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Branford, New Haven in the 17th century

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Date: 1644
Location: Branford, New Havenmap
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"Branford was purchased [from the local Totokett native Americans] by New Haven colonists in 1638, a few days after they had bought New Haven.... Sept. 5th, 1640, the General Court at New Haven made a grant of a tract, the Indian name of which was Totokett, to Samuel Eaton, brother of [New Haven] Governor [Theophylus] Eaton, upon the condition of his procuring a number of his friends from England to make a settlement in that tract of country. Mr Eaton failed in fulfilling the conditions.[1] About three years after [in 1644] the subject was acted upon thus: 'Totokett, a place fit for a small plantaton betwixt New Haven and Guilford [founded in 1639], and purchsed from the Indians, was granted to Mr Swayne and some others in Weathersfield [on the Connecticut river], which, they duly considering, accepted.'"[2]

A part of the separate New Haven Colony until 1664 (when it was merged into Connecticut Colony), Branford was sandwiched between the larger settlements of New Haven to the west and Guilford to the east. To view a map, click on the pin icon that follows "Location: Branford, New Haven" above.

Also attached is another map showing the apparent locations of the 17th century home lots of various Branford residents. The map was compiled by Delphina Lundsteen (Hammer) Clark (1892-1984), the first female graduate of the Yale School of Architecture, who made a thorough study of the early land records of Branford to fit together a map of the plots -- as if assembling a jigsaw puzzle.[3] Following the names of select settlers are their lot numbers on this map.

Original settlers 1644 to 1646

The earliest proprietors of Branford, or "Totoket " as it was still called for some years, are named in town records from 7 July 1646 (dividing up the meadows which were critically important for summer grazing and winter hay) [4] and 16 September 1646 (constructing a 5-mile fence around the core part of the town – to prevent grazing livestock from damaging the home lots).[5][6][7][8]:

Over the next two decades, of those 34 original settlers whose subsequent lives can be accounted for, 18 died, 7 moved to found Newark, 5 moved to other towns and only 4 (John Linsley III (abt.1650-bef.1684), Edward Frisbee (abt.1630-1690), Thomas Blatchley (abt.1621-bef.1674) and Sigismund Richalls (-bef.1683) in addition to the sons of 3 of the original settlers[10]) remained in Branford.

By 1663[11][12], additional people had moved to Branford who featured prominently in subsequent town records: Abraham Pierson (abt.1611-1678) (the town's minister from 1647 to 1667), John Wilford (bef.1625-aft.1678) (the 2nd of the town's clerks), Jasper Crane Sr. (abt.1610-1680), Samuel Pond (1648-aft.1718), Henry Gratwick (bef.1630-1684), Michaell Taintor (abt.1625-1672), George Page (bef.1635-1689), Robert Foote (1627-abt.1681)[13], John Robbins (abt.1626-bef.1698), Micah Palmer (abt.1622-abt.1682), George Adams (-aft.1670) and John Whitehead (bef.1626-bef.1695)

New Plantation and Church Covenant of 1667/68

When, in 1665, England's King Charles II forced New Haven Colony to unite with Connecticut colony, a contingent of residents of Branford, Guilford and Milford left the colony to found Newark, New Jersey.[14] This included many of the surviving original settlers[15], as well as the town's minister Abraham Pierson (abt.1611-1678). On 20 January 1667/68, the remaining residents of Branford signed the New Plantation and Church Covenant[16][17], seemingly committing to maintaining the town. Yet, a few of those who signed this document subsequently left for Newark.[18] The town of Branford includes the names of all signatories on their "Founders of Branford" website[19], although some of them may have had their signatures added at a later date.[20]

Beginning in 1667, a large number of persons important to the future of Branford arrived to replace those who had left.[21]

Offices held:

Clerk -- Kept town records
Constable -- Town peace officer
Townsman -- A member of the 2 or 3 person team selected each year to manage town affairs
Deputy -- Represented Branford at the Connecticut General Court in Hartford[22]
Lt.; Capt. -- Lieutenant or Captain in the town militia

Sources

  1. ↑ Reverend Samuel Eaton, hounded out of England for his non-conformist religious practices, had come with his brother Theophylus to found New Haven about 1637. He returned to England in 1640 not only to round up settlers for Totokett but to clear his name. It was not a good time to recruit new settlers as the puritans and allied Scottish protestants had by then gained the upper hand in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and puritan migration to New England dropped off abruptly. Samuel Eaton himself remained in England.
  2. ↑ Charles M. Taintor, compiler, "Early Records of Brainford, now Branford, CT.," in NEHGR 3(1849):153- (https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=_oweAQAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PA152-IA2&hl=en ) Citing New Haven Records in Barber's Hist. Cols. Ct. 188-9.
  3. ↑ The map is now in the archives of the Branford Historical Society held at Branford's Blackstone Library. (https://www.blackstonelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/Historical-Society-and-JBML-Archives-for-the-website.pdf)
  4. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 1 [1]
  5. ↑ Branford land records. Volume 1. Page 7 [2]
  6. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 33 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LD-M?i=22&cat=157834) 21 April 1651. "...Thomas Whitway shall be the pound herd this year and for every beast or swine that he shall fine within the general fence ... he shall have twelve pence ..."
  7. ↑ History of the colony of New Haven to its absorption into Connecticut. By Edward Atwater. 1881. Page 597. (https://archive.org/details/historycolonyne00smitgoog/page/596/mode/2up) Atwater listed what he thought were the original settlers and noted that they included some from New Haven in addition to the group from Wethersfield.
  8. ↑ History of New Haven County, Connecticut, by Rockey, J. L. (John L.) 1892. Volume 2. Page 3. (https://archive.org/details/historyofnewhave01rock/page/2/mode/2up)
  9. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 85. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LY-V?i=48&cat=157834 ) "The Town Book was kept by John Plum (by vote of the Town) from 1644 to 1661 and then by Eleazar Sbent (as Recorder) for about 50 years When this Vol. was Rebound the leaves were stitched in without any regard to the order in which they were first recorded. Note by Orin D. Squire Town Clerk in the year 1857." In the margin of the town record was subsequently added a further correction: "John Plumb died ab. 1648 [illegible]"
  10. ↑ Daniel Swaine (bef.1628-1691), Samuel Ward (abt.1634-bef.1688) and Jonathan Rose (abt.1635-bef.1684),
  11. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 178. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LR-2?i=97&cat=157834)
  12. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 26. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LD-L?i=19&cat=157834)
  13. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 382.(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LL-2?i=198&cat=157834) Branford court record of 23 Feb. 1658
  14. ↑ A Catalogue of the Names of the Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut. Royal R. Hinman. 1852. Press of Case, Tiffany, & Co., Hartford (online at GenealogyLibrary.com). The covenant was printed in the form of a footnote.(http://dgmweb.net/Resources/History/Hist-1667PlantationCovenant.html)
  15. ↑ The original settlers who migrated to Newark were Samuel Swaine (bef.1624-1682), Samuel Rose (bef.1625-abt.1698) (son of deceased Robert Rose (abt.1594-1665)), Lawrence Ward (abt.1622-abt.1670) & John Ward (abt.1625-bef.1684) (brother and son respectively of deceased George Ward (abt.1600-1653)), Richard Daniel Harrison Jr (1620-abt.1686), Francis Lindsley (abt.1624-abt.1704) and Richard Lawrence (1625-bef.1691)
  16. ↑ Branford town records. Volume 1. Page 319. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LP-R?i=166&cat=157834)
  17. ↑ History of New Haven County, Connecticut, by Rockey, J. L. (John L.) 1892. Volume 2. Page 8 (https://archive.org/details/historyofnewhave01rock/page/8/mode/2up) “In any case on June [sic] 20th, 1667, they met and took vigorous measures to rally the planters to hope and courage. They voted and put on record this agreement: ' Forasmuch as that it appears that the under-taking and the settlement of this place of Branford was procured by and for men of Congregational principles, as to church order, according to the platform of discipline agreed on by the synod of 48, or thereabouts, drawn from the word of God in the main; we, that yet remain here, can say that we have found much peace and quietness, to our great comfort, for the which we desire to bless God; and that it may so remain to such as do continue their abode in this place, and to such as shall come in to fill up the rooms of those that are removed, and that do intend to remove from this place of Branford. We all do see cause now for to agree that an orthodox minister of that judgment shall be called to it and among us. The gathering of such a church shall be encouraged. The upholdment of such church officers shall not want our proportional supply of maintenance, according to rule. We will not in any wise encroach upon or disturb their liberties in so walking from time to time, and at all times: nor will we be in any ways injurious to them in civil or ecclesiastical respects. And this we freely and voluntarily engage ourselves unto, jointly and severally, so long as we remain inhabitants of this place, and this we bind ourselves unto by our subscription to this agreement. It is also agreed that whoever shall come for purchase or to be admitted or planted here, shall so subscribe before admittance or his bargain be valid in law among us.' ”
  18. ↑ Among those who signed the New Plantation and Church Covenant who subsequently left Branford for Newark were Jasper Crane Sr. (abt.1610-1680), Samuel Plumb (abt.1625-1703) and John Ward (abt.1625-bef.1684) (son of George Ward (abt.1600-1653))
  19. ↑ Town of Branford, CT. Founders of Branford (https://www.branford-ct.gov/history/founders-branford) "In cases where fathers and sons were both here during that period, only the founder of the family is listed."
  20. ↑ Review of the handwritten copy of the record shows that the signatures in the righthand column as well as the signatures at the bottom of the page appear to be in a different handwriting from the signatures appearing in the left and center columns and higher up on the page. William Maltby Esq. (1645-abt.1709), whose signature appears near the bottom of the column on the right, was recorded in a deed from 1673 as being a "resident of New Haven" when he bought a home lot in Branford (see Branford town records, volume 1, page 290; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-B3LT-R?i=152&cat=157834). Three of the signatories (Moses Blatchley (1650-1693), John Frisbee (1650-1694) and John Taintor (1650-abt.1699)) are documented to have been less than 18 years old in January 1667/1668. Their signatures, as well the signatures of three others who are believed to have been born in 1650 or later (Francis Tyler (1651-1711), John Linsley III (abt.1650-bef.1684), Samuel Bradfield (aft.1647-1694)) appear in distinctly different hand writing near the bottom of the page and/or in the righthand column.
  21. ↑ History of New Haven County, Connecticut, by Rockey, J. L. (John L.) 1892. Volume 2. Page 10 (https://archive.org/details/historyofnewhave01rock/page/10/mode/2up) Some were among those who signed the 1667 New Plantation and Church Covenant.
  22. ↑ At least two sessions were held each year. A year is indicated if the person attended at least one session for that year. The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut. By J. Hammond Trumbull. 1852:
    1. Volume 2 (1665 to 1678) (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/690892/?offset=#page=1&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q= ) See pages 2, 24, 30, 46, 59, 70, 94, 106, 116, 127, 136, 147, 160, 169, 180, 184, 192, 204, 209, 221, 236, 265, 286, 300, 318.
    2. Volume 3 (1678 to 1689) (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/552920/?offset=0#page=7&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=) See pages 3, 17, 26, 48, 66, 75, 86, 97, 106, 115, 121, 134, 139, 151, 156, 169, 181, 195, 208, 210, 214, 223, 227, 230, 237, 239, 249, 251 and 254.
    3. Volume 4 (1689 to 1707)(https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/148328-the-public-records-of-the-colony-of-connecticut-1636-1776-v-04). See pages 2, 7, 9, 15, 23, 33, 42, 54, 55, 66, 75, 79, 92, 105, 120, 149 and 158.
    4. Volume 5 (1706 to 1716) (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/538103#page=2&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=) See pages 2, 17, 19, 30, 40 and 66




Images: 4
17th century Branford
17th century Branford
Planters & estates of Connecticut - 1676
Planters & estates of Connecticut - 1676
Harrison House
Harrison House
The original Branford settlers divided up the meadows
The original Branford settlers divided up the meadows
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Comments: 3

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Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Anne, done and turned PM over to the project. I don't even remember making this page!!
posted by Jillaine Smith
B-404 Anne B
Jillaine, with the recent leader discussion about free space pages, would you add [email address removed] as a co-manager
posted by Anne B
LeBlanc-6687 Diane (LeBlanc) Delbridge
There is a long but interesting report in the Papers of the New Haven County Historical Society, 1888, Vol. 4, p. 299 - 329, found at

https://books.google.com/books?id=WYcNAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA299&dq=branford+annals&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3

It covers primarily the history of the church in Branford from 1700 to 1800, but mentions many of the names on this list.

posted by Diane (LeBlanc) Delbridge

Categories: Branford, New Haven Colony | Branford, Connecticut | Connecticut