The history of Guilford, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1639
Manuscripts of Hon. Ralph D. Smith, Pub 1877.
...had come out of New Haven… agreed that the deed should remain in the hands of the planters… until a church should be formed in the town, to whom is should be given and under whose superintendence the lands should be divided out to those who were interested in them… date of their admission [oath of fidelity]… promise not to desert or leave each other or the plantation, but with the consent of the rest… As for our gathering together in a church way… we do refer to ourselves until such time as shall please God to settle us in our plantation. 6/1/1639. (Some Names: Thomas Norton… John Fowler [1650]... John Stevens [1646]… Benjamin Wright… Thomas Stevens… George Highland… John Meigs came to Guilford from New Haven [1653-4]; he seems to have become unpopular and removed to Killingworth on its first settlement… John Meigs Jr [1658] came to Guilford from Killingworth… Nathan Bradley (descendants are numerous), were staunch dissenters and came together from England (meant to land at New Haven but put in at Saybrook… John Baldwin [left 1661]… William Stevens… Nicholas Munger… Thomas Stevens, not yet admitted to the oath of freeman, abt 1665 removed to Killingworth… Josiah Wilcox… Abraham S. Fowler… Samuel Baldwin [blacksmith]... John Hodgkin, from Essex, England [1670] descendants modified the name into Hotchkin and Hotchkiss…
Patent was granted from the governor and colony of Connecticut, 12/7/1685… North Guilford was surveyed and divided in 1705.. Members were accustomed to go up from the First Society on Monday of each week to clear their lands and to return on Saturday. From the circumstances of their dwelling together through the week, the place began to be called Cohabit… at the close of 1719, their numbers so increased, they had the liberty to become a distinct society. (Some Names: Timothy and Nathaniel Baldwin… Samuel and Joseph Fowler… John Hubbard… Jon Robinson…
Guilford, 5/29/1777: military expedition from Guilford during the Rev. War: whale boats commanded by Lieut. Co. Meigs… Capt. Phinehas Meigs… Died during the Rev. War: Capt. Jehiel Meigs… Bridgeman Murray, son of Jonathan (age 20)... Samuel Stevens, son of Nathaniel (age 22)...
Meeting at Mr. Newman’s barn in New Haven, June 1639: the Scriptures were formally acknowledged as the rule of procedure in civil as well as ecclesiastical affair, in which all power was lodged in the church, and professors of religion only were allowed the privileges of freemen and to hold office in the community... all power was placed in the hands of the church. To this rule no plantation appears to have adhered more rigidly than Guilford... When the church was formed in 1643, the purchasers from the Indians accordingly resigned the deed to it, and these for persons declared that their power had ceased by the formation of the church. It was then expressly agreed that the body of freemen should consist of church members only, and that they should be the sole electors of magistrates, deputies and officers of importance. Notwithstanding this agreement, however, in town meetings called for the purpose of dividing lands, constructing roads, etc., all the planters we re permitted to attend and participate...
One of the rules adopted by the first settlers of Guilford was that no man should put more than 500 into the community stock for purchasing and settling the town, and that no man should sell or purchase his rights without leave of the town. It was further ordered that every planter, after paying his proportionate share of the expenses arising from buying out and settling the plantation should draw a lot or lots in proportion to the money or estate expended in the general purchase and the number of members in his family. These rules were evidently intended to prevent too great disparity in the circumstances of the people.
The first settlers were most of them gentlemen of some rank and estate in their native country, and came over for the purpose of enjoying the exercise of their religious feelings in their own way, as well as what they considered political and moral freedom. For this they were willing to sacrifice all the endearments and privileges of their native land and to exchange the home of their fathers for a distant and uncultivated wilderness. 1. It has often been said that they fled from religious persecution and intolerance, and that it was strange that after they had experienced so much from this spirit in their own country, they should show similar feelings towards the Quakers, and others holding sentiments dissimilar to their own, who came among them. But a moment's reflection will convince us that the course they pursued was not singular. We, living amid all the luxuries of cultivated society, and enjoying the freedom and homes which they procured for us, are ill-fitted to conceive the extent of their sacrifices of not only natural but also civil and artificial privileges. They had not only to tame the forest, and encounter the wild beast and savage, but also to weave anew the bonds of government and bind the broken links of society. And it has been truly said that their governments for the first fifty years after the settlement of New England, were though secure, held together as with a rope of sand which was liable to be broken away by the first political disturbance. The New Haven colony, indeed, during the whole period of its existence as a separate plantation, had no distinct and positive charter as a constitution for their government. Besides the first settlers fled from their native land, not to escape religious intolerance...
"And who were they, our fathers? In their veins ran the best blood of England's gentlemen; her bravest in the strife on battle plains, her wisest in the strife of voice and pen; her holiest, teaching, in her holiest fanes, the lore that led to martyrdom, and when on this side ocean slept their wearied sails... Helleck's Connecticut.
Left Off: 56 HISTORY OF GUILFORD
There is something exceedingly attractive in the
history of this town and it's good people, singularly
reminding one of what Halleck, the Guilford poet,
says in his poem Connecticut :
" View them near
At home, where all their worth and pride is placed ;
And there their hospitable fires burn clear,
And there the lowliest farm-house hearth is graced
With manly hearts, in piety sincere,
Faithful in love, in honor stern and chaste,
In friendship warm and true, in danger brave,
Beloved in life, and sainted in the grave."
Guilford, July, 1877.
HISTORY OF GUILFORD.
history of this town and it's good people, singularly
reminding one of what Halleck, the Guilford poet,
says in his poem Connecticut :
" View them near
At home, where all their worth and pride is placed ;
And there their hospitable fires burn clear,
And there the lowliest farm-house hearth is graced
With manly hearts, in piety sincere,
Faithful in love, in honor stern and chaste,
In friendship warm and true, in danger brave,
Beloved in life, and sainted in the grave."
Guilford, July, 1877.
HISTORY OF GUILFORD.
Rev. Whitfield
The first settlers of this town were adventurers from Surrey and Kent near London, and, unlike their mercantile brethren who people New Haven, were mostly farmers. They called the town Guilford in remembrance of Guildford a borough-town, the capital of Surrey, where many of them had lived (England). They came into the town in 1639. There were 48 in 1650, among which are doubtless included the original forty. Their names and the dates of their admission as freemen…
John Stevens… Thomas Stevens…
Index: Jonathan Murray, Bridgeman Murray pg 50, Rev War deaths Bridgeman son of Johnathan…
John Stevens: pgs 14, 15, 24, 27… Nathaniel and Samuel, pg 50… Thomas: pgs 15, 15, 26, 27… William: pgs 15, 24, 27
1.Jonathan Murray arrived abt 1687 from Scotland; m: Ann Bradley. He d. 8/27/1747. East Guilford. Farmer
https://archive.org/stream/historyofplantat00steiuoft/historyofplantat00steiuoft_djvu.txt A History of the plantation of Menunkatuck and the original town of Guilford, Connecticut: comprising the present towns of Guilford and Madison.
John Stevens, with his sons Thomas and William, came from Kent,
and was here at the first division of lands. He died September 1, 1670.
The unfortunate Benjamin Wright came early to Guilford. He
moved to Killingworth, on the settlement of that town, and died March
29, 1677.
and was here at the first division of lands. He died September 1, 1670.
The unfortunate Benjamin Wright came early to Guilford. He
moved to Killingworth, on the settlement of that town, and died March
29, 1677.
Jonathan Murray came from Scotland to Guilford about 1687, mar-
ried Ann, daughter of Nathan Bradley, and died August 27, 1747.
Wm. H. H. Murray is a descendant.
ried Ann, daughter of Nathan Bradley, and died August 27, 1747.
Wm. H. H. Murray is a descendant.
https://www.geni.com/projects/Original-Planters-Guilford-Connecticut-1639/1494 Original Planters: Guilford, CT, 1639
The first settlers of Guilford, Connecticut came to America as passengers on the Saint John. The company of settlers on the Saint John was led by the Reverend Henry Whitfield, who had been the rector of St. Margaret's at Ockley in Surrey since 1616.
They sailed from England on 20 May 1639 under the command of a Captain Richard Russell, and arrived at New Haven (then Quinnipiac), Connecticut, between the 10th and 15th of July 1639.
While still at sea the settlers organized a single communal plantation; this was outlined in a document now known as the Plantation Covenant. It was signed by twenty five men.
Guilford, CT Plantation Covenant
We whose names are herein written, intending by God's gracious permission, to plant ourselves in New England, and if it may be in the southerly part, about Quinnipiac [Quinnipiac, later named New Haven], we do faithfully promise each for ourselves and families and those that belong to us, that we will, the Lord assisting us, sit down and join ourselves together in one entire plantation and to be helpful to the other in any common work, according to every man's ability and as need shall require, and we promise not to desert or leave each other on the plantation but with the consent of the rest, or the greater part of the company, who have entered into this engagement.
As for our gathering together into a church way and the choice officers and members to be joined together in that way, we do refer ourselves until such time as it shall please God to settle us in our plantation.
In witness whereof we subscribe our hands, this first day of June 1639.
- Robert Bickell/Richell
- John Housingsoe
- John Mepham
- Wm. Plane
- Wm. Crittenden
- Thomas Joanes
- Thomas Naish
- John Stone
- Henry Doude
- John Jurden
- William Noble
- Wm. Stone
- Francis Chatfield
- William Dudley
- Henry Kingstone
- John Norton
- Richd. Sutridge
- Thomas Cooke
- John Hoadley
- John Parmarly
The names of the Guilford settlers that came to New Haven in the second ship in July, 1639, are believed to be as follows:
- Francis Austin
- George Bartlett
- Edward Benton
- Samuel Blachley
- William Boreman
- Richard Bristow
- Alexander Chalker
- John Caffinch, removed to New Hampshire
- Thomas Dunk
- George Highland
- John Johnson
- John Linsley
- Thomas Mills
- Thomas Reif
- John Scranton
- John Sheader or Sheather
- Jacob Sheafe
- William Somers
- John Stevens
- Edward Seward
- Jasper Stillwell
- Benjamin Wright
Sources
- HISTORY of THE COLONY OF NEW HAVEN To its absorption into CONNECTICUT by Edward E. Atwater with Supplementary History and Personnel of the Towns of Branford, Guilford, Milford, Stratford, Norwalk, Southold, etc. compiled by Robert Atwater Smith assisted by Bessie E. Beach and Lucy M. Hewitt Meriden, Conn. The Journal Publishing Company, 1902
Other Sources:
History of Guilford, Connecticut *duplicate information
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