John Raymond

Of Norwalk, Connecticut, eldest son of Richard Raymond the Salem mariner, and “the farmer of the family,” as the 1969 genealogy has it. His father bought a house and four acres at Norwalk in October 1662, probably for him, and in 1664 John “pledged all of his livestock and everything he owned . . . to Mistress Mary Williams of Boston” (Norwalk Land Records I, 94). He married Mary Betts, daughter of Thomas Betts of Norwalk, on 10 December 1664, and drew lots in the winter wheat field (1668) and in the division of common land over the river (1687) (source, source). In 1676 his father, removed to Saybrook, gave his Norwalk lands “unto those children which my son John Raymond allready have or may have, by Mary Raymond his present wife” (source).

When Richard died in 1692, John released the Saybrook house and land to “my Beloved Brother Daniell Raymond of Saybrook aforesaid mariner as also for his care of and charge about our Honored father in the time of his weakness.” He died on 25 December 1694; administration went to Thomas Betts and his son John, and the inventory of 20 January 1695 lists “land to children as per deed of gift from Richard Raymond” and the children: “John, age 31, Samuel, age about 22, Thomas, age about 19, Daniel, age 14 next August, Hannah, age 17 next August” (source).

The family’s descent from him rests on the identification of Jonathan Fairchild of East Jewett with Jonathan, born at Norwalk in 1744, which is only possible (see Jonathan Fairchild).

Research: research/mcmillan/Fairchild_Raymond_Woodworth.md.

Open questions

• His birth (not in the Salem records; the 1969 genealogy suggests about 1635) and his mother.