This was on one the New York FingerLakes Mailing Lists but pertains to Conn. Two passages on Birdseyes from "In Pursuit of Paradise. History of the Town of Stratford, Connecticut by Lewis G. Knapp, pub 1989. 'p 25' In spite of lack of immigrants from overseas, Stratford's population grew. Large families were the rule, and new colonists moved in, both from other Connecticut Colony towns for economic gain and from New Haven Colony towns for relief from their oppressive laws. (In New Haven, even rebellion against one's parents was a capital offense.) There is a story that John BIRDSEYE of Milford, a New Haven Colony town, was caught kissing his wife one Sunday in 1649. On Monday the town officials sentenced him to be lashed. Breaking loose from his captors, BIRDSEYE swam the river to Stratford, then thumbed his nose at his pursuers across the river. The BIRDSEYES stayed in Stratford, where the laws were less restrictive. 'p 94' The year 1779 was one of gloom for the colonies. Captian William BIRDSEYE was so discouraged that he sailed across to join the British Army on Long Island. When he returned after the war he found his property confiscated and about to be aucti9oned. But his friends in town aagreed not to bid, so he might recover the property. His neighbor Samuel UFFORD, who was not party to the collusion, bid on the land and was nearly mobbed, and BIRDSEYE regained his house and land. Submitted by Dee Watt (I think from Stratford)