Matthew Griswold

  General Notes:

Sources:
~James Rogers of New London, Ct., And His Descendants, James Swift Rogers, Boston, 1902, pp. 43, 44

~Wolcott Genealogy, Robert C. Griffen and Mitchell R. Alegre, Interlaken, New York: Heart of the Lakes Publishing, 1986, p. 34

~The Greswold Family, 12 Generations in England, Griswold Family Association of America, Page 59

~The Griswold Family : England-America, Middleboro, Massachusetts: Griswold Family Association of America, 1935, p. 128

~The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 1, p. 251

  Noted events in his life were:

• Dates & Events. ⁵⁴⁸
Griswold and Bekwith Lines

Matthew Griswold came from Kenilworth, England, to Windsor, Connecticut, and removed to Saybrook, Connecticut in about 1639. He was one of the first magistrates. He had charge of governor Fenwick's affairs when the latter left the Colony. He had a grant of a large tract of land on which he settled, in Blackhall, a pleasant part of Old Lyme, Connecticut. To the church in Saybrook (of which Lyme was then a part) he presented a silver cup, still in existence, and which the church has sold to an individual, bearing thisinscription: S. C. Don. Domini Matthew Griswold. The title imply indicates his social standing, as does the English title Mr. which is applied to him in the New London records.

He died at the age of ninety-six, and his grave is unknown, the more noticeable, as the monument still standing in Windsor over the grave of his father-in-law, Henry Wolcott,as ascribed to his agency. (The Wolcott Memorial, footnote, pgs. 11, 12).

Matthew Griswold married Anna (also given Anne) Wolcott, daughter of Henry. She came to America with her parents, Henry and Elizabeth (Saunders) Wolcott of the parish of Lidiard St. Lawrence, near Tolland, Somersetshire, England, and Windsor, Connecticut. Their daughter was Elizabeth Griswold who married first, John Rogers, from whom she was divorced, second Peter Pratt, who died 24 Mar 1688; and third, Matthew Beckwith II.

Matthew Beckwith II, son of Matthew I who died 1680, Lyme, Connecticut, was born in 1637, Saybrook Point, Connecticut and died 4 Jun 1727. He married Elizabeth (Griswold-Rogers-Pratt), and their daughter, Griswold Beckwith, married Eliakim Cooley II. ~The Cooley Genealogy: The Descendants of Ensign Bejamin Cooley, pp. 390-391

• Background Information. ⁵⁴⁸
Matthew came to New England in 1639 with Edward Griswold and Reverent Ephraim Huit, and eventally arrived in Widsor, Connecticut. He did not stay there long because he became an agent of Lord Fenwick, and moved to Saybrook, Connecticut. He recived a grant of land in 1645 which became the foundation of a large fortune.

Old Lyme was first settled in 1664 as East Saybrook, and Matthew was the pioneer and its first settler, which was set off from Saybrook in 1665. Matthew was one of the signers of the Articles of Separation.

Matthew was a lawyer, but a mason by trade. He furnished many of the stones for the graves of the early settlers. There is a receipt dated 1 Apr 1679 registered at Saybrook for seven pound sterling "paid M. Griswold in Pay't for tombstone of Lady Alice Boteler, late of Saybrook. He also furnished the stone for his father-in-law Henry Wolcott.

Matthew was married 16 Oct 1646 to Anna Wolcott, daughter of the first Henry Wolcott, of Windsor, who emigrated from England and was the ancetor of the Wolcott family in America.
~The Griswold Family: England-America, pp. 120-121

• Dates & Events. ⁶⁹²
From the "Magazine of American History With Notes and Queries":

By the colonial records, he was living in Saybrook on 20 March 1649/50. He was to answer to a "petition from the inhabitants of Saybrook, represent by Matthew Griswold and Thomas Leppingwell."

Another record in 1654 another record said that Major Mason was deputed to take with him "Matthew Griswold of Seabrook," and "goe to Pequett and joyne with Mr. Winthrop to draw the line betwne Pequett and Vncus according to the bounds graunted that towne,"...

There was a dispute between New London and Lyme about the westward extent of New London that started in 1664/65 which lasted for several years. In August 1671, "the people of both New London and Lyme were determined to mow the grass on a portion of the debatable land . . . Large parties went out from both towns for the purpose, and, having probably some secret intimation of each other's design, they went on the ground at the same time. . .The Lyme men, under their usual leaders, Matthew Griswold and William Waller, were in possession of the ground when the other party advanced. . . Constables were in attendance on either side, and Messsrs. Griswold and Palmes were in the commission of the peace, and could authorize warrants of apprehension on the spot. As the New London men approaced, and, swinging their scythes, began to mow," the constable from Lyme attempted to issue warrents with the support of his companions, "who came rushing forward waving their weapons;" and he succeeded; when "a general tumult of shouts, revilings, wrestlings, kicks and blows followed." A warrant was issued for the arrest of Matthew Griswold, "but he was not captured." The conflict ended and decided "by an agreement to let the law decide." A decsion was made by the General Court that the land in disputed should be divided between the two towns. This incidence was writen by the historian of New London based on the testimoney given at the trial by those who were part of the brawl. The trial took place in March 1671/72.

Other infomation for the Public Records of Connecticut:
In 1669 Matthew was chosen Commissioner of Lyme for the next year. In May 1678, he was a Deputy for Lyme, and the following year he was appointed "to grant warrants and marry persons in Lyme for the yeare ensueing." (PRCH, 1852 p.70)

Matthew was granted one hundred acres of land, in 1681, by the General Court, "provided he take it up where it may not prejudice any former grants." (PRCH, 1859, p.93)

He was Deputy of Lyme in 1685, and The General Court chose him to be Justice of Peace (Commissioner) for Lyme. He held this office for the next five years.
~The Griswold Family of Connecticut, pgs. 120-134

Original Sources: Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut . . . 1636-1665, Hartford (PRCH), 1850, pgs. 205, 257, 418, Caulkin's History of New London, pp. 166-169

Matthew married Anna Wolcott, daughter of Henry Wolcott and Elizabeth Saunders, on 16 Oct 1646 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut.⁶⁹² (Anna Wolcott was born in 1620-1621 in Tolland, Somerset, England, christened on 27 Jul 1628 in Saint Mary Whitechap, Stepney, London, England and died on 29 Nov 1704 in New London, New London, Connecticut.)