Land in Norwalk near Alexander Resseguies House at ye Salt 288 I 2 The House & Barn & three acres of Land & ye norwest Part of the Land that lies Easterly from Jonah Keelers Homestead with ye orchard and all ye Privileges standing upon sd 3 acres of Land at 50 0 . 1,450 O And to ye Rest of ye Land yt lies adjoining to ye above sd Land at 1,750 O Ye Land at ye high Ridge so called at Ye Land yt is called Abrahams Homelot at 2 acres of Land yt lies below ye Lane called Resseguies Lane About 20 acres of Land at ye upper End 375 O 240 O O O 50 O To Coll And Burr. Jude of Probate. for ye District of Fairfield. — Sir these are to enform you that ye widow Sarah Resseguie & Relict and ye heirs of ye late dec'd Alexander Resseguie, declared before us the subscribers that ye Cloathing & Saddle of ye sd Dec'd were divided to ye four Heirs of the sd dec'd to their acceptance before ye above sd Inventory was taken, as witness our Hands ye date above sd. EZRA HICKOK At a Court of Probate held in Fairfield. Aug't 16. A. D. 1754. Personally appeared Alexander Resseguie, one of ye Exec's of ye Last Will & Testament of Alexander Resseguie, late of Ridgefield dec'd, & Exhibited ye foregoing Inventory to sd Court & made oath yt ye same is a true & perfect Inventory of all ye Estate of sd Dec'd yt he knows of, and if anything further shall appear belonging to sd Estate he will cause it to be added: sd Inventory being proved, is by sd Court approved. & ordered to be recorded. It would be interesting to note the distribution of this large estate to the heirs, but no record of such distribution can be found. After the death of the mother, her personal estate, conconsisting chiefly of wearing apparel and household belongings, amounting in value to £182 6s. 6d., was divided among the four sons.* *"At a Court of Probate held in Fairfield, Feby 15th 1758. Alex' Resseguie Adm on ye Estate of Sarah Russegui late of Norwalk deca, having made application to this Court and prayed yt ye time assigned him for rendering an Acct of his Admins" on sd Estate may be lengthened out & having offered sufficient reason therefor, this Court allows to sd Administ' further Time (viz) untill ye first Tuesday in June next." "At a Court of Probate held in Fairfield, June 15. A. D. 1758, Whereas, an Inventory of the Estate of Sarah Resseguie late deca hath been exhibited, amounting with ye Credits to the sum of £290.. 19s.. o§1, Lawful money, and an amount of Debts hath been rendred amounting to £107.. 12s. 6d.. like money, which being deducted from sd Inventory, and Credits, leaves the sum of £182.. 65. 61⁄2, Lawfull money, Clear Estate, which this Court orders to be divided to and among the Children of sd deca in the following manner, viz: To Alexander Ressiguie being ye Eldest Son, Two shares, or a double Portion, and to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob Ressiguie, Each a Single Share — and this Court doth appoint and Impower Mess's Sam" Olmstead of Ridgfield and David Lambert and Ezra Heacock of Norwalk, being Freeholders and disinterested to make Division thereof accordingly. Test. DAVID ROWLAND, Clerk. SECOND GENERATION. 2. Alexander Resseguie, Jr., born Aug. 27, 1710; married in Wilton, Conn., Feb. 16, 1737-8, Thankful Belden. Their dates of death are unknown, but both were living in 1793. But little has been learned concerning Alexander, Jr. He was one of the heirs named in his father's will, and received from his mother's estate a "double portion," as the eldest son, one-half of it consisting of a "negro wench," whose value was set down at forty pounds. He was the possessor of much real estate, largely inherited from his father, and like him appears to have devoted his time to agriculture and the improvement of his lands. Silver ore, which, to some extent, has been found in that section of Connecticut, existed upon his property, and in 1675 a mine was opened, located near the northern boundary of the town of Wilton, and a lease* of the property for one hundred years granted *"This Indenture made the seventeenth day of May 1765, between Alexander Resseguie of Norwalk, in the County of Fairfield and Colony of Connecticut, of the one part, and Samuel Betts, Nathan Hubbell, Matthew Mead, Matthew Mervine, James Olmsted, Jun', Silas Olmsted, Joseph Rockwell, Jun', Jesse Ogden, all of Norwalk, and Matthew Fountain of Bedford in West Chester County, and province of New York, of the other part, witnesseth, that the s" Alexander Resseguie as well in Consideration of the Cost and Charges which the said Samuell Betts (et al) must necessarily expend in and about the undertaking, adventures and works hereafter mentioned, and in Consideration of Reservation & Covenants hereafter mentioned Contained by and on the parts of the said Samuel Betts. (et al) their heirs, Executors and Administrators and Assigns, free Liberty, License and Authority, from time to time and at all or any time or times During the Term hereafter mentioned, to Dig, Search, work for, and raise all such Lead ore, or Copper ore, Tin ore, and all other ores and minerals whatsoever, which can or shall or may be found, Digged, gotten up or raised, as well in, from, or out of all or any part or parts of the Lands or grounds of or belonging to the said Alexander Resseguie, situate and lying in the Township of sd Norwalk near the Dwelling House of Azor Belden, in quantity about forty acres, bounded north by John Belden, Easterly, Ezekiel Wood, South by Ezekiel Wood, and Solomon . In 1774 to certain parties for the purpose of taking out the ore. Alexander deeded this property to his son William, subject to the above named lease. During the Revolutionary war the mine was filled with brush and rubbish, undoubtedly for the purpose of keeping its existence secret from the British, who at times abounded in that region. It remained in this condition until 1876, when it was cleaned out and a company formed for the purpose of working it, but a question arising as to the validity of title, and the prospect of success being considered too vague Wood's heirs, West by highway, and liberty of ingress, Egress to and for the said Samuel Betts (et al) their heirs, Executors, Administrators & assigns, and their servants and workmen at all times during the term hereafter mentioned, with horses and carriages to and from the same, except and always Reserved out of the said grant, unto the said Alexander Resseguie, his heirs and assigns, one full equal eight part, the whole into eight equal parts being divided, of and in the said ores and minerals which shall arise, be digged and gotten in the lands aforesaid, after the same is pounded and washed and fitted for Refining, free of all charges of the same, for and in Lease of the Toll and farm, to be had and taken by the said Alexander Resseguie, his heirs and assigns in such manner as is hereafter mentioned. To have and to hold all and singular, sd Libertys and privileges before Leased, unto the sd Samuel Betts (et al.) their heirs, executors, administrators, and from the day of the date hereof for and during the term of one hundred years next ensuing, fully to be completed and ended, yielding and delivering unto the said Resseguie, his heirs and assigns the said one eighth part, the whole into eight equal parts being divided, hereinbefore excepted, of all of the ores and minerals which shall be so digged, raised, after the same is pounded and fitted for refining, out of the lands aforesaid or any part thereof as aforesaid, and to have, hold and enjoy their remaining seven eights parts thereof, to them, their heirs, Executors, Administrators & assigns to their own proper use and uses as aforesaid. As witness whereof we have set our hands and seals. The consideration of the above written instrument is such that if the above mentioned persons shall continue to carry on and prosecute the above mentioned enterprise, then this Lease to stand in full force, otherwise to be null and void. |