and was often applied to to draw deeds, bonds, agreements and such simple writings as are most called for among a rural population.
No man in his day succeeded more completely in securing the good opinion and entire confidence of his fellow towns- men, than Thomas Clark. He occupied positions of trust and responsibility. He was a selectman in 1834, 1736 and 1737 ; a town deputy in Oct. 1727, 1728 and 1736; town treasurer from 1755 to 1760 and a justice of the peace, as has been men- tioned. On Mr. Southmayd's death in 1755, he was chosen town and proprietor's clerk, and was continued in office till his decease. He wrote not an elegant, but a very legible hand. IIe was the third deacon of the church, being appointed in 1728 to succeed Dea. Hickox, who died in that year.
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