Norwalk

ingston Manor House, at Greenburgh-on-the-Hudson, the site monumentally marked on June 14, 1894, by the New York State Society Sons of the American Revolution. His mother was the daughter of the Earl of Stirling, Sr. Lady Kitty Stirling, daughter of the Karl of Stirling, Jr., and cousin of Philip Liv- ingston, married William A. Duer, LL.D., of New York, whose daughter Frances married Henry S., son of Goold Hoyt, Jr. Lady Kitty Stirling forward- ed letters which are still preserved in Norwalk. The Van Home sisters wrote oftenest to Ann, afterward Mrs. Edgar. She was the business daugh- ter and the executor of her father's estate. The fol- lowing is an extract from a letter to her (written in the same war days) from her sister Elizabeth, who married Charles Ludlow, whose father was great-gr- grand-nephew of Roger Ludlow, the purchaser of Norwalk. " Set off to Flushing, where we are promised a 20 Narraganset River, commonly called Narraganset Bay where the said River falleth into the sea ; and on the North by the line of the Massachusetts-Plantation ; and on the South by the Sea and in longitude as the line of the Massachusetts Colony running from East to West, that is to say, from the said Narraganset Bay on the East, to the South Sea on the West part, with the Islands thereunto adjoining together with all firm lands, soils, grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fishings, mines, minerals, precious stones, quarries, and all and singular other commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, privileges, franchises, pre-eminences and hereditaments whatsoever, within the said tract-bounds lands and islands aforesaid or to them or any of them belonging. HO 1bave aittt UO t)Olt> the same unto the said Governour and Company their suc- cessors and assigns forever upon trust and for the use and benefit of themselves and their associates freemen of the said colony their heirs and assigns to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, as of our manor of East-Greenwich in free-and-common socage and not ill capite nor by knights-service yeilding and paying therefore to us, our heirs and successors, only the fifth part of all the ore of gold and silver which from time to time and at all times hereafter shall be there gotten, had, or obtained, in lieu of all services duties and demands whatsoever, to be to us our heirs or successors therefore or thereout rendered, made or paid." The "General Court" of the Colony, {representing the "Governour and Company" above,) at its May session. 1685, made the following order "This Court for the prevention of future trouble and that every townships grants of lands as it hath been obteyned by gift, purchase, or otherways of the natives, and grant of this Court, may be settled upon them their heirs, successors and assignes for ever, according to our charter granted by his late Majesty of happy memory, TTIMS GOUCt 2>0tb ©rt>er that every township in this colony shall take our pattents for their sayed grants, of the Governo' and Company, which this Court doth hereby order shall be granted unto them, for the holding of such tracts of land as have been formerly or shall be hereafter granted to them by this Court and to their heires and successors and assignes firme and sure according to the tenour of our charter in free and common soccage and not in capitte nor by knights service; which patents shall be sealed with the seale of the Colony and signed by the Gov- great deal of pleasure. • ' • Gen. Phillips is to meet | walk harbor, Saturday evening, July 10, 1779, Eliza- there. He sent us his carriage begging to know j bcth and Cornelia Van Home and their mother and whether we wanted to make use of it. We took drank tea with Miss Johnson and supped at Col. Rob brother David ordered their carriage to be at once mson's. Next week we are to have two balls, a pub- [ made ready, in which they were driven with haste out lie and private one: a breakfast out at Greenwich. | of the doomed town. Gen. Trvon has asked me to go out with him (to Greenwich probably) in his coach."* The Tryon here referred to was Gen. Wm. Tryon, who burned Norwalk, and upon whose arrival in Nor- Another letter written at about this time by one of the same party, reads : "At last I hope that I shall be able to steal a few minutes to give you a short account of the ball, hav- *Tryoii's coach caused him, some years before the burning I wood had not observed the British until he came quite clo of the town, a little trouble in Norwalk. The Gen. was riding | upon them. He was shot at, wounded and made prisoner, b through "The Bridge," when his establishment broke do A clerk from one of the near-by stores, young Lambert L< wood, ran out and rendered the rider some assistance in his plight. The two met afterward under different circumstances It was on April 20, 1777, at Redding Ridge, Try- ing north at the head of his army of Danbury invaders, and Lockwood was galloping south hearing a message from Gen Cook of Danbury to Gen. Silliman of Fairfield. Young Lock recalling the youth's kindness at the time of the Norwalk coach- mishap, Tryon released him "on parole." Tryon seems to have been known at Thomas Belden's, in Norwalk. He evidently "put up" at Arnold's Norwalk Inn, as John Adams of Mass. (who used to pass through Norwalk on his way to and from the seat of Government) relates that Tryon there purchased and sub- sequently forwarded to London, a cabinet of rare natural his- tory curiosities. NORW A L K 2 I ernor and by the Secretary in the name of this Court and entered upon record: which patent or a record of the patent shall be a sufficient evidence for all and every township that hath the same, to all intent and purposes, for the holding the saved lands firme to them their successors and assignes forever." NORWALK'S PATENT. In PURSUANCE of the above ORDER the following PATENT was taken out by the TOWN OF NORWALK. THE GOVERNOUR and COMPAXY, Etc., Etc., TO THE PROPRIETORS OF the TOWN- SHIP OF NORWALK. Patent Dated July 8th, 1686; Recorded Vol. 4, page 1. The patent begins as follows : — "TObeteaS, the Generall Court of Connecticut have formerly granted unto ye propri- etors inhabitants of Norwalk, all those lands both meadow and upland within these abut- ments, upon the Sea on the South and to runn from the sea towards the north full Twelve miles, and abut on the Wilderness on the North, and on Fairfield bounds on the East, and on Stamford bounds on the West, the said land having been by purchase or otherwise law- fully obtained by the Indian native proprietors ;" etc. And goes on as follows : **1U10W EC that the said Governor and Company, assembled in Generall Court, ac- cording to the commission, and by virtue of the power granted to them, by our late Sovereigne ing been engaged from breakfast to this minute with a number of beaux, who came with the usual form, to make inquiries as to my health after the fatigues of the night. In the first place, I must tell you that it was most delightful ; the pleasantest ball I ever was at. A most brilliant appearance of gentlemen. My partners were Mr. Fitzioy, Sir George Collier, Lord Barridale and Capt. Weeden. Danced until four o'clock. I had the greatest difficulty in the world to avoid dancing a minuet. Lady Cathcart sent to beg me as a favor that I would perform. I found myself encircled by a crowd, some on their knees importun- ing that favor. Capt. A. was sent for to use his in- fluence, but all to no purpose. Lord Cornwallis said afterward that he was very sorry he had not used his influence. I was very happy he did not, as it would have given me pain to have refused him. I was really sorry I was not able, as so much attention seemed to inspire me with confidence, and made me flatter my- self that I should have made a tolerable figure. You were asked for by everybody, and your absence very much regretted." Still another of this series of letters is also ad- dressed to Mrs. Edgar, and describes a dinner given in New York harbor, on board the ship Santa Mar- gurita : " The entertainment was indeed superb. * ' 1 We assembled on board at 3 o'clock; dined at 5 ; after having regaled ourselves with all sorts of good things began to dance; after which had tea, coffee, etc.; then went to dancing which continued until 12 o'clock ; concluded the evening with a supper equal in elegance to our dinner. We really made a day and night of it, for we Flatbush folks did not get home until broad daylight. - ■ ' After having said so much of our party, 'tis necessary to tell who it consisted of — seven of the Robinson family — Morrises — Phillips — Major Bayard — Mr. and Miss Ralston — Miss Johnson — Mrs. X OR WALK. Lord Ki\<; Chaules the .SVtvW of Blessed memory, in his late patent bearing date the three and twentieth day of Aprill in the fourteenth year of his said majesties Reigne, Have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant, Ratifie and Confirme, unto Mr. Thomas Fitch, Mr. Thomas Hanford, Capt. Richard Olmstead, Mr. Thomas Bennedick, Mr. Walter Hurt, Mr. Matthew Marven, Mr. John Ruscoe, Mr. Nathaniel Hayes, Mr. Daniel Kellog, and Mr. Thomas Seamore, and the rest of the present proprietors of the Township of Xorwalk, and their heirs and assigns forever, and to each of them, in such proportion as they have already agreed upon for the division of the same, all that aforesaid tract and parcell of land as it is butted and bounded ; together with all the woods, upland, arable lands, meadows, pastures, ponds, havens, ports, waters, rivers, adjoining Islands, fishings, huntings, fowlings, mines, mineralls, quarries, and precious stones, upon or within the said tract of land, and all other profits and commodities thereunto belonging, or in any wise appertaining ; AND do also grant unto the afore named Mr. Thomas Fitch, and Mr. Thomas Hanford, • • • &c, that the aforesaid tract of land shall be forever hereafter deemed, and reputed, and be, an entire township of itself." "UO 1bav>e ant) tO IbOlO, the said tract of land, &c„ according to