Norwalk

LeGrand, brother of "Commodore" John Cannon of Norwalk. married July 17, 1753, and lie and his wife Charity became citizens of Stratford, Conn. They had four sons and four daughters. Their third son, James, who was born July 19, 1767, married in 17S7 MaryBurritt, and was blessed with a large family. George, their fifth boy, born January 3, 1799, married in June, 1825, Marguerette, daughter of Dr. J. White of Albany, N. V- From Albany George and Marguerette Cauuon removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where five sons and one daughter wi re born to them, Charles Wesley, their third son, born July 1, 1*33, married, March, iNfiK. Catharine £S. Martine, and had one daughter and one son. Thedaughter, Bernice Martinique, born November 16, 1869, died a young lady not quite nineteen years of age. Her brother, William Legrand, was born September 24, 1S72. Charles W (Hon.) and Catharine I!. Cannon are the well known opulent Cannons of Helena, Montana. They belong to the Stratford rather than the Norwalk Cannon line, but have taken an active interest in this town's branch of the family. Their visit hither some some few years since, of inquiry and of investigation is well recalled and particularly their study of the Cannon painting in the John Cannon home on Norwalk green. Charles W. Cannon has preserved the inscriptions upon the lids (Tiffany copied) of the Cannon silver tankard which is said to have been used at the anniversary in France, of the wedding, of the New York Cannon foreparents. The inscriptions run thus : I,A KfiJE LID — MAKRIAOR, Legitimo fhala mi, qui dextras, foedere jungunt, Hos Dens, omnimoda, prosperi eate he at. Those who join their hands in lawful wedlock— may God bless them with all pros- perity. 4>4 NOKWALK. SMALL LID— ANNIVERSARY. Prole tho rum, victu men, som vela mine corpus, Atque ope rit drachma: Grandine, tecta dompus. With children the bed, with food the table, with clothing the body ; and with a hail of honey he covers the roof of the house. Yir qui timet Jehovam, ecce sic benedicetur. Behold so well he blessed the man who fears God. Prece et Lahore. Bv prayer and labor. (OAT HI ARMS MOD". Firmior quo paratior. The better prepared, so much the stronger. WILLIAM ASP1NWALL CANNON. William Aspinwall, youngest son of John1-' and Esther (Perry) Cannon, married on the Inst day of the winter of 1 7yH Betsey,1 born 1780, daughter of John-"" and Rebecca t Betsey Seymour was a daughter ofjohn+u> and Rebecca Seymour, ;ind granddaughter of John3r<J and Ruth Bclden Seymour, which John Scvmnur3^ was a sun of Jnhn-nd and Sarah (Gregory) Seymour, which John2»d w as a sun of Thomas^' and Hannah (Mar- vin) Seymour, and grandson of" Richard Scymourlst, the N.irwalk Seymour settler. Mrs. William A. Can- non (Betsey Scvmour) married, second, Gershom Bradley, and had one daughter. Ruth, the sister of Betsey Seymour and ten years her junior, married Augustus Sammis of Lloyd's Neck, Otieen's County, Lonj,' Island. After the marriage of Mr. Sammis himself and Norwulk bride returned to Long Island, where was born to t hem February 27,1 7S7, the now remembered venerable John Seymour Sammis, through whose veins ran, beside the Seymour blood, that of four other principal Norwalk founders, viz: Bclden, Gregory. Keeler and Marvin. John S. and Nancy YV. Sammis were married lanuarv 27i, lxijo and were the parents of Nancy, bom June 20, lsl-l (Mrs. William Gale, first, and second. .Mrs. Dan- iel F. Benedict, a most worthy woman, recentlv de- ceased), and Elizabeth, born lleccmber 0, 1S17, an(j William Cannon, born November 1N1.S, and Augustus, born July 21,1 S21, and Elizabeth Cannon, born February 0, lSIU, and Alexander, born Decem- ber 37. 1S27 (died in infancy), and Helen F.„ born May 27, 1S27 (one of Nonvalk's bright and lovely school girls, who married Daniel Sanford of Redding). C. Sainmis. son of John S.. married, inn, daughter of Captain Panic! K. Nash (page lull), and had John S.. Theodore \ Francis. Helen Eva. Marv. William E., AoRnstus ' Augustus (.M. D.), son of John S. Sammis, mar- Willi: May +, 1S42. Sarah An ried Mary A., daughter of Daniel Star Bartratn (page ::27) of Xorwalk, and had: William A., born Decem- ber 20, 1K441, and Elizabeth S. and Mary I.., twins, born July l.">, 1S."»2. Dr. Augustus Sammis and his wite, Mary A., were two excellent children of this town. They were school mates in early life, both of them studious and both favorites. Their intimacy began in youth and grew as years increased. The Doctor s recitations in the classics to his tutor were exceptionally thorough, and his grasp of the ancient tongues was remarkable. He studied medicine with the elder Dr. John A. McLean. John S.,son of William Cannon Sammis, married Christine, daughter of J. J. Cape, and had Helen E., Frederick C, Theodore, Louise C, Emma C, John S. Theodore A., son of William C. Sammis, married Lena Doolittle, and had William D., Evelyn V. \\\. Theodore A. Francis, sou of William C. Sammis, married Frances A. Allen, and had William E. (died young), Louise B., born Julv is, ism, Edna, born February 4-. l.ss'.l. William E., son of William C. Sammis. married in New York (no children), and his brother Augustus is unmarried William A., son of Dr. Augustus and Mary A. Sammis, married Emma F. Gamcsby and had Clara E., born November 2S, 1880, Helen E., born Mav 10, 1S82, The children of Daniel and Helen E. (Sammis) Sanford were Helen E. (Mrs. H. S. Barnes), Julia I., and Daniel Sammis. The latter, Daniel Sammis San- ford, has early distinguished himself as an educator. NORWALK (Keeler) Seymour (page 157). The groom was thirty-one and the bride eighteen years old when the Rev. Dr. William Smith united them. They had no children. The Seymours early established themselves in that portion of the township which is now the city of South Xor- walk, where they have long remained and are to this day broadly known. The Cannons were "up town ' people, and as William A. was the first and the only one of his family to bridally link himself to this important portion of the plantation, passing reference to a section or two of olden "Old Well" may not be an altogether far-fetched Cannon comment conclusion. Cleared land was a desideratum to the Norwalk pioneers, who found this to some extent in what they denominated the "planting field " (Benedict s farm), but a broad tract lay across the harbor (Old Well) which they soon appropriated, designating it as the "great meadow on the other side of the river." The stream was no barrier to the genius of such men as Thomas Fitch and Surveyors Richard Olmstead and Richard Webb. They soon constructed a ferry from "Fort Point" ianding, on the west side, a little above the present coal wharf of J. H. Ferris. From thence diverged two paths, the northerly one not far from the present layout of Marshall Street, and the southerly path along the Washington Street of the present time. The first led over Flax Hill and the second to the "great meadow" (site ol Railroad Place, West Washington Street, South Main Street, and the large level which now constitutes the site-centre of the city of South Norwalk) and the "lower meadow" (between Meadow Street and Kaiser Island of iSij<j). The earliest use of the "Ferry" (probably a raft constructed of logs pinned together which was "poled " across the stream) was for the transportation of livestock. By degrees " the other side of the river," afterward "Old Well," became populated. Samuel, son of Matthew Campfield (see pa^e 287) was an early builder. He established himself at "Campfield's Hill," in the vicinity of to-day's "Whistleville" dis- trict. Across this neighborhood was cut the road to "Ely's Neck." This path, subsequently road, really commenced at the present corner of West Avenue and West Street, where is now erected the new commodious Second Congregational Church of South Norwalk. The first house as, going west one turned the corner, was the ancient home, depicted on the following page, of James, afterwards Isaac Hoyt. This house sheltered the carl)' members of that branch of the Hoyt family (see page 129). It finally became the property of Isaac Hoyt, father of Mrs. Charles R. Sherman, through the family of Munson Hoyt of Bridgeport. (Said Munson, see page 357, had a large home establishment on the present Water Street in Bridgeport.) Here the young Mary Hoyt, Mrs. Sherman, was brought up, and from hence she went to be educated at the New York Sketchley sisters school (page 135). The embroidery at that institution, of the page 417 displayed Norwalk-retained piece, was by a young visiting friend of Miss Mary Hoyt, a daughter of the Lord of "Phillipse Manor" on the Hudson. The Isaac Hoyt Home was fronted by a row of fine cherry trees and backed by an apple orchard. It extended quite over the present " Beard Hill," and was north-bounded by a path which may to-day be seen in the rear of the Edward Beard residence in South Norwalk. Mrs. Isaac Hoyt (Mary Raymond) was the daughter of Eliakim and Hannah (Street) Ray- mond, whose residence has been supplanted by the Washington Street Donovan Building of 1899. There, where to-day business has its seat, Mary Raymond and her four sisters, +15 N O K \V A I. h 4'7 K.MIIUCIIUFHK.I) 111 III/ I I'll 1 1 I I INI , Ml I'll. I I 1 S Rebecca, Esther,1 Elizabeth and Hannah images 121), 1311 anil 135) <|iiietly enjoyed themselves. The old home stood tenanted until Saturday afternoon. July 10. 1779, when, at eventide. > son (Nathaniel) brought tip the team ami as Tryon s (urces wen- entering the harlmr look the family away to a place ol safety anil left the domicile to lie consumed at break n| day in \l morning. Nathaniel, the brother who conveyed his parents In their shelter Imni Irion's attack, built, at the close of the war (17R3), the old Kaymond structure now siandinc at ihe loot of Washington Street, north side I lis brother deorye became an officer under I'm 1 Jones, and his residence was afterwards the I liii liester house, now southeast corner ol Washington .ind South Main Streets. 1 1 is otnOT brother! tteru Kliakini. Street, Ib-nri and Naptbali The descendants ol Kl.akiin anil I laiinah Havmond have colonial -honor record