APPENDIX. A. Page 5. Extracts from the Records of the Proprietors of Cambridge. 1642. William Redfen, one dwelling house and four acres land, west by Randolph Bush, south and east by the common. Page 113 of original. 8th of 7 mo., 1646. Edward Jackson bought of William Redfyn, one dwelling house with the privilege thereunto belonging, and four acres of land more or less; Richard Brown and Ephraim Child north, Randolph Bush west, the common east and south. Page 120 of original. 193 of Paige's copy. In evidence of the change of name from Redfin to Redfield, and to show the first appearance of the latter form, and also to preserve the earliest faint glimpses of our ancestors' domestic life, we here collate the scattered items contained in the New London Records. 1654, May 29. Deed of sale from "Jonathan Brewster of Pequot" to "William Redfyne of the said Pequot of tenn acres of irrable land lying at Munhegon of the plaine of said Brewster's land and on the north side thereof" &c., "with the ground whereon the said Redfyne hath built a house with a small garden thereto belonging allready fenced in." Old Book of Deeds and Grants from 1652-1669. 1655. Jan. 10. Thomas Bayley was marryed to Lyddia the daughter of James✶ [William?] Redfin, the 10th of Jany. Record of Births, Deaths and Marriages. 1657, April 26. Richard Haughtont sells to" William Redfyn" "a parcel of land with a stone house upon it containing four acres more or less, in Pequot on the west side of the highway, bounded" &c. Book of Deeds and Grants, 1652-1669. 1657-8, Jan. 25. "William Redfin hath given him sixe ackers of land to his house if it be there to be laid out on the back of his house to the swamp." Ibid. * In relation to an error which here exists in the original record, see note on p. 7. †The house lot of "Thomas Bayley" or "Baylie" was next adjoining the lot of Richard Haughton, which lot Haughton here sells to Redfin. 1657-8. "William Redfin's" name occurs as witness to deeds of Jonathan Brewster to Benjamin Brewster. Ibid. 1659, Aug. 3. Thomas Baylie sells to Wm. Blomfield of Hartford, "house and land lying by it, six acres more or less with trees, fences, orchards,” &c., "this land lying by the land of Goodman Redfield." The same deed proceeds, "as also I sell and make over to him two ackers of land lying upon the west end of Goodman Redfin's lot and running to the brooke." Witness my hand, The mark of B Thos. Baylie." Witnessed by William Thomson and William Redfin. I bid. 1661, Dec. 12. Thomas Roach was married to Rebecca Redfin ye 12th of December. Record of Births, Deaths and Marriages. 166%, March 15. "William Redfin of New London" sells to Thomas Roach, "house and house lot containing twelve acres more or less, sixe* whareof I bought of Richard Houghton and the other which was given me by the town, having a highway on the east, west a swomp," &c. Ibid. Thomas Roach, when he afterwards sold this place, described it as "the house and house lot that I bought of my father-in-law William Redfin.” 1662, April 1. An instrument of indenture executed, of the following import: "I James Redfin of New-London in the jurisdiction of Connecticut, do with the consent of my father and mother bynde myself unto Hugh Roberts of the same place, tanner, to doe him faithfull service for the space and terme of five yeeres from the day of the date hereof, provided he allow mee and yeerely pay unto me five pounds in good and marchandable pay and give mee good and comfortable board, lodging and washing and teach me the art and trade of tanning leather," &c. Signed by James Redfin, William Redfin and Hugh Roberts. I bid. 1663, June 9. At a town meeting held on this date, "Widdo Redfin" presented a request for a certain piece of land; and at a subsequent meeting, Sept. 16, 1663, it is recorded that "Widdo Redfin hath given her sixe ackers if it be there, not hindring the cartway next to Terrall's house lot." Old Book of Town Affairs, &c. Omitting reference to one or two other deeds of land in Bailey's neighborhood, where the name Redfyn occurs, and also an obligation on the part of Bailey to pay a small annuity to Rebeckah Red fin, we quote further: 1665. March 2. A deed of Robert Loveland to John Stodder, of land which from its bounds was clearly in the neighborhood of the Redfins and Bayleys, is witnessed by "The mark of X Rebecca Redfield." "Old Book of Deeds and Grants." This deed is recorded by a different clerk from the one that usually wrote the name Redfin. 1666. Oct. 6. On the New London Rate List of this date, the name of James Redfield appears, estimated at £3 Os. 2d. He is not on the list of 1667, and these two are the only rate lists of the town before 1700, that are extant. *It appears from this deed that the four acres bought of Richard Haughton had grown into six. This was not uncommon in those days when measurements of land were vague and always ample, sometimes doubling the nominal extent. 1666. Dec. 29. Rebeckah Redfin sells the six acres given her by the town next to Terrall's lot, signing her mark Rebeckah X Redfin. Old Book of Town Affairs. 1667. Widdow Rebecca Redfin complained before the Court, that Alexander Pygan had "enticed away her daughter Judith's affections contrary to the laws of this corporation." Records of Court. 1667. June 17. "Alexander Pygan of Norwich, Old England, was married unto Judith, the daughter of William Redfin of New London, ye 17th of June." Record of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The Goodman Redfield and Goodman Redfin mentioned above, in Thomas Bayley's deed, must refer to one and the same person. If not, who was Goodman Red field? No deed or grant, or even casual allusion before this period, points to any such resident unless we suppose this identity. He is moreover, located precisely upon the land registered to William Redfin, in the immediate vicinity of the latter's son-in-law, Thomas Bailey. 66 For these gleanings from the New London Records, and for many useful suggestions, we are indebted to the kindness and the research of Miss F. M. Caulkins, the historian of New London. Among the antiquarians of New England she holds a high place. Noted for cautious sagacity in investigation, and for extensive acquaintance with the details of the early life-scenes of New England, her opinions must command the highest respect. Her local familiarity with the lands and bounds and names of settlers, and the entries in the old records, fully persuade her that there could not have been a Redfin and a Redfield living in the same neighborhood at the same time, owning apparently the same land; and also subsequently, a widow Rebecca Redfin and a widow Rebecca Redfield, coevals in the same neighborhood, both making their marks for a sig→ nature." In corroboration we may also plead the probability that the James Redfield who is rated in 1666, at a low amount (as one just beginning the world would be likely to be), is identical with the James Redfin who was apprenticed in 1662, especially in connection with the fact that Hugh Roberts, to whom the latter was bound, broke up his establishment in 1666, thus, in all probability, throwing his apprentice upon the world. Since the above was prepared for the press, J. Hammond Trumbull, the accomplished antiquarian of Connecticut, has placed in our hands the following extracts, from a manuscript diary of Lieut. Thomas Minor, lately brought to light: “Nov. 15, 1654. Goodman Redfild was making our backe for our chimbly." Our backe of our chimbly was ended; goodman Redfild had 22s. and 6d. for doing the stone wall." "Nov. 22. 66 Lieut. Minor had recently removed from (what is now) New London, some nine or ten miles eastward, towards Pawcatuck, and the work done by "Redfield," was upon his new house. These trivial entries in the good Lieutenant's journal, are to us of interest, as showing that our ancestor bore the name of Redfield among his neighbors, at the very time the town clerk was accustomed to record him as Redfin, and also as showing the nature of his occupation, on which point we had previously no evidence. Since this work has been in press, the kindness of L. M. Pease, Esq. of Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, has put us in possession of a copy of a land grant to James Redfield, found among the records of that island. The document shows that James Redfield was not only an inhabitant of Tisbury in 1671, as mentioned in the text, but that he was also a house-holder from 1671 to at least as late as 1673, which facts strengthen the probability of his identity with the James Redfield of New Haven, in 1670, and of Saybrook in 1676. We here subjoin a copy of the instrument: "The Lands and Accomodations "of James Redfield" which lyeth in the township of Takymmy or Tisbury on the Vineyard as follows: One half house lot which containeth twenty-five acres, lying on the east side of the brook where his dwelling-house is this present year, one thousand six hundred and seventy and three bounded with the brook on the west, and Joseph Dogget's half lot on the north, and Isaac Robinson's lot on the south, being twenty-five rods in breadth, and running in length eight score rods easterly from the brook, being twenty-five acres more or less; and half the sixth part of the neck by John Eddy's, of which half the fifth lot is James Redfield's, lying on the south side of Joseph Dogget's half lot, lying across the neck at the north, is divided to every man's share contained in the neck, as before spoken in the order of divi sion of the three necks, baring date February the first, 1671. And the two and thirtyth part of all undivided Lands, whether purchased or that may be purthessed. This is the Lands and Accomodations of James Redfield, but to be remembered the purches not yet paid. Letter from Capt. Robert Chapman to the Council at Hartford. Honnered Sir SAYBROOK Jully the 28th (1676) These few lines ar to signifi that the fort house together with the fortification is neare finisht that the honnered counsill would be pleasd to signifi there mind as to the keeping of the same whether by the maintaining of a garison or elc by placeing only a familly to liue there if a garison to maintaine watch and ward which is most honnerable and safe then whethere there can be less then six men and if they only do attend there seruice euery third day and night I judg fiue shillings a weake is competent allowanc for that seruice if it be thought meet to place a family to liue in the house only here is on in our towne that I have spoken withall if your honners haue no other in your ey the man is a weauer by trade his propositions ar that he may haue the full liberty of the house as to set up his loomes in and that what garison soulders ar appointed they be such as ar rellable persons that he may confide in there faithfullnes and not such empost upon hime that ether can not or will not do what they ought to do the man acording to what experienc we haue had of hime is the fittest for this ocation of any we haue in vew his name is James Redfeild and hath a seruaent man with wife and children and that those garison soulders if it may be quarter in the fort house both for redines in the day and security in the night for I haue found a great deall of trouble and difficulty to gather them up to there buisnes being scattered about in seuerall houses my desire that your honner together with the honnered counsell would be pleasd to signifi your mind as to the premises and if it may be to send downe captaine Bull for the settlement hereof that I may be discharded not further to giue youe trouble in these troubled times my prayer and harts desire that the wise Counseller would so counsell and derect youe in all your weighty and emportant actions as may be most for his glory and the furtheranc of his peoples good and giueing [ with you I am your honners humbly to serue ROBT CHAPMAN Senier State Papers, Hartford. Col, Boundaries, Vol. II. Doc. 39. D. Page 9, From the 1st Vol. of Land Grants and Deeds, at Saybrook. "The lands of James Readfield given him by the town platt, near to pipestand point, December 11th, 1683. Being one acre of Upland Containing Eight and twenty rods in length, Eastward and Westward in breadth 6 rods, and Northward and Southward in Length Eight and twenty rods. December 21st, 1686. Also one Acre more given by the town being the same Length and Breadth ajoyning westward to his former acre." E. Page 10. From the Land Records of Saybrook. To all People to whom these Presents shall come: I James Readfield of fairfield in the County of fairfield. In the Colonie of Connecticutt in New England, Weaver, Do Send Greeting. Know Yee.; That I the said James Readfield for & in Consideration of my naturall Love, good Will, and affection which I have & Do bear towards my Dutyfull Son Theophilus Readfield of Killingworth in the County of New London & Colony aforesaid, Joyner, Have given and granted, & by these presents Do freely, Clearly & absolutely, Give & Grant unto my said Loving and Dutiful Son Theophilus Readfield, his heirs, Executors, Administrators or assigns, a certain parcell of Land Lyeing & being in the Town Platt in Say Brook, in the County of New London & Colonie aforesd computed to be Two acres, near adjoyning to a Certain place Called & Known by the name of Pipe Staves point, which was given to me the said James Readfield by the Town of Say Brook, as will appear upon Record in the sd Towns Book; To have & to hold the said Two acres of Land with all the Privileges, appurtenances, profits & advantages to the same Belonging or in any wise appertaining according to the Record, To him the said Theophilus Readfield his heirs Executors, administrators & assigns, from hence forth as his & their Proper Estate; absolutely without any manner of condition, In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & seal (freely & without any Compultion) the first day of May in the twelfth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne, Queen of Great Britain &c, Anno Domini 1713. Signed, Sealed & Delivered in the Presence of us WILLIAM KEILCYE BENJAMIN BUELL Mr Readfield from his father Received ye 30th Day of December 1713.} JAMES READFIELD [L. 8.] The Subscriber unto the above Written appeared Personally before me in Killingworth, May 1st Anno, 1713, and acknowledged that the signing, sealing was his free & Voluntary Act. Before me. SAMUEL BUELL, Justice. |