Danbury lies in the northern part of the country and is bounded as follows: On the north by New Fairfield; on the east by Brookfield and Bethel; on the south by Redding and Ridgefield.
THE FIRST SETTLERS
Thomas TAYLOR
Francis BUSHNELL
Thomas BARNUM
John HOYT
James BENEDICT
Samuel BENEDICT
James BEEBE
Judah GREGORY
The settlers came that year and begun some improvements in buildings, sowing grain, and other things necessary. Some of the families moved here that summer, and continued through the winter; others did not move till the spring following it may therefore be said that the first permanent was made in the year 1685, by eight families. The names of the men were, Thomas Taylor, Francis Bushnell, Thomas Barnum, John Hoyt, James Benedict, Samuel Benedict, James Beebe, and Judah Gregory. They lived near together, at the south end of Town Street. Beginning at the south end,Taylor, Bushnell, Barnum and Hoyt lived on the west side; the two Benedicts, Beebe, and Gregory on the east. All except James Beebe came from Norwalk; he was from Stratford. They purchased their lands from the Indian Proprietors. Mr. Taylor had seven sons, from whom all of that name now in town descended. Mr. Bushnell had a family of seven daughters, but no son. There have therefore been none of the name in the town since, only as it is still borne up in several Christian names. Mr. Barnum had five sons, from whom are the families of that name. Mr. Hoyt left six sons, who are the ancestors of the families of that name now living. Mr. James Benedict left three sons, from whom are a apart of the Benedict families which survive, particularly those in which the Christian name James frequently occurs. His eldest son James was the first English male child born in the town. The sons of Samuel Benedict were four. From them are those families of Benedicts in which the Christian name Samuel is often found. Soon after these first families settled here, Daniel Benedict, a brother of the other two of that name came and became a settler. He was not one of the first as had been supposed. He left but one son, Daniel.* From him are the families in which that Christian name is often found, of whom there are as many families now in town as from either of the others. Mr. Beebe had two sons, --James and Samuel. The sons of Samuel moved to Litchfield and afterwards began the settlement of the town of Canaan. Mr. Gregory had two sons, from whom are the numerous families of that name.
*Daniel Benedict, Jr. married Rebekah, daughter of Mr. Thomas Taylor
THE FIRST PATENTEES
James BEEBE
Thomas TAYLOR
Samuel BENEDICT
James BENEDICT
John HOYT
Josiah STARR
The first settlers, having purchased their lands of the Indian owners, became proprietors of the town. The town was surveyed in February, 1693, by john Platt and Samuel Hayes, of Norwalk. The survey bill declares the length to be eight miles from north to south, and the breadth six miles from east to west. At the session of the General Assembly in May 1702, a patent was granted, giving town-privilages to the inhabitants and proprietors of Danbury. The patentees named are James Beebe, Thomas Taylor, Samuel Benedict, James Benedict, John Hoyt, and Josiah Starr. In this act, the boundaries were fixed according to the former survey.
Source: Rev. Thomas ROBBINS, A.M. A portion of a sermon delivered while a temporary pastor at the Congregational Church, January 1, 1801. [1]
Over the next 90 years, Danbury flourished as numerous mills were built along its rivers. The Continental Army established a major storage area in Danbury in 1775, which led to the raid by the British in 1777, which resulted in the burning of many buildings in the town center. From the 1820's to World War II, Danbury was known as the Hat City
, being home to numerous mills. Today, Danbury is a city of 80,000, and is home to a very diversified industrial base.
