Norwich bulletin., 1917-05-05
OUR INTERESTING NEIGHBOR
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ithe deed was also signed by English persons who had gained titles of some sort to< portions of the tract. This purchase embraced the northern sec \ tion of the town of Lebanon, as 1t nov I is, and a part and perhaps the whole | of Columbia.
 These several tracts. with two ] and another the Mile and A Quarter Property, constituted the original ter ritory of the town of Lebanon. 1 Tl4e four proprietors, Mason, stan ton, Brewster and Birchard, evidently l designed that the Five Mile Purchase l ana Mason & Pitches Mile should I form the main part of plantation, and that the street, since called Town l Street, should be the center; so under their direction the street was laid out and the land adjoining allotted. This land was divided into home i lots of 42 acres each; there were sec ond and third lots lying back Of these, l as.-well as in other parts of the town. Everyone taking a home-lot was en- titled to- lot of the other divisions The broad street and open cornntor originally was a dense alder swamp. When the settlers came to build their houses, they would of course set them on the dryer ground of the edge of the slopes extending back on each side: Thus between the lines of dwellings there was left this swampy space, varying in width, but in general senne thirty rods wide Of course It was owned by fhe original fifty one pro- prietors of the Five Mile Purchase. These, good men were organized, had their officers, meetings and records. Hine, the historian, tells us that they performed acts sof ownership of the land of the street, as of other common undivided land in the purchase; and in | hxr nd ha second Governor Trufnbuli as their rePreSe1ltatives) gave to Deacon Sam uel Buckingham a deed of a portion of the. common in front of his premises, and received of him forty dollars as the price,
 The actual settlement of the planta- ton began in 1895, it's increase being rapid the number of grants and al- lotments bearing date November of that year being over fifty. The set tiers came from different quarters; some from Norwich others from other. points in the colony and from AfaSsac chusetts.
 Lebanon has been spoken Of as but Hine points out that no part of that territory was every embraced in the Nine Mile Square of Norwich, or was eyer under the jurisdiction of \ OrWlch- ~ either Is there evidence that the majority of the settlers came from this town The ,Clarl<s, Deweys, Trumbulls and Strongs migrated from other places.
 The inhabitants held a meeting in 169S,, ard the earliest record of the town or settlement as. it was properly called was then made.
 The land later the site Of the dwell. .ine1, of the Lyman fan1iiy and Asher P. the home of the minister. In a house which stood a little south of Mir Smiths dwelling, the first clergyman, Joseph Parsons, from Northampton, Mass, is supposed to have lived Where beautiful homes. gardens and farms now delight the eye, all at first was forest. and. Judging from the1 moisture of the soil. with a thick un- dergrowth.
 building grist nil, offering Joseph Parsons. of Northampton, afterwards of Norwich, and probably the father of the minister, as an encouragement to build such a mill, 120' acres of land provided that he would maintain the Industry for ten years.
 At the Fall session of the General Court during 1899, there was. made this. record: Whereas, differences be-
 
 proved, much to the pFedjudice of both places and impedin1entai to their com fortable proceedings in the settlement thereof, these proposals are the near est that can be agreed unto; which here follow"
 fhe, bounds are then given, as Il agreed upon by Joseph Parsons for Lebanon, Nathaniel Foot and Michael TaiHtor for Colchester. Tine line thus was Approved and con l f5rmed to be the standing divident 1 line between the above-n med towns 1 The rest of the bounds to be accord 1 Ing to the return of the committee 4l | 1922 ', These neighboring towns now live in perfect harmony ani it will be 1 news to some of their inhabitants. l probably, that in the old days it re- l quii-ed the colonial legislature to settle their disputes. l
 THE DICTAGRAPH !