The Romance of Norwalk

Francis Bushnell was a carpenter. At the age of 26 he left England in the ship “Planter” for New England with his wife, aged 26, and one child aged one, in 1635. He carried with him to the port from whence he sailed, a cer¬ tificate that he was “no subsedy man.” He arrived in Nor¬ walk in 1653. Matthew Canfield or Campfield was a magistrate and judge in Hartford and a prominent man in all official busi¬ ness. He was one of the signers of a petition to King Charles Second of England for the colony. He was made a citizen of Norwalk in 1654, and was at various times a deputy, assistant deputy and deputy commissioner here. Christopher Comstock came to Norwalk from Fairfield in 1661. In 1690 he had an estate rated at 200 pounds. He was approved of “to kepe an ordinary for the entertain¬ ment of strangers,” and was a sergeant in the town militia. He came from England. John Compton or Crampton came to Norwalk about 1656. In 1679 he was voted three acres of land because “he was a soldier in the late Indian war.” Joseph Fenn came to Norwalk about 1655. March 27, 1665, in “town meeting it was voted unto Mstr. Ffenn that home lot lyine by Will Rascoe’s home lot, which Thomas Betts hath resigned up.” Nathaniel Ely, of England, came to Norwalk from Hart¬ ford where he was a constable in 1639. He came here in 1650 and was one of fourteen persons who agreed with Roger Ludlow for the “settlement and plantinge” of the town, the agreement being dated June 19, 1650. He had an estate here when he left for Springfield, Mass., in 1660 of 293 pounds, no mean sum in those days. Thomas Fitch came from Bocking or Buching, Essex county, England, where there was a large family of Fitches or Fittz. He was from time to time a freeman, selectman, FIRST SETTLERS 4i and town clerk or recorder of lands and assemblyman in Norwalk. His estate was assessed at 314 pounds. John Gregory or Griggorie of London was one of the original inhabitants. He represented Norwalk nine times in the legislature at its May sessions and eight times at its October sessions. Nathaniel Haise was a man of good estate and in 1687 paid tax on 215 pounds. Walter Hoyt or Hait was descended from a family of that name in “Illminster or Curry-Rivel, county of Somerset, England.” He came here from Fairfield in 1652 or 1653 and was deputy from Norwalk to the General Assembly twelve times, and held various offices in this town. In 1690 he possessed an estate of 240 pounds. He died here at the age of 77. Samuel Hales of England came here from Hartford and represented the town in the General Assembly three times. Richard Holmes or Homes came to America from Lon¬ don in the ship “Hopewell” and settled in Norwalk in 1657. In 1678 the town granted him liberty to erect a saw mill upon Five Mile river. Among historians there seems to be some doubt as to Rev. Thomas Hanford’s ancestors and the particulars of his life. The late Asa B. Woodward of Norwalk, however, whose wife, Sarah Hanford, was sixth in line from the Rev. Thomas Hanford, seems to have traced his genealogy with accuracy. Mr. Woodward was of the opinion that the Rev. Hanford was Sir Thomas Hanford when he came to this country, the son of Elgin Hanford of Woollas Hall, B radon Hill, Eversham, near Chester, England. On graduating from Oxford he came first to Scituate, Mass., where owing to religious controversies, he was not satisfied and came into Connecticut. On October 22, 1661, he married Mary Miles Ince, widow of Jonathan Ince, and daughter of Richard Miles of New Haven. Some histories maintain that the Rev. Hanford was married twice but the information cannot be verified. 42 ROMANCE OF NORWALK Daniel Kellogg was one of the first inhabitants of this town. He was chosen townsman several times and repre¬ sented Norwalk eight years in the General Assembly. In 1673 he had an estate of 125 pounds. Thomas Lupton of England was assigned a home lot with the first emigrants of Norwalk but did not arrive until a year later. In 1668 he was selected to “look after the young people in the meeting house.” In 1687 his estate was listed at 150 pounds. FRENCH REFUGEES HERE The majority of the first settlers here, embarked from England, but not all of them were of Anglo Saxon blood. It will be noted that some of them are termed “French refugees.” These refugees fled to England from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. This edict, originally issued by Henry Fourth of France, gave tolerance to the Protestants, the Hugenots. Its revocation by Louis Fourteenth resulted in the persecution of thousands of Prot¬ estants. The refugees included the best people of France and they were heartily welcomed by England who straight¬ way encouraged them to emigrate to her colonies in America. Thus it happened that Norwalk was blessed with a combin¬ ation of French and English ancestry. The following are the rest of our “first settlers:” Ephraim Lockwood, had five sons. His estate in 1687 was listed at 120 pounds. He came from England. Ralph Keeler or Keeiler and his brother Walter came from the port of London, England, to the colonies in 1635 or 1636. Ralph was in Hartford in 1639 and a viewer of chimneys in 1645 there. In September, 1665, m Norwalk, Thomas Hand sold him his dwelling house. He was one of the contractors to build Rev. Hanford’s house. He was to “fell all the timber and hewe what is to be hewe.” His estate in 1673 was listed at 53 pounds. No mention is made of Walter although his name occurs in the list of the first emigrants to Norwalk. FIRST SETTLERS 43 Mathew Marvin, Marvyn, or Marvynn, came to this country from Gravesend, England. He was in Hartford in 1639 and while there, was plaintiff in a case against Ma¬ thew Beckwith for defamation of character, recovering dam¬ ages of 50 pounds. He came to Norwalk with his family in 1651 and his homelot adjoined the meeting house yard. He was a deputy and also an assistant magistrate at various times. Isaac More also came from Gravesend aboard the good ship “Increase,” the same upon which Mathew Marvin and family embarked. In fact, Isaac, who was only 13 years old, was under the care of Mathew Marvin and went with him to Hartford, and later to Norwalk. In 1657, More with three others, provided a “wolfe pit.” In 1665, the court “frees More from training, he having been formerly chief officer of the Train Band” of that place, meaning Farming- ton, where More once lived. Here in Norwalk, he owned and resided on property on what is now known as Marshall street. Widow Morgan’s name is in the list of the first immi¬ grants, but nothing beyond that is known of her. Widow Morgan probably married after her settlement here, al¬ though whom, it is not known. Jonathan Marsh. In 1657 he owned real estate here, situated and bounded by the river; and engaged to build a corn mill; and he was to have upland adjoining the mill. In 1638, Goodman Marsh “agreed to attend the town three days in the week. These days he is to attend that he may fetch and carry corn to the mill.” Richard and John Olmstedd. Richard was one of the petitioners for the planting of Norwalk. He was prominent in all the public affairs and was the first representative of the town in the General Assembly, having been fourteen times elected to that position. He was in Hartford in 1640 and removed to this plantation in 1650. In 1673 he had an estate of 119 pounds. Joseph Platt was a French refugee, and did not settle in 44 ROMANCE OF NORWALK Norwalk until about 1699. Platt represented Norwalk in the General Assembly a period of 65 years, according to one historian. He has no list of property either in 1673 or in 1687. As he was called “The Worshipful” it may be that his property was not listed because he was exempt from taxation in view of his services to the town. Nathaniel Richards was one of Mr. Hooker’s company at Newtown, Cambridge, 1632 and was one of the proprie¬ tors of the Hartford company. He came to Norwalk from Hartford in 1651. In 1664 he bought Jonathan Marsh’s mill and all the land adjoining it. He was a selectman of the town and in 1673 had an estate of 268 pounds. John Rusco was one of the first immigrants here although only 13 or 14 years of age at the time. As his home lot was transferred to him, being one formerly set off for another, it was not recorded until 1683. His father, William Rusco, had an estate which increased during the years 1673 to 1687, from 150 to 250 pounds. Richard Raymond was probably a French refugee. His name first appears in the records of Norwalk in 1654. He came here from Salem and later went to Saybrook. He seems to have been back in Norwalk again in 1677. Matthias and Matthew Sension, or Senchion and Mark St. John or Sention, probably emigrated from Huntington, England. It seems that Matthias came to Norwalk a short time before Matthew. The name St. John was originally pronounced as “Sention” in England and is still so called by many people. The early records here use sometimes the name Sention and sometimes the name St. John for Mat¬ thew, Matthias and Mark. Richard Web embarked from Gravesend, England, and came to Hartford, where he was a juryman and was fined at one time for not appearing at the proper hour for the sitting of the court. He was deputy from Norwalk fourteen times, 1653 to 1679. Thomas Seamer or Seymour. Little is known of him ex¬ cept it is thought he was a French refugee. In 1690 he FIRST SETTLERS 45 possessed an estate of 184 pounds. Richard Seamer or Seymour was one of the first settlers here. His name ap¬ pears under the list of accounts in 1654. The name Richard Seymour is still being carried on down through the genera¬ tions of the Seymour family. Mrs. Arthur Russell, 83 East ave., has a cousin whose son, born and brought up here, but now residing in Cleveland, is named Richard Seymour. THREE CLASSES