NORWALK.
 

HOME-LOT    TV

Richard Holmes, of Home-Lot No. 4, son of Francis, 1648, of Stamford, than
whom there was hardly a more important man in the settlement, was seemingly the iron
and brass-monger of the new colon\-, and lived next neighbor north of Mark St. John.
His grounds and the site of the ancient "Smithery" are now partly covered by the East
Norwalk Methodist Episcopal Church. His industry—that of nail, gun, lock and possibly
blacksmith—was held in estimation by the proprietors. On May 30, 1655, town meeting
action was taken whereby two of Norwalk's principal men were deputed "for the fetching
of the tools pertaining to the Smith from Stratford." Mr. Holmes was a thrifty man, and
his histoi-\- is of interest. It is inferred that he was not actually the first " smith," but he
must have succeeded, b>- onl\' a short time, that primus artisan. Himself and wife Sarah,'
had at least two children, but no mention of these is made in his will. This deed was
drawn  Oct.  31, 1704, in  which  he names his wife and  his "near kinswoman," Mehitable
 

Judge Bissell died Sept. 15, iSs7. He completed his
early professional prejiaration under the direction of
lion. Roger Minot Sherman, LL.D., the " Cicero "
of Fairfield County and of whose attainments the
Connectii'ut bench justly boasted. Mr. Sherman,
who established himself at about five-and-twenty years
of age in Norwalk, was one of the most brilliant young
menin New-England. He wtis born in \\-oburn, Mass.,
Ma\ 22, 1773, his father being Rev. Josiah Sherman,
his mother a daughter of Hon. James Minot of Massa¬
chusetts, and his uncle ( Hon. Roger Sherman) a
Connecticut signer of the Declaration of Independ¬
ence. He married. Dee. 19, 1796, Elizabeth, daugh¬
ter of Dr. William Gould of Branford and New Ha\en,
and the home, in this town, of the newly-wedded two
held, probably, the youngest bride that Norwalk has
everknown. Twins, named Williain Gould and James
Minot, were here born, one or both of whom here
died. The parents removed, in 1S07, to Fairfield,
where the father, having achie\ed legal eminence,
dietl in 1S44, and the mother four years later.

Martha, sister of Judge Roger M. Sherman,
married Rev. Justus Mitchell, jjastor of the New
Cantian Congregational Church, and w-hose naine is
to this day there held in xeneration. Mr. and Mrs.
Mitchell, the latter of whom was distinguished for
exceptional personal excellence, resided on Havnes
Ridge (now- Owenoke a\eniu') and in the house still
standing, but recently improved by Mr. W E. Bond,
on that almost peerless New Canaan street. The
children of Rev. Justus and Martha Sherman Mitchell
were Eliz.vheth born in 17S0, who married Charles
Thompson of New \-oik, whose son, Charles Chaun-
cey Thompson, w-as the father of .Mrs. Chailes D.
Matthews of Norwalk; Siii;rma\, who married
Hannah Fitch of New Canaan, the daughter of whom
 

wedded the w-ell-known Joseph Silliman of that town;
Mixor, the White Plains jurist of wide reputation,
and Cit.M'.NCKV Root, born 17S6, of signal gifts, w-ho,
marrying a daughter of Hon. Robert Johnson, had
Martha, born iSio, who in 1S33 married Isaac Depew,
the father of Hon. Chauncey Mitchell Dei)ew, LL.D.
and President of the Hudson Ri\er and New York
Ceiititil Railroad.

Taylor Sherman, who came to and who practiced
law in Norwalk contemporaneously with Roger Minot
Sherman, and whose remains are interred in the
"Town House Hill" cemetery, wtts the youngest
child of Judge Daniel and Mindwell Sherman of
Woodbury, Conn. The Mitchell-Shermans, before
referred to, sprang from Capt. John Sherman of Essex
Co. England, 1634, and Ttiylor Sherman from Capt!
John Sherman's cousin, Hon. Sttmusl Sherman. The
children of Taylor and Elizabei:h Sherman were
Charles Robert, born Sein. 26, 17SS; Daniel, born
March 2S, 1790; BF.rsv, born Dec. 7, 1791.

Charles Robert Sherman married May S, 1810,
Mtny, born Dec. 2S, 17S7, daughter of Isaac and Mary
(Raymond) Hoyt of "Old Well." These had Mrs.
Mary Elizabeth Reese of Ohio; James Sherman; Mis.
Amelia McComb of Ohio; Mrs. Julia Whitlock of
Ohio; William Tecumseh Sherman, born February
Sth, 1820, General U. S. A.; Lampson R. Sherman
of Iowa; Hon. John Sherman, U. S. Senate; Mrs.
Siisun Baitley, Ohio; Hoyt Sherman of low-a, and
Mrs. Fiances Beecher .Moulton of Ohio.

Mis. Piesident Porter of New H;i\en, claims
Judge Taylor Slueman as a descendant, through his
mother (Mindwell Taylor) of the Norw-alk Taylor
falhj,.

'A daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Webh.
Probal)ly 11,, children survived their father.