The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

hundred for it im Uppon further consideration I the aforesaid frame is to he 31 foote in lenth, and 18 I foote in hredthe, and Ralph Keeiler is to have 20 more ; I and Math. Marvin, Jr. now hath undertaken to lay in 2000 of good suff- shinckles at Ralph Keeilers ready to have at . The Pound. It was ordered and voted allso at the foresaied meetinge, that there shall be a good and sufficient pound or pinnefold erected and sett up, as soon as the season will permitt ; at the place where the Townsmen shall appoynt, the saied pound to be thirtie foote square, six foote in height, six rayles in every lenth ; the sayed rayles to be 11 foote in lenth, and the postes to be about 10 inches square ; and for the saied pound the Towne are contented, and doe promise to pay, to any that shall undertake to finish, sayed pound, the some of Twoe pounds. Memorandum : that in regard there is a convenience %o have the saied pound made and that with expedition, — Nath. and Math. Camfield, Nath. Richards, and Thos. Fitch have undertaken to have the saied pound maid accordinge to the agreement. Felling Timber. Agreede and voted at the aforesayed meetinge, that if there shall be any timber felled in any of the com- monage belonging to the Town of Norwake or uncorded beyond the space of three mounthes, from the date hereof, that is to say Desember 29th 1653, then it shall be lawfull for any planter to use and carry away the said timber as their proper owne. 1654.] TOWN RECORDS. 43 Agreed and voted also that if any timber shall be found in the commonage aforesayed, lyinge and con- tinuinge above three mounthes after it is hewen and corded, that then allso it shall be lawful and free for any inhabitant or planter to take it and carry away, as their propper owne. Agreed and voted at the aforesaied meetinge that if any inhabitant shall fall or cause to be fallen any free into any common cart way, and not cause said tree to be removed within the space of howres, so as it to be noe annoyance to the saide cart way, that then it shall be lawful for any of the inhabitants to remove the saied tree, and — planter that did fall the saied tree to the that removed the tree the some of in good current pay. Burning the Woods. And that the Townsmen shall see the woods burned in the fitting season ; and of the time of burninge to give convenient notice to the inhabitants that they may secure their fences. Town Officers in 1654. At a meten helde by the inhabitants of Norwake on the 13 April 1654, when they maid choyce of Mr. Fitch and Goodman Moore to be townsmen for the insuen yere ; at the same time they chose — Ely as constable for the ensueng yere. Making Drains. At a meetinge holden the 24th of Aprill, 1654, it was ordered and agreed and voted that there shall be a drain made through every man's lott in the meadows — and of the lottes in the meadows on the other side- that whenever those men that are chosen to appoynt 44 NORWALK. [1654. the same, and also tlie breadth and depth of the same — to be made as such indifferent men chosen — appoynt ; provided also that whenever the saied draines are to be made, there shall be allowance afforded to every man, in meadow, for the losse of the ground by reason of the said drains ; also that the same drains are also to be kept and sustained by the owners thereof, for perpetual ■ — as they Were appoynted ; and those men that are to vewe and appoyent the saied drains— Mr. Camfield, Nath. Eli, Tho. Fitch. Allotments of Land. Ordered allso that the allotments to beginne to be layed out as following : Videlicett to beginne — at the end of the hither plaine where John Greggory mowed the last yeare, &c. The Mill. ^ At a meetinge held the 6th of January, 1654, it was voted and agreede, that the* mill shall desist* and not to be carryed on, and Richard Web, Tho. Fitch, Nath. Richards, shall send upon the first opportunitie to Leeiftenant Swaine, and acquaint him with the minds of the Towne concerning saied mill. Voted, ordered, agreed, and concluded at the aforesaied meetinge, that the three undertakers of the mill in the behalfe of the Towne, with Leeiftenant Swaine, should with all convenient speed agree with the said Leeif- tenant Swaine for the desystinge and leavinge of the said mill, as well as they could ; and what charges the saied agreement amounted to, the said Towne would satisfy & pay. • Obliterated. i656.] TOWN RECORDS." 45 Townsmen in 1655. At a meetinge lield the 29tli of March 1655, voted and agreed that Richd. Web, and Richd. Seamer, are chosen Townsmen for the ensuinge yeare. Agreed and voted also at the saied meetinge that Waltar Haite and Ralph Keeiler are to worke the fence for the yeere ensuinge. Agreed and voted that Robt. Beacham is Gate Keeper for the yeere ensuinge. The Town Herd. At a meeting held y^ 30 of May 1655, agreed and voted that all dry cattle excepting 2 yeer ould heffers shall be herded together on the other side of Norwake river ; and ther keep by the owners of the cattle ; every man keping according to his proportion of cattle ther herded. It is also agreed at y® same meeting that for the lodging and wonting of y*" sayed herd in the place fore named there shall be a pound erected by the first Wednesday in June, every man sending in help for y^ efecting of the pound according to bis proportion of cattle there herded. It is also agreed that there is* to be employed in keeping the herd*— but suficient able man. It is also agreed that whosoever, after lawfully warned, shall neglect his day in keeping, shall forfeit five shillings to y^ use of the towne, and for every our that a man is defective after sun halfe an our hye, by not going forth of the towne to the keeping of his herd, he shall forfeit six pence for the town's use. Fetching the Smith's tools from Hartford. At the same meeting agreed and voted, by the towne of Norwake to give Matthew Camfield and Nathaniel! * Obliterated. 3* 46 NORWALK, [1G55, Hayes six and twenty shillings for the fetching of the tools pertaining to the Smith from Hartford, and is to "be payd the nest rate. The estate of lands and accommodations — — in the hands of as followeth [in 16551. £ s. £ s- Mstr. Hanford, 300 00 Matt. Marvin, jr., 139 10 Nath. Eli, 293 00 Thos. Hales, 118 00 Math. Campneld, 283 10 Walter Haite, obliterated. Nathl. Richards, 282 00 Dan. Kellogge, " Kich. Web, 255 10 Nath. Haies, " Isacke More, 252 00 Jonath. Marsh, " Math. Marvin, sen .279 00 Ralph Keeiler, " Sam. Hales, 250 00 John Bowton, " Tho. Fitch, 314 00 Richd. Homes, *' Kichd. Olmsted, 219 10 Mathew Sention, *^ Mathias Sention, Steph. Beckwith, " sen., 189 00 Thos. Seamer, " John Griggorie, 188 10 Thos. Lupton, *' Robt. Beacham, 173 00 Wid. Morgan, '' John Ruskoe, 150 00 To dispose of, 200 00 Math. Sention, jr. Ralph Keeiler, 150 00 , X iJKJ 150 \J\J 00 Summ total is 5475 00 Geo. Ahbitt, 75 00 Ladders )rovided. At a meetinge holden th( i 21st of January, 1655, by the inhabitants of Norwake, voted and agreed that every householder shall provide, erect, and sett up a good and sufficient ladder reaching up to the chimney above the house, the said ladder to be made and sett up within one mounthe after the date hereof, and that if any householder shall be defective herein, the said 1657.] TOWN RECORDS. 47 householder shall of five shillings to the use of the town. At the same meetinge, it was fullie agreed, voted and concluded, between the inhabitants of Norwake of the one syde, and Waltar Haite of the other syde, that the said Waltar Haite is to erect and sett up a good and sufficient gate leading into the meadows of the other side, &c. * * * *= Feb. 5, 1657. Voted and agreed that Robt. Beach- am shall enjoy and possess that parcell of lande lyinge betweene his home lott and the Coafe Bancke, as his owne ; being given and granted by the Towne at the saied meetinge ; and the saied Robt. Beacham has promised and ingaged to keepe and maintaine the gate leadinge into the necke for the yere ensuinge. March 5, 1657. At the saied meetinge, Isacke More, Matth. Sention, Mark Sention, Ed. Nash, with consent of the Towne, have undertaken to make and provide a good and sufficient wolfe-pitt upon the other side in some convenient place, &c. (1657.) Memorandum. That Jonathan Marsh does ingage to build a come mill and sufficient Memorandum. That Jonathan Marsh is to have upland to be laied out adjoininge to the mill At a Towne meetinge held the first day of March, — 58, agreed with Goodman Marsh about grinding our corne, and he hath agreed to attend the towne 3 dayes in the week, that is to say, the 2d, the. 4th, and the 6th day of the week, and these days he is to attend, that we may have — — to fetch and carry corne to the mill. 48 NORWALK, [1656. The Indians. At a Towne meetinge the IStli of Aprill, 1655, voted and ordered Leeiftenant Olmsted and Thos. Fitch are to take care and look after the Indians are per- mitted to plant butt such as properly belongs to the towne ; that those that doe plant doe speedily make up the fence, and so allso keep it up sufficient, and allso that noe Indian within a quarter of a mile of the towne. Nails for the Meeting House. At a Towne meetinge heild the 22d of May, '55, voted and instructed the Townsmen to procuer nayles, with all speed, for the meeting house, and at as reasonable rate as they can — Towne's account. Allso, Thos. Fitch, sen. and Leeiftenant Olmsted are desired to be helpfull unto Nath. Richards in — the procuringe helpe for the making up the mill Damne. The Cows to Pasture. Memorandum. The cowe keeper began to herd the cowes the second Monday in May, being the 8th or 9th day ; and the dry hearde began to be driven out by 3 men — to Rooton, that was Marke Sention, Math. Sention, and Waltar Haite to be allowed 6d. a turne. Admitting Mr, Reed.