Jonathan Marsh facts for kids

Jonathan Marsh (1621–1672) was an important early settler in the American colonies. He helped establish two towns: the New Haven Colony and Norwalk, Connecticut. He moved to Norwalk sometime before March 1656. In Norwalk, he was the town's miller, a person who grinds grain into flour.

Jonathan Marsh: Early American Settler

Jonathan Marsh was born around 1621 in Braintree, Essex, England. His parents were John Marsh and Grace Baldwin. Jonathan and his brother Samuel traveled from England to America. They were first recorded in Boston in 1641.

Moving to New Haven and Norwalk

Jonathan Marsh lived in New Haven Colony for a time. On May 7, 1650, he sold his land there. He sold it to Lancelot Fuller, who was married to Jonathan's sister, Hannah Marsh. Later, Jonathan moved to Norwalk, Connecticut, becoming one of its first settlers.

The Town Miller

In early Norwalk, having a good mill was very important. A mill grinds corn and other grains into flour for food. At a town meeting in Norwalk on January 6, 1654, the settlers decided their current mill was not good enough.

They asked three settlers, Thomas Fitch, Nathaniel Richards, and Richard Olmsted, to get advice. They consulted Lieutenant Samuel Swayn, who had built a mill in Stamford. A dam was built at the mouth of Mill Brook. Jonathan Marsh then built a "corn mill sufficient for all purposes." This means it was a good mill for all the town's needs. Marsh ran this mill for about six years. After that, he sold the mill operation to Nathaniel Richards.

A Founder of Norwalk

Jonathan Marsh also sold his land lot in Norwalk to Ephraim Lockwood in 1664. His name is listed on the Founders Stone in the East Norwalk Historical Cemetery. This stone honors the founding settlers of Norwalk. It shows his important role in the town's early history.