Supplement to Norwalk, Conn., Volume One: Genealogy

William A., son of Dr. Augustus and Mary A. Sammis, married Emma F. Gamesby and had Clara E., born November 28, 1880, Helen E., born May 10, 1882. 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. 1208980 NORWALK. 4*5 (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 Nor- 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" landing, 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 of 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 1899). 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 live stock. By degrees " the other side of the river," afterward "Old Well," became populated. Samuel, son of Matthew Campfield (see page 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 early 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 1 35). 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 bv the Washington Street Donovan Building of 1899. There, where to-day business has its seat, Mary Raymond and her four sisters, NORWALK. ;j6 /:>: V, EMBROIDERED BY ELIZA PHILLIPSE, SEE PAGE 415. Rebecca, Esther,1 Elizabeth and Hannah (pages 129, 130 and 135) quietly enjoyed themselves. The old home stood tenanted until Saturday afternoon, July 10, 1779, when, at eventide, a son (Nathaniel) brought up the team and as TYyon's forces were entering the harbor took the family away to a place of safety and left the domicile to be consumed at break of day next morning. Nathaniel, the brother who conveyed his parents to their shelter from Tryon's attack, built, at the close of the war (1783), the old Raymond structure now standing at the foot of Washington Street, north side. His brother George became an officer under Paul Jones, and his residence was afterwards the Chichester house, now southeast corner of Washington and South Main Streets. His other brothers were Eliakim, Street, Henry and Napthali. The descendants of Eliakim and Hannah Raymond have colonial "honor" record 1Esther. born February 13, 1757, daughter of Eliakim and Hannah (Street) Raymond, married (page 129) Hezekiah, son of Dr. Uriah and Hannah (Lockwood) Rogers (page 179), and resided next north of the Charles R. Sherman Main Street house. Mrs. Hezekiah Rogers (note, page 42) was aunt to Mrs. Sherman, and the dwellings of both these rela- tives are standing in 1899. Jesse Lee, the founder of Methodism in America, made his first visit to Nor- walk on Wednesday, June 11, 1789, reaching the town at about 4 o'clock P. M. His first call would appear to have been upon Mrs. Rogers, from whom he asked the use of her rooms in which to hold a ser- vice. As Mr. Rogers was not at home his wife felt that she must decline. Mr. Lee after suggesting the neighboring orchard as a convenient gathering spot, finally went into the shaded highway fronting the Rogers, and there preached New England's maiden Methodist sermon, the text being, "ye must be born again." The fact of Mrs. Rogers' non-compliance with Mr. Lee's request is offset by the later fact that the cradle of Norwalk Methodism was the identical child- home of the said lady. After the day of Eliakim Raymond (her father) the old family home (site in 1899 of the Washington Street Donovan store) was purchased by Absalom Day, through whose unflag- ging zeal the organization of the Norwalk Methodist body was accomplished. (See page 364.) 418 NORWALK. from the fact that on December 5, 1774, the fatfier, Eliakim, was the first named of a com- mittee of twenty chosen to act in a matter of Continental Congress emanation. The "Ely Neck" road wound from Isaac Hoyt's west as far as the corner of the pres- ent Spring and West Streets, whence it diverged to the left until was reached the "Whistle- ville " Consolidated bridge of 1899, whence it bore to the right and then taking a generally southerly direction ended at Belden's Point. Some of Norwalk's older citizens, Seymour, Wilcox, Smith, Byxbee, Daniel and Raymond Hoyt, lived along its line. John Hoyt1 lived on the height (Whistleville) near the turn in the Ely Neck road. "The Flax Hill Road (West Street of 1889), from which the Ely Neck path diverged, was one of the oldest designations of ancient Norwalk, and the name (see page 126) is per- petuation-worthy. It commenced, to speak exactly, at the flower adorned yard of William and Lydia Seymour (site to-day of South Norwalk Franklin Street School). A sparkling brook from the Indian woods (Bull Run of 1896) crossed the base of the hill which extended west along its present layout as far as "Fox Hollow,"2 a region now headed by the Dr. Burke home. The next rise (west) was " Roton Hill." John Raymond lived at the eastern extremity of Flax Hill. The liberty pole and parade ground were at its summit (north side, opposite Senator John A. Ferris' home, 1896) and the Wood's8 lived near its western extremity. iZerubbabel, the youngest son of Walter Hoyt, the Norwalk settler, had four sons and two daugh- ters. His third son, Daniel, who was born January 1, 1681, married at about the age of twenty-three and had John, born December 3, 1716, who married Sarah, daughter of James and Deborah (Stewart) Pickett, and granddaughter of James1 st and Rebecca (Keeler) Pickett, and of Jameslst and Experience Stuart, all of Norwalk. John and Sarah Hoyt had John, born May S, 1755, who married, June 5, 1783, Ruth, born February .'i, 1764, daughter of Stephen and Mary (Benedict) Gregory, and granddaughter of John3rd and Mary (Smith) Gregory. John and Ruth Hoyt lived on the high ground immediately north of the 1898 Railroad bridge at "Whistleville." Mr. Hoyt was a large land owner. He was very success- ful in his growth and afterward manufacture of flax. Near his residence stood a large building to which flax was brought for fabric-preparation. From far and near the grain was brought for treatment by Mr. John Hoyt. After pulling (not cutting) it in the field root, stalk and head were "crackled," beaten, hetch- cheled and bleached. It was now ready for making up. Mr. Hoyt made quantities of cart rope from the vegetable. Flax manufacture was quite an industry with him. -'This wild extended from the west foot of Flax- Hill as far down as Belden's Neck. The stream which passes near the Wilson Point Oil Works of 1896 seems to have coursed to a greater or less extent the Fox Hollow district. At the termination of this dis- trict, and directly east of "Witch Lane," exists to- day a small romantic patch which, 'ere the hand of progress shall invade it, is entitled to preservation as a veritable Naramake haunt.