<A HREF="http://www.norwich.org/nhistory.html#English+Settlers">Norwich History and Genealogical Information</A> The original settlers in Norwich were of English origin. While some had been born in the New World, many had come from England. English settlement in Connecticut had begun in the 1630s along the Connecticut River, coming primarily from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Others came from Plymouth colony or directly from England. In May 1659, settlers from Saybrook, Connecticut petitioned the Connecticut General Court for permission to start a settlement at Mohegan. Petition was granted quickly and in June, Mohegan leaders transferred the land to them. A small party constructed the first house and wintered over. In 1660, settlement began in earnest. These settlers were: (each name below is a clickable) Rev. James Fitch, Major John Mason, Christopher Huntington, Simon Huntington, Thomas Adgate, William Hyde, Robert Allyn, William Backus, William Backus, Jr., John Baldwin, John Birchard, Thomas Bliss, Morgan Bowers, Hugh Calkins, John Calkins, Richard Edgerton, Francis Griswold, Samuel Hyde, Thomas Leffingwell, John Olmstead, John Pease, John Post, Thomas Post, John Reynolds, Jonathan Royce, Nehemiah Smith, Thomas Tracy , Robert Wade; Thomas Bingham, John Bradford, John Gager, Stephen Gifford, Richard Hendy, Thomas Howard, Thomas Waterman, John Tracy, Josiah Reed, Richard Wallis. __________________________________________________________ Submitted by Janice Farnsworth