The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

00 0 James O'lmsted, ' 50 00 0 00 0 James Bennvdick, 37 00 0 10 0 Danl. Bennydick, 36 00 0 10 0 Joseph Gregory, 50 00 0 00 0 John Nash, 50 00 0 00 0 Tho. Hiet, '5 00 0 00 0 Steven Beckwith, 5 00 0 10 0 John Crampton, 3 G 8 00 0 James Miller, 80 00 0 00 0 Thos. Barnum, 40 00 0 00 0 Thos. Betts, jr., 10 00 0 00 0 John Belding, 3 00 0 00 0 William Lees, 3 00 0 00 0 Saml. Belding, 3 00 0 Estate for the Children, At tlie aforesaid meeting voted and agreed on, that every one of our inhabitants that have not as yet had any estate for their childring, shall have five pounds for every childe now in being ; to be added to their father's estate^ & this is to take place in the land that is now to be lay- ed out in y^ Indian feild, and not before. Tavernkeeper. At the same meeting Christopher Comstock was chosem 4 NORVv^ALK. [1676. and approved of to kepe an ordinary for tlie entertayn- ing of strangers. Chesnut Hill. At the aforesayed meeting, March 19th, 1671, it was voted and agreed on that Chesnut Hill is to he resarved for a feild for the Indians, if need he, and if they shall except of it. ^Cockenoes Island, Allsoe at the same meeting [Feh. 20th, 1672], it was voted & agreed on that the sayd Island called Cockenoe, is to lye common for the nse of the towne as the other Islands doe. The Children of the Town. John Gregory, Jr. have Tho. Bennydick, Jr., 2 childring 3 Daniel Kellogg, 6 John Gregory, Sr., 1 Math. Marvin, Jr., 6 Nath. Hayes, 7 Geo. Ahhot, 7 Tho. Lupton, 2 Maths. Sension, 7 Rich. Holms, 2 Kellers, 3 John Ruscoe, 5 Samnel Hayes, 1 Mr. Hanford, 6 Jachin Gregory, 2 Tho. Bennydick J Sr., 6 Tho. Tayler, 2 John Bouton, 5 Judah Gregory, 3 John Hayte, ^— 1 Samuel Camfild, 1 Thos. Betts, 8 Tho. Fitch, Jun., 4 Ephraim Lockwoodj 3 Tho. Seamer, 7 John Piatt, 3 John Raymond, 1 Samuell Sension, 2 Edward Nash, 2 Robhart Steward, 5 The soldiers in the Indian war. At a Town meetinge January the 12th, 1676, the Towne in consideration of the good service that the 1677.] TOWN RECORDS. (13 souldiers sent out of tlie towne ingaged and performed by them in tlie Indian warr, out of respect and tliank- fulnesse to tlie sayed souldiers, doe witli one consent and freely, give and grant unto so many souldiers as were in tlie service at the direful swamp fight,* twelve acors of land ; and eight acors of land to so many souldiers as were in the next considerable ser- vice ; and fowre acors to those souldiers as were in the next considerable service ; the sayed souldiers having libertie to take up the sayed granted lands within the bounds of the town, provided that it be not upon those lands that are prohibited, and also such lands as are pitched upon before the date hereof by the proprietors or proprietor ; provided also the sayd grant is only to such souldiers as shall within one yeere, and possess and im- prove the sayd lands. John Roach, a soldier in the "direful swamp fight." Whereas the towne of Norwalke having given and granted unto John Roach as a gratuety being a souldier in the late Indian war, the parcell of land, consistinge of twelve acres more or less, layed out upon the West side of the West Rocks so called, &c. Daniel Benedict, a soldier in the swamp fight. Granted by the plantation unto Daniel Benedict as a gratuity^ being a souldier in the Indian warr, twelfe acres of land, and lyeth in three parcels ; whereof one parcell lyeth upon the hill and plaine of the other side of Norwalke River, not far distant from the West side of the cart path leading to the meadow field &c. Feb. 16, 1677. Thos. Gregory, a soldier in the Indian war. Granted by the plantation unto Thos. Gregory as a gratuety, being a souldier in the Indian warr, eight acres of land, and lyeth in two parcells, the first parcell * See page 6G. ■ 64 NORWALK. [1677. lying upon the West Rocks, containing six acres, &c. Feb. 25, 1677. Thomas Hyatt, a soldier in the Indian war. Feb. 19, 1682. The Towne granted unto Thomas Hyatt, libertie to resign seven acres of land which the town hath formerly granted him respecting as he was a souldier in the Indian warres, and he had taken up the same upon Clapboard Hill, soe called ; namely to re- sign the same up to the towne, so as to take it up else- where. Joseph Piatt, a soldier. Feb. 21, 1698. Granted unto Joseph Piatt, as he was a souldier out in the service against the common enemie, the Town, as a gratification for his good service, do give and grant unto him ten Acres of land, to take it up a mile from the town, and wheare it lyes free not yet pitcht upon by any other persons. Jonathan Abbot, a soldier. Allso granted unto Jonathan Abitt as he was a soul- dier, ten Acres of land, to be taken up whear it lyes free not yet pitched on by any persons. For a man sent out to the warres, Feb. 21, 1698. The town granted to James Betts, as he sent out a man into the warres, and was at charge and expense of money on account of hireing ; the towne does grant unto the sayd James, five acres of land, &c. Saml. Keeler, a soldier in the swamp fight. Granted by the plantation of Norwalke, unto Saml. Keeler, with respect to his service, as he was a souldier in the late Indian warr, one parcell of land lying upon Clapboard Hill, so called, containing twelfe acres more or less ; and lyetli bounded East and West the com- 1677.] TOWN RECORDS. 65 mon, North Tho. Hyatt Land, South Ebenezer Seu- tion Land. Recorded May, 1681. John Crampton, a soldier in the Indian war. John Crampton hath granted him by the towne as he was a Souldier in the late Indian warr, two Roodes of land more or less, and lyeth bounded in the East by the high way, West Saml. Bennydict'shome lott, North Tho. Betts house lott, South, James Miller's house lott. John Crampton hath granted him by the towne, as he was a souldier in the late Indian warr, eight acres foure roodes of land, more or less, and lyeth upon the est branch of Norwak River, not far distant from that meadow called Webbs meadow &c. James Jupp, a soldier in the Indian war, James Jupp hath granted him by the towne, as he was a souldier in the late Indian warr, eight acres of land, and lying upon the hill called Clapboard Hill, &c. John Belding, a souldier. Dec. 12, 1676. Granted unto John Belding the re- mainder 'of the swamp that shall be left, when his Father Hales is laid out, and to be a part of the land that he is to have for his being a souldier. Jonathan Stevenson, a souldier in the direful swamp fight. Feb. 20, 1677. Granted by towne vote unto Jona- than Stevenson libberty to take up 4 acres of his twelve acres given him by the town for his being a soul- dier ; and that against Tho. Hiet's home lot, on the East side of the aforesaid Hiet, joyning unto him ; onely due care is to be taken by them that lay it out, that the towne be not deprived of the benefit of the springs for their cattel in the winter season. 66 NORWALK. ^' THE DIREFUL SWAMP FIGHT.'' [Seep. 63.] [This was in king Philip's war. After some successes of Philip, there was a general rising of the Indians against the English, for an extent of nearly three hun- dred miles. The Indians were perfectly acquainted with the situation of every English settlement. They lurked at every unguarded pass— crept by night into their barns, gardens, and out-houses — concealed them- selves behind fences — laid in wait in the fields. The whole country, save some few towns, was a wilderness. Parties of Indians would plunder and burn a town, carry the inhabitants away captive, and then retire into the forests and swamps. Brookfield had been burnt ; Had- ley, Deerfield, and Northfield had been attacked, and numbers killed : Captain Lathrop and ninety or a hun- dred men had been ambushed and slaughtered between Hadley and Deerfield. Springfield had been attacked and partly destroyed. The Narragansetts, who had made a treaty with the English, now harbored their ene- mies ; and many of their warriors, after having been engaged in these marauding expeditions, had returned wounded. There was the clearest evidence that the Narragansetts were preparing to join openly in the war. They could muster two thousand warriors, and had a thousand muskets. Should the Indians all engage in the spring, in such a warfare as they had hitherto car- ried on, there was scarcely any hope, but that nearly all the English settlements must be cut off in detail, with- out the possibility of successful resistance. It was therefore determined to attack them in the winter, though such an enterprise was full of hazard. Should any disaster befall the troops of the colonies, it might be difficult or impossible to send them succors or THESWAMP FIGHT. 67 supplies, on account of the deep and pathless snows, and the exposures of the winter and the wilderness, be- sides the danger from the Indians. But dreadful neces- sity compelled them to make the attempt.