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Recorded in Brandegee. Historical Papers, Berlin, Conn. as the first settler of Berlin : "Sargeant Richard Beckley, the first settler of our town came from New Haven to Beckley Quarter, which was then a part of Wethersfield, in 1660"--p. 6.
Beckley Quarter named after him. He may have originally been from Hartford, left New Haven in late 1650s, headed north along Quinnipiac River, bought 300 acres from Chief Tarramuggus of the Mattabasset tribe in what is now Beckley Quarter. A local planter, elected Sargent of Artillery 1659 and held other offices in New Haven where he kept a lodge in a vast wilderness for "entertainment of man and beast passing over the trail from New Haven Bay Colony to Wethersfield of the Tree River Settlement." In 1658 the General Assembly granted him 300 acres of land lying by the Mattabassett River, a half mile wide on both sides, to run from New Haven so far "till it doth contain 300 acres." In 1669 he went to New Haven by horseback with son, David, there he applied for and was granted a license to keep a tavern (partially in Wethersfield at the time) and was given a permit by Roger Wolcott, a judge of the county court, for which he paid $67. For 78 years the tavern was in use on the Middle Road, where board was furnished and strong drinks, as was allowed him to do so in his license.
House at 979 Wethersfield Rd., Berlin, thought to be the his original house, was probably built by his grandson, Abraham. "His will provided well for wife and children." Name of wife and complete list of children not available in Local History room records, though Brandegee records that he and his wife had six children.
DAR paper
Wallace. Historical sketch of Berlin, p. 10
Memorial history of Hartford County, vol. II, p. 13
Brandegee history, p. 6 |
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