Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

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Beat, or Beate, from the Latin beatus,
blessed, happy. The Betts escutcheon is
as follows
Arms— Sable on a bend argent, three cinquefoils
gules ; all within a border engrailed on the scrawl.
Crest—Out of a ducal coronet, gold, on a buck's
head gules attired gold.
(I) Thomas Betts was born in 1618,
according to some in Hertfordshire and
according to others in Smithfield, London.
In 1639 ne came from England to the
American colonies, and was one of the
forty original planters of the town of
Guilford, Connecticut. The Betts house
was taken down in 1895. In November,
1657, Thomas Betts moved to Milford,
Connecticut, and in 1660 he purchased
land in Norwalk, whither he had removed.
He sold his land in Guilford, and
his landed property in Norwalk was not
inconsiderable. He married, probably
after coming to America, Mary ,
and in the census of 1672 is credited with
a family of eight children, that being
then the largest family in the town. Two
years before his death the town voted that
he, with two others, should "be seated in
the Round Seat," which was a prominent
position in the church, the privilege of
occupying it being conferred by the town
upon those esteemed most worthy of re-
spect. Thomas Betts died in Norwalk in
1688. He brought with him from Eng-
land a Bible dated 1591, which is still in
possession of the family.
(II) Thomas (2) Betts, son of Thomas
(1) and Mary Betts, was born in 1644,
or 1650, in Guilford, Connecticut, and in
1692 represented the town of Norwalk in
the General Assembly, being again chosen
in 1694. In that year he became a voter
and was afterward selectman and deputy,
also serving on town and church commit-
tees. He married, January 13, 1680,
Sarah Marvin, daughter of Matthew Mar-
vin, Jr. Thomas (2) Betts died in 1717.
EN'CYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
62
(III) John Betts, son of Thomas (2)
and Sarah (Marvin) Betts, was born July
7, 1684, and in the latter part of his life
held the office of justice of the peace. He
married, April 13, 1708, Hannah Burwell,
daughter of John Burwell, of Greenwich,
and through her his children inherited
a large estate in the Manor of Hemmel
Hampstead, Parish of Barington, Hert-
fordshire, England. John Betts died June
7. 1745-
(IV) Silas Betts, son of John and Hannah
(Burwell) Betts, was born December
6, 1718. He married, January 15, 1743,
according to some accounts, Elizabeth
Lockwood, daughter of Gershom Lockwood,
and according to others, Abigail
Smith, daughter of Ezekiel Smith, of
Stamford. The death of Silas Betts oc-
curred April 29, 1759.
(V) Silas (2) Betts, son of Silas (1)
Betts, was born September 1. 1752. He
married Sarah .
whose surname has
not come down to us. Silas (2) Betts
died in September, 1789.
(VI) Mary Betts, daughter of Silas (2)
and Sarah Betts, was born May 22, 1780,
and became the wife of Solomon (2) Finney
(see Finney V).
CROSBY, Francis Dane.
Dentist, Honored Citizen.
One of the most ancient English surnames
is Crosby. It is derived from
Cross, the symbol of Christianity, and the
Danish word, by, equivalent to bury or
burg, meaning a center of population. It
was an early custom to erect crosses by
the side of the road, particularly in sec-
tions where the settlements were far
apart. In this way, as population grew, a
town was referred to as the town of the
cross which became Cross-by and has
become one of the most honored surnames.
In 1204 there was an Ode de