The title to this Township having thus been entirely vested in the Towns of Hartford and Windsor, and in certain inhabitants of Farmington; in 1718, a company was formed for the settlement of the Town.
     The Township was divided into sixty rights or shares, three of which were reserved for pious uses.  Purchasers having been found for the remaining fifty-seven shares, on the 27th of April 1719, Deeds of conveyance of that date, were made, by committees of the Towns of Hartford and Windsor, and certain inhabitants of Farmington, conveying to the purchasers the whole plantation called Bantam.
     Exclusive of three rights reserved for pious uses, the consideration paid for forty-eight of the shares, was £229,10, in bills of public credit. That paid for seven shares, was £31,4.  The deeds of the above fifty-five shares, arc recorded on our Records. How much was paid for the remaining two shares, which were purchased by Mr. John Marsh, docs not appear.
     The Township contains about 44,800 acres, and the purchase money did not exceed one penny three farthings per acre.
     The three home lots, with the divisions belonging thereto, i. e. 1-20 of the whole plantation, devoted to public purposes, were, one home lot with the divisions and commons thereto pertaining, to the first minister his heirs &c. forever; one, to

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the use of the first minister and his successors; and one, for the support of the school.
     It was provided in the Deeds, that, "the Grantees or their sons, should build a tenantable house on each home lot, or on their division, not less than 16 feet square, and personally inhabit them, by the last day of May 1721, and for three yeas ensuing; and do not lease or dispose of their share for five years hereafter, without consent of Inhabitants or first Planters."*
     The title thus acquired, was immediately after still further confirmed by act of Assembly in May, 1719, as follows, viz.:
     "At a General Assembly holden at Hartford, May, A. D. 1719:
     Upon the petition of Lieut. John Marsh of Hartford, and Deacon John Buel of Lebanon, with many others, praying liberty, under committees appointed by the towns of Hartford and Windsor, to settle a town westward of Farmington, at a place called Bantam:
     This Assembly do grant liberty, and full power, unto the said John Marsh and John Buel and partners settlers, being in the whole fifty-seven in number, to settle a town at said Bantam; the said town to be divided into sixty rights, three whereof to be improved for pious uses in said town.  And the other fifty-seven shall be, as soon as may conveniently be, settled upon by the undertakers, or upon their failure, by others that may be admitted.  Said town to be in length, east and west,
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     * The grantees were, John Marsh (2 rights,) Samuel Sedwick, Sen., Nathaniel Goodwin, Timothy Seymour, Paul Peck, Jr., Joseph Mason, Nathaniel Messenger, Benjamin Websterb, and Joshua Garritt, of Hartford - Samuel Forward, Thomas Griswold, Jr., Jacob Gibbs, Joseph Birge, and Benjamin Hosford, of Windsor, John Hart, Timothy Stanley, John Bird, Joseph Bird, Samuel Lewis, Ebenezer Woodruff, Samuel Root, Nathaniel Winchell, and Hezekiah Winchell of Farmington, Josiah Walker, Samuel Orton, Joseph Waller, and Isaac Judgeson, of Woodbury, - William Goodrich, Jr., John Stoddard, Ezekiel Buck, and Jacob Griswold, of Wethersfield, - John Buel, (2 rights,) Edward Culver, Hezekiah Culver, Thomas Lee, Elizur Strong, Supply Strong, Caleb Chapel, (2 rights,) Thomas Treadaway, and John Calkins, of Lebanon, - Ezekiel Sanford, (2 rights,) Nathan Mitchell, Thomas Pier, John Man, Joseph Pete, and Samuel Somers, of Stratford, - Jonathan Buck, of New Milford, - Joseph Gillett, of Colchester, all in the Colony of Connecticut, - Nathan Smith, (3 rights,) Ephraim French, and John Collins, of Taunton, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

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eight miles three quarters and twenty-eight rods, and in breadth seven miles and an half, being bounded eastward by Mattatuck River, westward the bigger part upon the most western branch of the Shepaug River, and partly upon the wilderness, north by the wilderness, and south by Waterbury bounds and a west line from Waterbury corner unto Shepaug River; said town to be known by the name of LITCHFIELD, and to have the following figure for a brand for their horse kind, viz: 9.  And the same power and privileges that other towns in this Colony do enjoy, are hereby granted to said town."
     A Patent was afterwards granted to these Proprietors, dated May 19th, 1724, which may be seen in the Appendix.
     The township was originally divided into sixty home lots of fifteen acres each, as near as could conveniently be done, and any deficiency there might be, was made up to the owner of the deficient lot, elsewhere; and still farther divided from time to time, into Divisions and Pitches of 4, 20, 60, and 100 acres, &c. &c.
     A few individuals commenced the settlement of the town in the year 1720. In the year 1721, a considerable number, chiefly from the towns of Hartford, Windsor and Lebanon, moved on to the tract.*
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     *The following is a list of the original settlers who became such during the first three years after the settlement:

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     The choice of home-lots, was decided by lot. The first lot selected was about half a mile south of the Court House, and next to Middle Street, or Gallows Lane. The second was half a mile further south, and on the corner opposite the late resi dence of Mr. James Prescott. The third three fourths of a mile west of the Court House, known as the Strong place. The eleventh choice was the lot thirty rods next west of the County House corner, which subsequently the town voted, was not fit for building a house upon.  The Mansion House corner was the twentieth choice.  The corner now owned by Mr. Oliver Goodwin, was the twenty-fifth choice.  The County House corner was the thirty-third choice.   Ten lots were selected on Chesnut hill, on both sides of the road and lying southerly from the school house near Mr. Eliada Peck's.  The last choice (the 57th) was the lot on which the Hotel of Mr. George Bolles now stands.
     The home lot of the first minister, was located on the corner where now stands the dwelling house owned by Mr. Frederick Deming; and the twenty acre division appurtenant thereto, was laid adjoining on the north, and extended to the north line of the premises occupied by the late Mr. Eaton Jones.  The home lot and twenty acre division for the use of the first minister and his successors, adjoining on the north.  And the home lot and twenty acre division for the school, adjoining the latter on the north.
     The highway from Bantam river, running westerly through the village, was laid out, twenty rods wide, and called Meeting House street.  That now called North street, twelve rods wide, and was called Town street.  That now called South street, eight rods wide, and was called Town Hill street, and the cast line terminated six rods east of the front of Mr. Oliver Goodwin's dwelling house.  That now called Gallows Lane, twenty-eight rods wide, and was called Middle street.  That running southerly from the residence of the late Mr. 'William Ward, four rods wide was called South Griswold street; and that running northerly was 8 rods wide, and called North Griswold street.  That now called Prospect street, twenty rods wide, but soon reduced to seventeen rods, and was called North street.

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     The first Church, Court House, and School House, stood nearly in the center of Meeting House street, the Court House about opposite the center of Town street, the Church east, and the School House west of the Court House.
     The first white child born in Litchfield was Eunice, the daughter of Jacob Griswold, afterwards the wife of Capt. Solomon Buel.  She was born Mar. 23, 1721.  The first white male child, born in Litchfield, was Gershom Gibbs, on the 28th of July 1721.  He was taken prisoner at Fort Washington, and died in captivity.  His son Gershom, was born July 18, 1750, and died here in September 1843.
     Many persons have died in this town between the age of 90 and 100.  The mother of the late Judge Adams, was born in Stratford in 1698, and died here in the year 1803, aged 105.  Mr. Reuben Dickinson was born in 1716, and died here in 1818, aged 102.  The oldest man now (1815) living here, is Mr. John Hall, a soldier of the Revolution, burn Feb. 26, 1754.  The next is Mr. Daniel Lamson, also a Revolutionary soldier, born Mar. 28, 1754.

END OF CHAPTER III -                                      GO TO CHAPTER IV -

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