Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut

October, 1711

      Whereas in sometime past, the owners and proprietors of the greatest part of that tract or parcel of land lying on the east side of Connecticut River, within this Colony, which was given and devised by Joshua, Indian sachem deceased, to sundry gentlemen in Hartford, passed over their right therein unto William Pitkin, Joseph Talcott, William Whiting, and Richard Lord, of Hartford, gentlemen, as a committee to settle a town thereon: And whereas the General Assembly of this Colony, holden at Hartford May 9th, 1706, did also appoint and impower the said William Pitkin, Joseph Talcot, William Whiting, and Richard Lord, to be a committee, with full power to lay out the said town, and also home lots and other divisions of lots as they should see convenient, and to admit inhabitants thereon: And whereas also by mistake, or oversight, the said William Pitkins name was left out of the said act or order of the said Assembly: This Assembly do therefore now order and appoint the said William Pitkin, Joseph Tallcot, William Whiting, and Richard Lord, and also Nathaniel Rust, who dwells on the said tract of land, or any three of them, to be a committee with full power to lay out the bounds of the said town and divisions of land therein, and to admit inhabitants thereon, as aforesaid, and also to consult and contrive for the procuring and settling a minister of the gospel in the said town, in the best way and manner, as soon as may be. And it is ordered and enacted by this Assembly, that the said town shall be called and known by the name of Coventry, and that the brandmark for their horses shall be this figure, .