Norwalk

The widow Eunice was in 1786 one of the administrators of her late husband's estate and in 1807 both parents were deceased. Their daughter Eunice married John LocKwood (see page 423). Their son Hezekiah has reference on page 223. Gershom B. Smith was Norwalk Island identified. He sold a portion of the island to the government and for some thirty years he had charge of the light there established about seventy years ago. Norwalk light, remarked one of the New York dailies over a half century ago, is reliable. Mr. Smith's stately fashioned home thereat is a pleasant memory to- day. Theoriginal house which survived, foryears, Mr. Smith's residence, was in existence, seem- ingly, as long ago as the days of Nathan Reed. In 1793, Noah Smith sold that house with ten acres of surrounding land to Joseph Franklin White, son of Joseph Moss White of Dan- bury. On January 24, 1804, Mr. J. F. White and wife Betsey sold for 86,000 "Little Lon' Island, or Smith's Island or White's Island" to Robert Sheffield, a ship master of New York. 1 Harriet Augusta, daughter of Lewis and Eliza- beth Smith, married Thomas E. Lee and had Lewis Smith, Harriet Augusta, Florence Pohlman, and Alice. Lewis Smith Lee married Clara Paulison and had Howard Sheldon, born June, 18S3, and Paul Paulison, born November, 1K.N5, A granddaughter of Lewis Smith, .Miss Florence Pohlman Lee, take* a most loyal and loving interest in her Norwalk Smith ancestry. She makes periodical visits to the town and tenderly caresforher kindred's resting places in its soil. These kindred rest in Union and Pine Island cemeteries. The latter burial place is Norwalk-aneient. -'Henry Bushnell and Mary (Smith) Sheldon had Augusta, Henry Bushnell and Elizabeth. Henry Bushnell Sheldon married Charlotte S. Sutphen. 3Joseph Smith, (Eunice wife) the parent of Ger- shom B. Smith and his brothers Eliphalet, Hezekiah, Joseph and Walter, appears to have been from the Richard, Samuel, Joseph and Thomas Long Island Smith stock. Samuel was the founder of "Smith Ridge,' and this section of the large Smith family seem to have established " Smith Hills," near Poplar Plains, and to have settled in near by Weston, which was anciently within the bounds of Fairfield. The Noah and Robert (Hadley and Jamaica) Smith lines are entirely distinct, not alone from each other, but from the Samuel Smith branch. NOR \V A L K 435 SMITH — INTERPAGE. Lieutenant Samuel Smith, mentioned in paragraph two, page 431, died, it has been ascertained, some fourorso years before 1685(1680-1). His son Kiliab had children other than those indicated in next paragraph, viz : John, born October, 1661 (married Martha Golding); Sarah, born April, 1673 (died young); Hester, born 1674 (Mrs. Nathaniel Ingraham);1 a child who died in infancy ; Elizabeth, born February, 1678 (Mrs. James Smith): Mary, born 1681 (Mrs. Preserved Smith, first, and, second, Mrs. Peter Mon- tague); Kiliab2"", born August, 1683, (died in infancy) ; Kiliab8"1, born Febru- ary, 1685 (married Mary Golding), and Sarah, born 1688 (Mrs. Jonathan Martin). Martha, daughter of Eliakim and Abigail Smith, as mentioned on page 431, married Ebenezer Nash. She probably had died in young married life, and before her sister of same name was born in 1756. Mrs. Jonathan Thompson, named in note one, page 432, had also sons David and George Thompson. Eliakim and Lydia (Olmsted) Smith (second wife) had beside the three sons named on page 432, Samuel, born May 1, 1780. Before her marriage to Benjamin Weed, Catherine (mother of Mrs. Lewis Smith, page 433, had been a widow of Peter Smith. While these lines are being penned (November, 1899), the old " Elia- kim Smith Home on Rusco Creek," South Norwalk, is being demolished in order to make contemplated improvements in the interests of the Corset Company, which company now owns the property. It should never, however, he forgotten that a brave "Old Well" boy (Lewis, son of Eliakim2"" and Lydia Smith, see page 433) was there brought up. This Norwalk youth grew to become the gallant Captain Lewis Smith, who did splendid service in the war of 1812. He was a capturer of British vessels, and albeit he was once himself captured, still it was against great odds, and when fired upon by the squadron surrounding him. When the heroic Smith saw that he must give up, he threw guns, muskets and powder overboard, and had no apology to render when explanation for such a step was demanded of him by the enemy. He was in command of the "Governor Tompkins" at the time that a son of the Earl of Shrewsbury was his prisoner. Pointing to the ensign at Captain Smith's peak, the Earl's son "thought it a shame that British colors should be compelled to strike to it." The fearless Smith replied "that it was not the first time and he believed it would not be the last.''2 The story of the disappearing (1899) Rusco Creek Smith home abounds in instructive passages and the site is of interesting memory. 'Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Ingraham, married (second wife, see note, page 384) Samuel, son of Daniel Belden1". 2 " We would like to see Commodore Decatur," said one of the British officers to Captain Smith. " And he would be equally happy to see you," was Smith's reply. NORWALK. THE SMITH RIDGE AND RIDGEFIELD SMITHS. Samuel Smith1", who married Rachel, daughter of Matthew Marvin1", (see pages i5o and 177) had Rachel (Mrs. Thomas Benedict). Lydia (Mrs. James Lockwood). Sarah, Hannah, Samuel2™1 and Nehemiah1" Samuel Smith1" was brother of Joseph (page 431). Samuel Smith2'"1 married, June 13, 171 1, Sarah, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Smith) Whitney and had Samuel**, Sarah (Mrs. Nathan Olmsted), Rachel (Mrs. James Northrop), and Patience (Mrs. lienjamin Hiiyt), all of Ridgefield. Nehemiah Smith1", brother of Samuel2'"', married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Clapham and had Nehemiah21"1, (not found excepting that his daughter Mary married Thaddeus Sey- mour), Peter1", Matthew1", Daniel1*', Elizabeth1", (Mrs. Lieutenant Samuel Street), Rachel3"1 (Mrs. Ebenezer Street), Rebeccah (Mrs. John Hanford), Lydia Ann (Mrs. Josiah Burr), and Joseph. Mrs. Nehemiah Smith1*' (Elizabeth Clapham), married, second, Thomas Talmadge of Stamford. The mother of Mrs. Nehemiah Smith1", was Isabella, daughter of John and Ann Bar- low of Fairfield. The children of Peter and Isabella Clapham were Elizabeth (Mrs. Nehemiah Smithy Rebeccah (Mrs. Nathan Adams, Jr.), Mary (Mrs. Thomas Marvin). " Smith Hills" was a district near " Bear Swamp" in Poplar Plains. Bear Swamp is traversed by the Newtown Turnpike. The descent of Peter1', son of Nehemiah1", is traced on page 178. Matthew Smith1*1, son of Nemiah1", owned the fine old style H. M. Prowitt beautifully kept house and grounds in East Norwalk (1895). He left these to his nephew Matthew (son of his brother Peter Smith1",) which nephew parted with the property or a portion of it, to Josiah Hanford Fitch, the father of the late Mrs. Samuel Daskam of Fast Norwalk. From Samuel Smith'", descended the Smith families of Smith's Ridge and Ridgefield. SELLECK. This Stamford-Norwalk family is of ancient pedigree. By tradition it originated in Wales. The name is Cornish-British, which is a dialect of the Celtic, Belgic or Cambrian formerly spoken throughout Cornwall. The etymology of the proper noun Selleck is "in open view,'' conspicuous, and its mention is found as early as A. D. 1086. Along the seventeenth century are records of Sellecks in positions of influence. John Selvocke about that per.od "declined knighthood." In the deed of Galdon Manor Robert Selleck is mentioned as a "trustie and well beloved friend," and John Selioke, father and son, were Mayors of St. Albans 16X4 1700, while "Selleck on the Wye" is a beautiful village. In the roll of early New England settlers occurs in 1640 the name of David Selleck. It is claimed that the first provision for a free school in the western world, by direct tax, was made in Dorchester, Mass., in !639. David Selleck, before referred to, was one of the sub- scribers to a petition to that effect. David and Susannah Selleck, his wife, were members of th , 1644 First Church of Boston, and the births of their children are recorded in that ancient NORWALK. 437 town. Among the antiquities of Boston is found the "David Selleck home lot description." Mr. Selleck was engaged in trade between the Colonies and the Barbadoes. He died while on an expedition, in 1654, to Virginia. His two sons, Jonathan and John, came to Stamford in 1660. They there married sisters, daughters of Hon. Richard Law, the first civilian among the Stamford settlers, and one of the "first gentlemen in the Colony." Jonathan Selleck was one of the leading men of the period (see Colonial histories of New York and Connecticut). His son Jonathan20'1 shared his father's civil and military renown, and his son John was the first Fairfield county graduate of Harvard College. John Selleck1", brother of Jonathan1*', married a daughter of Hon. Richard Law. He became a wealthy ship owner and captain, and was extensively known in early days. He was taken prisoner by the French (on one of his ocean trips), in May, 1689, but his estate, which was large, was not settled until 1708. He left one only son, Nathaniel, who married Sarah, daughter of Gershom and Anne (Millington) Lockwood of Greenwich. From these two has been a descent "which has been largely characterized by the qualities of honor, courage and loyalty; a God fearing, will making, debt-paying people." CHILDREN OF DAVID1" AND SUSANNAH SELLECK. David21"1, born October 11, 1638, went to the Barbadoes; Jonathan1", born March 20, 1641, came to Stamford; John1", born February 2, 1643, came to Stamford; Nathaniel1"', born July 18, 1645, no Norwalk descent ; Joanna, born December 11, 1647; Elizabeth, born February 1, 1651 ; A daughter Susannah, died September 10, 1653. David Selleck1*' died in Virginia in 1654. Jonathan1' and John1", sons of David and Susannah Selleck, came as young men to Stamford in about 1660. Jonathan1"' married Abigail, daughter of Richard Law, and John Selleck1" married Sarah Law, a sister of the wife of his brother Jonathan Selleck1"