The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

At the aforesayed meeting, voted and agreed that Math. Reed is admitted to come into the towne as an inhabitant. Must come to Town Meetings. Anno 1656, April 1st. At the same meeting agreed and voted, that all the inhabitants of Norwake 1659.] TOWN RECORDS. 49 shall all be present at the town meetings lawfully warn- ed, and answer to their names, upon the forfeit of 12 pence a man, on such default ; and there remayn till the townsmen or townsman shall the meeting, upon the same forfeit. Mr. Hanford's Salary. At a meeting held by th^ inhabitants of Norwalke (1656), agreed and voted, that Mr. Handford shall have three score pounds allowed for the yere insuing, by them for his rate, and he is to be paid as followeth: 30 pounds in wheat, and pease, and barley, at the prices 4 shillings per bushell for wheat and barley, and for pease, 3 shilling per bushell. The other 30 pounds is to be payed, 8 pounds in and the other 22 pounds is to be payed in beefe and pork at the common currint prise that it brings, when it is dew. The Meeting House. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Norwake, the 3d of January (1659) agreed and voted, that there shall be a meeting house built by the joint concurrence of the inhabitants, 30 foot in length, and 18 foot in * * * to be set upon posts in the ground, 12 foot in length, that there be 10 foot distance from the ground to the to the effect of the building, the inhabitants hav- ing engaged 48 days worke, which each is to performe as he may be called thereunto by chosen and ap- pointed by the towne — to call them forthe, provided that the said men give warning two days at least before- hand. Wolf-pits. At a meeting held on the 16th of September, 1659, voted and agree that it shall be lawful! for any person 50 NORWALK. [1664. or persons to make any wolfe pitt or pitts in convenient places, and what wolfes shall be taken and killed by the sayed persons, they shall be allowed for every wolfe 10s. by the towne. Clapboarding the Meeting-house, At a meeting held the 12th of December, 1660, the towne hath agree with Mr. Fitch, and Goodman Rich- ards, and John Rusco, to claboard the meeting house with inside so hy as the window ; to find the bords, and to have 3/, 6s. for the doing of itt ; this worke to be don by the last of January next. Difficulty with Fairfield. J At a meeting held the 6th of May, 1664, voted and agreed, that the deputies made choice of to attend the general court are authorized by the said vote, that if they have an opportunitie to issue the difference be- tween the Towne of Faierfield and ourselves concerninge the bounds, they are impowered to issue the same, either by agreement with them according to former proposi- tions propounded unto them, if accepted, and if not accepted, then to issue it in the court if it may be ; and Thomas Fitch is voted to be assisting in the busi- ness, &c. At the same meeting, voted that the Townsmen are hereby empowered to hier a man, or man and horses, at the towne charge, for the sending for Mstr. B , and bring him again to Faierfeild, for so many times as he may be procured, while Mstr. Handford is absent. Addition to the Meeting-house. At the same meetinge (1664), voted and agreed, that there shall be an addition made and sett up, to the meet- ing-house, and that _= ende sett up and joined 1665.] TOWN RECORDS. 61 unto the fore part of the meetinge house, the sayed building to be in bredth 20 or 22 foote, and in lenth 16 foote at least ; and the towne engages, and every person to worke twoe days a man, if need be ; and there being appoynted Thomas Fitch, sen., and Mathew Marvin, sen., to call out so many men as they think fitt to fell and cutt the timber, and allso to summon each to drawe the saied timber. Nath. Richards buys the Mill. At the same meetinge, the Towne doth approve and consent unto Nath. Richards of his purchasinge and buyinge of the mill and land, both upland and meadow of Jonathan Marsh ; the saied Nath. Richards being to give and pay unto Jonathan Marsh for the sayed mill and all that belonges unto the sayed mill, with the up- land and meadow, being 6 akers and 2 roodes of upland lying upon the mill hill, and 3 parcells of meadow, and called Cranbury swamp, &c. Henry Whitney's Mill. At the sayed Meetinge (July 24th, 1665), Henry Whitney hath agreed and Ingaged with the Towne, to make, build, and erect a good and sufficient ground corne mill, and that at the mouth of Norwake River by the falles ; and that upon certain conditions, which conditions are to be fullie drawn up, by Thomas Fitch, Leeiftennant Olmsted, Mstr. Fenn, Mr. Whitinge, to confirme * * * signed by the Towne or thosse they shall depute their * * * which conditions were fully agreed upon at the sayde * * * betweene the Towne and Henry Whitney * * Also at the sayed meetinge the Towne voted and granted unto the said Henry Whitney a Homelott, con- 52 NORWALK. [1667. sistinge of twoe akers, the sayed lott to be layed out upon tlie mill plaine upon tlie right hand of the path leading down to the old mill, being over the Runlett 2 or three rodd from the sayed Runlett and also from the cart way ; and so the grant of the other Lott is relin- quishede. Beating the Drum. Also (1665), Walter Haite has undertaken to beate the drumm for meetings when all occasions required, for which he is to have 10s. Also Tho. Bennidict has un- dertaken to have the meeting house swept for the yeere ensuing ; he is to have 20s. How to deal with the Stamford men. It was also voted and agreed, August 26, ^66, that such men of our inhabitants as doe goe to cutt hay on the other side five mile river, the towne will stand by them in the action to defend them, and to beare an equall proportion of the damage they shall sustaine upon that account ; and if they shall be afronted by Stam- ford men, the towne will take as speedy a course as they can to prosecute them by law, to recover their just rights touching the lands in controversy ; and also they have chosen and deputed Mr. Thomas Fitch to goe with the sayed men when they goe to cutt or fetch away, to make answer for and in behalfe of the towne, and the rest to be silent. Mending the fences. At a towne meeting in Norwalk, March the 20th, 1667, it was voted and ordered that it shall be left to the townsmen from yere to yere, to appoint a time or day, at or before the 10th of March, for the securing of the fences on both sides, and that they shall give notis 1668.] TOWN RECORDS. 53 to all the inhabitants the night before ; and the dnimb to be beten in the morning ; which shall be accounted sufficient warning for every man to secure his fence, or else to beare his own damage. Fetching the Cows. At the same meeting (Oct. 17th, 1667), voted and ordered, that after the field is cleared, the townsmen shall hier Steven Beckwith, or some other man, to fetch the cowes out of the neck ; and that he that shall be hiered shall give warning by sounding a home about twelve of the clock, that he that is to accompany him may repaier to%im. "Wolves. Also at the same meeting in Norwalk, Oct. 28, '67, it was voted and ordered, that the townsmen, for every wolfe that shall be kild in this town, eyther in pits or otherwise, the head or eares being brought and shewed, after this present day till the town rates are made for the defraying such charges, shall have twenty shillings for every such wolfe. Training, At a meeting of the inhabitants of Norwalke, May the 7th, 1668 ; being met together upon an occasion of trayning, and having some other business to transact touching towne officers, did unanimously agree, that what orders should be made and concluded of at the aforesayed meeting, should stand in as full forse as if it had bin legally warned. Keeping the Young People still in Meeting. At a meeting of the inhabitants of Norwalk, July the 13 : '68, Tho. Lupton was chosen to look after the young people in the meting house on the Lord's day. 54 NORWALK. [1668. and to doe his best indevor to kepe them from playing and unsivill behavor in time of publik worship. The Herdsmen. At atowne meeting inNorwalk, March the 16, 1668, it was voted and agreed, that there shall be two herds- men hired, one to keep the dry heard and the other to keep the milch heard for this whole somer. At the same meeting it was voted and agreed that Steven Beckwith is to keep the milch heard this somer, and is to have twelve shillings a week for his paynes ; and half a pound of butter for every cow as part of his pay, and the rest in wheat, pease, in'ftian corn, at 4s. 6d. ; 3s. 6d, and eight groats pr bushell. Difficulty with Stamford. Sept. 30, 1668. Voted and ordered that the depu- ties that ar chosen to goe to the court in October next, shall doe there best indevor that the diferance betwen Stamford and Norwalk may be brought to an issue. At the same meeting it was voted and ordered that it shall be left to the towns men to send a letter to Stam- ford to signifie the towns intension about the difference of Bounds. Making a fence for a winter wheat-field, Anno 1668. Dec. 4, 1668. It was agreed and concluded that a fence shall be made and sett up for y® taking in of a winter wheat field, which sayd fence is to begin at the gate by goodman Nash his house, and to Run along by the highway that goes to stony hill, and to end at the creek that comes in between Matthue Camfield his Is- land, and Nathaniell Richards out meddow, which fence is to be made good sufitient fence ; eyther postes and 1669.] TOWN RECORDS. 55 Rayls, or stones or logs ; but not hegg ; and this to be finished by the last of September next ensueing, and to be layed out and divided by Mr. Fitch, Daniell Kellogg, and Christopher Comstok ; and also it was concluded that the first lott should begin at the gate ; which first lott was drawn by 1. Matthew Marvin, sr. 16. Christopher Comstok, 2. Samuel Sension, 17. Mr. Fitch, 3. Robert Stewart, 18. Nathl. Hayes, 4. Samuel Camfield, 19. John Gregory, sen., 5. Tho. Lupton, 20. Mark Sension,