FIRST SETTLERS AND EARLY HOME LIFE 



New Milford, in the rich valley of the Pootatuch 

 (later known as the Housatonic) , was the second settle- 

 ment, being occupied first in 1707. The fact that the 

 settlers came mostly from Milford gave to the settle- 

 ment the name New Milford. 



As Litchfield County is only about sixty miles from 

 the Hudson, it is not surprising that settlers of Dutch 

 descent early came to its western border, purchasing 

 lands from the Indians and making settlements. In 

 fact, the western border of the county was long in dis- 

 pute between the Dutch and the English. Tradition 

 has it that the redoubtable Ethan Allen settled it for- 

 ever—in his mind, anyway— by planting a cannon on 

 Town Hill in Salisbury and declaring that it should be 

 Connecticut territory as far as this cannon should carry 

 a ball. These Dutch settlers took up holdings at 

 Weatogue in Salisbury as early as 1720, although the 

 sale of the town did not take place till 1737. The pres- 

 ence of prominent families of both Dutch and English 

 extraction, in the early history of the town, is shown on 

 the land records by such names as Dutcher, Knicker- 

 bacher and Van Duzen on the one hand, and Russell, 

 Lamb, Porter and Church on the other. The influence 

 of the early Dutch settlers is still seen in the Dutch style 

 of architecture. There are several quaint, low houses 

 which are in decided contrast to the more dignified 

 square-built houses of colonial architecture. The 



