The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

Dec. 4, 1721. The town by major vote prohibits all persons whatsoever excepting the proper inhabitants of y town, rakeing and gathering of Oysters within y^ har- bours, coves, or any other place, appertaining and being within the limits of our township. And any such per- son or persons as shall be found rakeing or gathering oys- ters within y^ aforesayd limits, shall suffer the penaltie of three shillings per bushell. Eight of commonage to all young men arriving at the age of 21 years, Dec. 4, 1721. The town by a major vote resolves and determines that a copy of a certain vote passed at a town meeting convened in Norwalk Dec. 15, 1698, in the words following, to wit : "Also granted that all the town born children, shall, as they attain y^ age of Twen- ty one years, all of them have a fifty pound right of commonage in the town, and also as are twenty one 1723.] TOWN RECORDS. Ill years of age to have it in this last division granted." —A true copy of y" town act lost, Test, James Olmstead, Town Clerk. Shall be put on record, and he of as good force and ef&cacy as the original was before it was lost ; and that no female shall have benefit by this act, by their being born in y^ town. Selling Oysters to oyster vessels. April 16, 1722. The Town Resolved, that whosoever of y^ inhabitants of the town shall directly or indirect- ly sell any oysters, or give leave to any vessel, men, or any other person or persons to gett oysters within y^ town bounds, or shall carry and put on board any oys- ters, shall incurr a penalty of five shillings pr. hundred, and so in proportion for greater or less quantites. Seats taken from the old Meeting House for the new. March 11, 1722—23. The town gives liberty to y* committee for the new meeting house, to take from y® old meeting house such seats and boards, plank, and other things, that may be needful to use in the new meeting house. The Town Magazine, At the same meeting, the town by a major vote de- termines that a suitable place shall be made in the new meeting house to put ye towns magazine in, and remove the same as soon as may be. Seating the new Meeting House. June 3, 1723. The town left the business of seating the new meeting house to a cammittee of seven ; viz. Capt. Joseph Piatt, Lieutenant Samuel Marvin, Serjent John Bennedict, Samuel Kellogg, Lieutenant Matthew Seymor, Captain Samuel Hanford, Mr. John BettSj Sen. 112 NORWALK. • [172S, Mrs, Hanford still alive.* At ye same meeting, the town voted Mrs. Hanford into ye pue with Mrs. Buckingham. December 11, 1723. The town voted Capt. Samuel Hanford to sit in ye pue with Captain Olmsted and Captain Piatt. No town meeting to be holden in the new Meeting Hoiise. At the same meeting (Dec. 11, 1723), the town hy a major vote resolves, that no town meetings shall he warned to convene at the new meeting house, nor at- tended and held within s^ house ; nor that any act or acts of the town shall ever be accounted of any value that shall be passed within the walls thereof. Also de- termines that no other improvement shall be made there, but what is consistent with, and agreeable to the most pure and special service of God, for which end it was built and now devoted. Selling the old Meeting House, At the same meeting, the town by a major vote de- termines to make sale of the old meeting house. Mr. John Bartlett, Ensign Samuel Comstock, and Mr. James Lockwood a committee to sell and dispose of the same. A School Dame at Saugatuck. At the same meeting, the town grants liberty to Drye Brook and Sawkatuck inhabitants to improve a School * " From the first settlement of the town to 1732, a term of more than 80 years, there was no general sickness in the town. From 1715 to 1719, there died in this large town twelve persons only. Out of the train-band, consisting of 100 men, there died not one person from 1716 to 1730, during the term of 14 years." " Mrs. Hanford, relict of the first minister of the town, died Sept, 12, 1730, aged 100 years."— (Manuscripts of Rev. Moses Dickin- son in Trumbull's History.) i725.] TOWN RECORDS." 113 Dame among themselves to schoole their children in ye summer season, and also grant to them their proportion of ye country's money. At ye same meeting ye town grants that the refuse boards left at ye new meeting-house, be used about ye fieheol-house neerr ye Mill plain. The old bell hung upon the new Meeting House. At the same meeting the town by major vote deter- mines to hang ye beil on ye new meeting house, and there to be rung upon necessary occasions until there appear a suitable opportunity to sell the same. Mr. John Copp in the second pew from the pulpit. At the same meeting, the town by a major vote grants ye seating of John Copp in ye second pue from ye pulpitt ; and his wife in ye third pue on ye woman's side. Mr. Thomas Fitch in the pew with the Justices. Mr. Thomas Fitch, Jr., is by major vote of ye town seated in ye pue with the Justices, and the town desires that he would read ye psalme, and set ye tune in ye time of publique service. Mr. Thomas Benedict to set the Psalm tunes. December 2, 1724. The town by major vote desires Ensigne Thomas Bennedick, Jr., to sett ye tune to ye Psalme, at su<;h times as that part of service is to be performed in ye publik worship of God ; and to read ye Psalms needed, ye town also seats ye said Bennedick in ye 3d long seat at ye end of ye middle alley. The town votes Mr. Benjamin Lynes into ye pue at je S. W. corner. The Parish of Wilton begun. December 7, 1725. The town by a major vote sig- nifies their willingness that the inhabitants of Kent, 114 NORWALK. [1735. Belden's Hill, and Chestnutt Hill, and so upwards, be- come a Parish or village by themselves ; if the Generall Court (upon their application) shall see meet so to es- tablish them ; and in order for ye settling ye bounds of said village, a committee from each party shall take a view and present to the town where they think the bounds should be stated ; that the town may consider upon it, and, upon their liking, establish the same. At the same meeting, ye town by a major vote made choise of ye Worshipfull Joseph Piatt, Esq., Captain Raymond, and Lieutenant Seymor committee for to joyne with a committee from ye said inhabitants, in vewing where ye bounds may be best fixt for said upper village, and make a report to ye town of their opinion therein. Stone steps for the Meeting House. February 18th, 1725-6. The town by a major vote determines that they will have stones obtained for ye makeing of steps at each of ye dears of ye meeting house. Joseph Piatt, Esq., Mr. John Bartlett, and Ensigne Thomas Bennedick, Jr., to see to ye obtaining of s*^ stones, and get ye steps made, &c., at the town's cost. Difficulty with the R,ev. Mr. Buckingham. At the same meeting (Feb. 18, 1725-6), the town by a major vote determines that something shall be done in order to regulate ye difficulties ariseing in the town about ye Reverend Mr. Buckingham. The town by a major vote made choice of Joseph Piatt, Esq., Mr. James Brown, Lieutenant Comstock, John Copp, Deacon John Benedick, Jr., Mr. John Betts, Sen., and John Betts, carpenter. Committee to present the grievances of the town to the ministers of the county. 1725.] TOWN RECORDS, 115 Mr. Buckingham's salary stopped. A bill was brought into ye meeting of ye following tenure, viz. : Att a town meeting regularly warned by tbe select men of ye town of Norwalk and convened at the new school-house at the north end of said town, Feb. 18, 1725 — 6, the town by their major vote agrees and re- solves, that for the future no colector in the town of Norwalk shall be oblidged to colect Mr. Buckingham's rate in the specie as hath been usual ; and that the in- habitants of the town shall not be under any obligation, by force of any vote, to pay any provision for the an- swering of their severall proportions of b^ Mr. Buck- ing's sallary ; and doe hereby determine and fully agree, that all votes and grants of that kind shall be wholly null and void. Read off to ye town, put to vote, and passed in the affirmative. The Association of Ministers called. Feb. 28, 1725-6. The town accepts what Mr. Copp & Mr. James Brown (with concurrence of ye rest of ye committee) have done, in obtaining from ye Reverend Mr. Davenport, Moderator of ye Association (ye Reve- rend Mr. Webb & Mr. Chapman adviseing and con- senting therewith) letters of notification to ye ministers of ye county, for an Association of s^ ministers at Nor- walk, on ye eighth day of March next ; and resolves to have ye said letters of notification sent to the Reverend persons to whom they are directed ; and make pro- vision for ye entertainment of s^ ministers when they come, which charge shall be defrayed by the town. The Old Pulpit. At je same meeting, the town by a major vote, grants 116 NORWALK. , [1726. to tlie inhabitants of ye upper society the old pulpit upon free gift. A Minister allowed to Saugatuck. At the same meeting, the town by a major vote gi-antg to ye inhabitants about Sawkatuck, liberty to improve some meet person or minister of ye gospel to preach among them, &c., they paying their full dues to ye sup- port of ye minister of ye town. Mr, Buckingham's Letter to the Town. At a town Meeting convened in Norwalk, March 22d, 1725-6 : To the Town of Norwalk now conven'd together, I being heartily concerned for ye dif&cult state of the town, and thinking sincerely within myself, that a loving accommodation of ye difficulties and differences at pre- sent between ye town and myself, will be everyway most conducive to ye peace and union of the town, and the satisfaction of every member therein ; and so, in the whole, most declarative of the glory of God, and most for the interest of religion, more especially in this place, I thereupon, with Christian concern, move to ye town for an accommodation of ye s*^ difficulties. S. Buckingham.