A Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut

moved to Northampton, but owued land in East Hartford in 1664. The town of Hartford appHed to purchase it, on condition that if he refused to sell, to call on him for security not to sell it to improper inhabitants. William, resided at New London in 1649. Barnes, Thomas, Hartford, 1640 — had land distributed to him east of the river, and resided there in '63. Joshua, deputy in '63. Bassett, Robert united with John Chapman and others, in 1653-4, in Fairfield county, to raise ti'oops. The town of Fairfield held a meeting, without authority from the General Court, to raise troops to fight the Dutch at New Netherlands, and appointed Mr. Ludlow com- mander-in-chief of their troops, which office he accepted. This transaction, it was supposed, caused the departure of Mr. Ludlow to Virginia. Thomas, '43. A man of this name came from England in '34, to Boston — may be the same Thomas Bassett. Basey, John, was in the land division of Hartford, 1639. He died in '71. Elizabeth his wife. He had a grandson, Paul Peck, another Joseph Baker, a brother John Baker, and a son-in-law John Baker. His eldest daughter married a Burr — his third daughter Elizabeth, married a Peck — Lydia married John Baker. Bascom, Thomas, in 1639 — had a daughter, Abigail. Thomas, in '40, and Hepzibah in '44. Bates, John, Haddam, 1676 — died in 1718. Jonathan, of Haddam, had children, John, Solomon — Joseph Graves married his daughter — Jonathan, James Ray, jr., Elizabeth Bailey. His widow" w^as Eliza- beth. John, of Middletown, 1677, and James Bates. James, '69, of Saybrook. Baxter, Thomas, New London, husband of Bridget, 1662. Beardsley, William, (in No. 1,) — is probably the W^illiam Beards, ley who came from Hertfordshire with John and Joseph Beardsley to Massachusetts in a vessel called the Planter. Beardsley, Thomas, at Fairfield in 1658 — probably the grandson of William, who moved to Stratfoi'd before, and who was a juror at Hartford in '49. John, of Stratford, before '50. Beaumont, William — moved to Saybrook, and resided there in 1663. Beckwith, Nathaniel, Haddam — died in 1717, and left Sarah, his widow, with £269 estate. His children w^ere. Job, Nathaniel, Jeru- sha, Sarah, Joseph and Patience. Nathaniel, of Lyme, was appointed by the court, guardian of the children of Nathaniel Beckwith, deceased, of Haddam. It is probable the two Nathaniels above, were the sons of Matthew and Stephen, brothers, who were early settlers in Hart- ford, neither of whom appears to have died at Hartford. Beckly, Richard, Windsor — juror in 1664. Beers, Thomas, came to Connecticut as early as 1645, and was a constable in '47 — whether he was a relative of the brave Capt. Beers, who, in Philip's war, was killed with 20 of his men near Northfield, is not known. The name soon after '47 disappeared in Hartford, and is early found at Stratford, so that it is supposed Thomas moved to Stratford with the flood of emigration from Hartford and Windsor. Joseph Beers who resided at Stratford in '72, is supposed to have been the son of Thomas. Joseph had a son Daniel, who, after a set- tlement had commenced at Woodbury, located himself there, and mar. 15 Ill ried a Miss Walker, either a daughter or grand daughter of the Rev. Z. Walker, who had also moved to Woodbury. They had sons, Jo- siah, Zeehariah and Lewis, born at Woodbury. Josiah was the father of Hon. Seth P. Beers, Commissioner of the School Fund of Con- necticut. Josiah, of Stratford, and James, of Fairfield, were jurors in 1730. The name yet remains in Fairfield and Litchfield counties. Bell, Francis, Stamford, 1042. Mr. Bell was one of the early set- tlers, and an important man in the colony — a firm Puritan in forms and principles. Rev. Mr. Denton, Mitchell, Ward, Law, Rayner, Bell and Hollys were important men in Stamford in its fii'st settle- ment. Some of the descendants of Francis have a Bible which was brought to New England in the Mayflower, in which is a record of the first male child born in Stamford. Francis Bell is favorably noticed by Cotton Mather, in company M'ith Slosson Bell, Robert, Hartford — was fined j£10, in 1683, for selling Tucker a pint of liquor with which he became intoxicated, in violation of law. Bell died in Hartford in '84 — Estate £28 — children, John 6 years old, Robert 4, and Mary 1. Thomas, of Fairfield county, '70. Belding, John, Wethersfield — died in 1677. His children were, John, 19 years old, Jonathan 16, Joseph 14, Samuel 11, Daniel 7, Ebenezer 4, Sarah 9, Lydia 2, and Margaret 6 months, at his death. John Belding, Robert Morice, John Waddams and John Stedman, jurors in 1664. Benedick, Thomas, 1662. Benfield or Penfield, Middletown, 1664. Benham, Hannah, daughter of Richard, Avas born, July, 1683. Rebecca, was born, September, '85. Bennet, James — moved from Concord to Fairfield in 1644. He had a son Thomas. This is a familiar name in the west part of Con- necticut at this time. A man by the name of Henry Bennite — (per- haps the same name) was Secretary to King Charles IL, and signed the Commission or Letter for Col. Richard NicoUs, Sir Robert Carr, George Cartright, &c. in '64, to the Governor of Conecticut., in be- half of the King. Benton, Andrew, Milford, in 1646 — of Hartford, '66. He married at New Haven — died at Hartford, July, '83, aged 63 years. Him- self and wife took a dismission from the church at Milford to the church in Hartford, in '6G. His children were, Hannah, (died) An- drew, Mary, John, (died) Samuel, (settled at Tolland) Dorothy and Joseph, (his wife died) — and by a second wife he had Ebenezer, Ly- dia and Hannah, (named after the deceased Hannah.) See Timothy Thrall in this No. He left 7 children at his decease. Andrew, of Hartford, '64, '70— juror in '64. Edward, in '74. Edward, of Guil- ford, '50. Andrew held land, and was a fence viewer in Hartford, in '64. Edward, of Hartford, signed with 59 others to remove to H ad- ley, in '59. Benjamin, Caleb, resided in Hartford, but appears to have died at Wethersfield, in 1709. He was a brother of Samuel, who died in 1769. He left a son John and four daughters. John had a double portion of his estate, and was executor of his father's will. Caleb was admitted a freeman with Gershoni Bulkley, &c., in '69. He petitioned the 115 General Court in '82, to form a town in the Webaquassott country, situated probably north of the Pequot territory, perhaps in what is now Windham county. Benjamin, Samuel, (in No. 1,) — resided at Hoccanum, in Hartford — died in 1669, and left sons, Samuel and John, and daughters, Mary and Abigail. Probably was a relative of John at VVatertown, one of the proprietors of Cambridge. Left his estate with his wife Mary, and made Caleb, his brother, overseer of his estate and family. Benjamin, Richard, in May, 1664, with JefFery Jones and others, were admitted freemen, and the oath was administered by Capt. John Young, of Southold, L. I. He appears to have resided at L. Island. The relation, if any, to Samuel and Caleb is not known. Benjamin, John, appears to have been the grandson of Samuel, who died at Hartford, (Hoccanum) in 1669. Samuel left a son Samuel, and daughters, Mary and Abigail. The first Samuel was a brother of Caleb, of Hartford. John died in '53, and left his wife Hannah. To his son John he gave £50 — to his son Caleb he gave a house and four acres of land east of the river — to his son Samuel, £50. He had a son David, who died before him, who left two children. Gideon, his son, was executor of his will, and had the residue of his estate. Gid- eon, or his son Gideon was the grand father of Edwin Benjamin, Esq., now of Hartford. Jonathan, sou of Gideon, married Miss Woodbridge, who was a descendant of Governor Dudley, of Massachusetts. Sam. uel, son of John and Hannah, of Hartford, was born, May, 1708. Caleb was born, 1710. Beswick, George — died in 1072. Betts, Thomas, Guilford, 1650. (See John and Widow Betts in No. 1.) Bidwell, Joseph, Wethersfield— died in 1692. Children, Amy 14 years, Joseph 12, Benjamin 9, Ephraim 6, Lydia 3, and Mary four months old. John Bidwell died in '92, and left an estate of £1081. BidoU or Bidwell, John, 1673— of Hartford, '51. Bigelow, Jonathan, sen'r., Hartford — died in 1710, and left Mary, his wife, and children, Jonathan, John, Mary, Sarah, Violet, Joseph, Abigail, Daniel and Samuel. Left an estate of £549. Jonathan, son of John, married Mabel Edwards, in 1699. Biggs, WilUam, Wethersfield — died in 1681, and left his widow, and children, WilUam 15 years old, Mary 14, Thomas 9, Elizabeth 8, Sarah 6, and John 4. Estate £139. Billings, Richard, Hartford — had 6 acres in the division of land east of the river, in 1640. He Avas in the colony before '40, and was one of the 60 who signed to remove to Hadley in '59. Bingham, Thomas, is first found at Norwich as a proprietor in 1660, after which he married, and had eleven children. The name yet remains in New London county. Thomas, of Windham, '97. Birchard, John. A Mr. Birchard was a juror at Hartford as early as 1639, before any jurors came from Saybrook, which shows he must have been settled in one of the three towns on Connecticut river — perhaps John, who afterwards settled at Norwich, and became a pro- prietor and clerk, selectman, constable and commissioner there — per- haps the same to whom the General Court sent a warrant to enforce 116 payment of the Charter tax against Mystic. His sons, as stated by Miss Caulkins, were, Samuel, James, Thomas, John, Joseph and Daniel. John was made free in '63. Birdsey, John, moved from Milford to Stratford, before 1645, and became a leading man in the church there. Bird, John and Joseph, first settlers of Litchfield from Farmington — were descendants of Thomas, (in No. 1,) who moved to Farmington, and was the ancestor of Dr. Bird and Gcu. Bird, and others. James, Thomas and Joseph, 1663. Birdge, Joseph, who settled at Litchfield in the early settlement of that place, was from Windsor, and a descendant of Richard, (in No. 1.) The present Treasurer of Connecticut is also a descendant. John, of Windsor, married Hannah Watson in 1678 — in '79 had a sop John.