Family-histories and genealogies : containing a series of ...

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tax lists of the time of Sir Edmund Andros it is shown that he was then
the wealthiest man in Lyme. After his death the landed property of the
family was increased yet more, until it came, at length, to be an estate
almost baronial in extent, stretching along Long Island Sound and in
other directions. So early as in the third generation, as appears from a
paper preserved in the family, dated November 2, 1724, Patience Griswold
released to her brothers John and George, and to several sisters, her pro-
portion of right and title, as one of her father's legatees, to "about four
thousand five hundred and fifty acres, be y" same more or less, situate,
Lying and being in y® Township of Lyme." From a plea in answer to a
charge of trespass, of the year 1781, by Governor Matthew Griswold
which is among the family-papers—we learn that by
" the Proprietors of the Common and Undivided Lands in the Township of
Saybrook .
. . on
or about y° Year 1655 .
. . were
— a
duely Sever'd and Laid
out to Matth" Griswold Sen', then of s"* Saybrook, who then was one of s* Propria-
tors . . . for him to Iiold in Severalty as part of his Share and Interest in s*
Common and Undivided Lands," certain lands including a fishery at the mouth of
the Connecticut River, on the east side :
" and the said Matth" Griswold Sen'' soon after Enclosed the same in a Good
Sufficient fence, and Continued so siez'^ and Possesse* of the place .
time of his Death ,
. . and
the same Lands .
. with
. . till the
all the appurtenances
to the same belonging, by sundry legal Descents Descended from the s* Matth" Gris-
wold Sen'' to his Great Grandson Matth'' Griswold Esq, . . ."
There can be no doubt that this document refers to a part of the
estate, at the mouth of the "Great River," which has been occupied by
the family for seven generations ; and it probably fixes the date of the first
Matthew Griswold's beginning to occupy that site as a place of residence.
This family-home has been always known by the name of Blackball—
memorial, doubtless, of some familiar EngHsh locality. There are several
places of the name in England. Here, then, not in the rich alluvial
meadows of Windsor, nor on the breezy, but sandy plain of Saybrook on
the west side of the river, did Matthew Griswold fix his home. He
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