Norwalk

Ludlow adhered to the Connecticut rather than the New Haven colony. This second colony, for a time, recognized the authority of Massachusetts, which he had renounced. As, therefore, the New Haven colony had recently planted Milford, Guilford, Stamford' and Greenwich, the sagacious law graduate of the Inner Temple, London, may have deemed it expedient to credit Hartford also with another off-shoot by launching Norwalk upon the sea of being. Again, it is possible that Ludlow, fearing the encroachments of the Dutch on the west of the Connecticut colony, believed that the planting of a new settlement in that direction would prove an additional Dutch ambition barrier, which fear, had it existence, was fully justified by the terrible experiences of 1653. The actual » Reasons Why," how- ever, in the matter of the founding of the new town, are likely to remain a subject of inquiry. In 1639, Ludlow, who was at that time deputy-Governor of the colony, visited the eastern portion of what is now known as Fairfield County. His objective point had been " Pe- quannocke (Bridgeport) and the parts thereabouts," some of his proceedings at which place the Court evidently faulted. Before this Court Ludlow, on Oct. 10, 1639, made ex- planation, which the Court, notwithstanding Mr. Ludlow's arguments, did not feel that it could accept, at least at that sitting of the body, (vide Trumbull's 1639 Conn. Colonial Records, page 35,) and it is barely possible that just at this juncture a contingency-idea determined him to so far provide for another settlement (Norwalk) as to at least purchase the land therefor. But whatever or however the case may have been, having made his peace at the Capital, Ludlow returned to Fairfield for a few weeks, and then repairing again to Hartford for a brief visit, closed just afterward, his negotiations for Norwalk. Probably there lived not in all the colonies a more energetic man than Roger Lud- low, and the years from 1640 to 1650 witnessed to a New England record truly extra- ordinary on his part. The decade was one of peril to the settlers between New Haven and the New York line, who were kept in a state of perpetual indian alarm. The inhabitants were compelled to arm themselves and to maintain incessant watch, heavy fines being imposed for derelic- tion in these particulars. So serious did the Court consider the case to be, and so stringent were its regulations, that Jonathan Marsh of New Haven, (later the Norwalk miller) was apprehended because of a " foole gun " having been found in his possession; while Henry LinJall of the same city, whose four daughters subsequently became Norwalk mothers of repute, was fined for being behind time at meeting. But as these eventful ten years drew to an end, it was evident from the gradually developing condition of things, and the increase in population, that there was a call for the opening up of Norwalk, and that its peopling-hour had arrived. Hence the following : 'In one point the government of Stamford dif- j New Haven, allowed only "church people" a voice lered essentially from that of Norwalk, a fact that j in public affairs. This was a strong plank in the New- Wave rise to some little disagreement on the part of ! Haven-Stamford platform. Norwalk denied a vote the Stamford settlers. Stamford, a dependency of to non -property holders only. NORWALK. 1 1 AGREEMENT A copyie of the agreement and articles made between Roger Ludlow, of Fairfield, and Nathan- iel Ely, and Rithard Olmested, and the rest, for the settlinge and flantinge of Norwalk. Articles of agreement made between Roger Ludlow of Fairfield, esquire, of the one parte, and Nathaniel Eli, of Hartford, in the River of Connecticut, Rithard Olmsted of the same, in the behalfe of themselves, and Rithard Webb, Nathaniel Rithards, Mathew Mar- vin, Rithard Seamer, Thomas Spencer, Thomas Hales, Nathaniel Ruskoe, Isacke Graves,' Ralph Keeler, John Holloway, Edward Church, John Ruskoe, and some others about plant- inge Norwalke, over the 19th day of June, 1650. Inprimis, the sayed Nathaniel Eli and Rithard Olmested, doe covenant and promise and agree, that they will set upon the plantinge of the sayed Norwalke, with all convenient speed ; will mowe, and stacke some hay upon the sayed Norwalke this winter, to the end that they may, in the spring next at the farthest, breake up some ground to plante the next season, followinge ; and that then they will begin to build and inhabite their-with some considerable companie, and to invite an orthodoxe and approved minister with all convenient speede that they may be ; and that the plantation shall not be taken up under thirtie approved families, in a short time to be settled their, and so to continue ; and that, or the like considerable companie ; and that they will not receive in, any that they be obnoxious to the publique good of the Commonwealth of Connecticut. And upon that consideration the sayed Roger Ludlowe is willinge and doe agree to surrender the purchase of the sayed Norwalke, whith he bought of the Indians, of the sayed Norwalke, some years since ; which cost the sayed Roger Ludlowe fifteen pounds, some years since ; as by the purchase will appeare ; whith sayed fifteen pounds is promised to be payed to the sayed Roger Ludlowe or his assignes by the sayed Eli and Olmested their assignes, shortly after the first plant- inge thereof, with consideration for the sayed fifteen pounds from the disbursinge thereof unto that time ; as also that the sayed Roger, shall have a convenient Lott,* laied out for his sonnes, accordinge to the vallue of 20olb. in the proportion of Rates as they goe by them- selfes ; and that it shall be one of the first ; the publique charges being borne by the sayed Lott, and proportionabley by themselfes ; and that it shall be one of the first Lotts that shall be Laied out. Witness our hands, Roger Ludlowe. 'With John Holloway, no after Norwalk mention. Savage states that "we often find proprietors in the early days living elsewhere " than in the place in which they were land-owners. 2 From Norwalk deed-reference, it appears that two Norwalk plots bore the name of Ludlow. One of these was in the neighborhood of the present W. G. Langdon and Marvin Bros, estates, and the other in that of the Eno lands at Saugatuck. (Foot note, page 7, refers to these divisions.) Dr. H. R. Stiles, of Windsor, writes that" Ludlow's family accompanied him to Virginia. Neither of the sons (Thomas and Jonathan) appear afterward in Norwalk, and as there is no record of any disposition of the Ludlow prop- erty in this town, it may be wondered where the title to the same rests to-day. Possibly this point is covered by the Ludlow " memorandum " of April 13th, 1654. Mr. Ludlow's first wife died in England. Schenck's History of Fairfield mentions that he married, in New England, a sister of Gov. John Endicott. The Lud- lows are, most probably, buried in Britain, although Trumbull thinks to the contrary. Partrick is prob- ably mouldering in the neighborhood of Byram, in Greenwich, and his friend and the Pequot companion at one time of, perhaps, both Ludlow and Partrick, the intrepid Capt. John Underhill, sleeps opposite his Greenwich home, at Cold Spring, across the Souud. The first probably passed away in state; the second was murdered in Underbill's Greenwich house : and the third died in 1672, on his Long Island farm. I 2 NORWALK. Seven days after this "agreement" transaction, on June 26, 1650, the Court-record makes it appear, as follows : APPROBATION. Natha : Ely and Richard Olmsted in the behalfe of themselues and other Inhabitants of Hartford, desired the leaue and approbation of the Courte for planting of Norwaake, to whome an answer was returned as followeth : — That the Courte could not but, in the general!, approue of the endeauors of men for the further improuement of the wildernes, by the beginning and carrying on of new plant- aeons in an orderly way ; and leauing the consideracon of the just grounds of the proceed- ings of the petitioners to the propper place, did manifest theire willingness to promote theire designe by all due incouragement, in case theire way for such an vndertaking were found cleare and good : and prouided the numbers and quality of those that ingage therein ap- peare to bee such as may rationally carry on the worke to the advantage of the publique wellfare and peace ; that they make preparations and provisions for their owhe defence and safety, that the country may not be exposed to vnnecessary trouble and danger in these hazardoue times ; that the devisions of the lands there to such as shall inhabitt, bee made by just rules and with the aprobacon of a Comittee appointed for that end by this Courte, or to bee rectified by the Courte in case of aberrations, and that they attend a due payment of their proportions in all publique charges, with a ready observation of the other wholsome orders of the Country. The next calendar step in the Nofwalk settlement matter was the Indian deed of confirmation to Stephen Goodyear, reading thus : "A true and perfect copyic of the confirmation of the purchase of the meadows and lands ad- joininge lying upon the other side of Norivalke River.'" MEMORANDA. Norwalk Town Records. Vol. I. Page 30.