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Note: John and Francis Linsley were two of the original 17th-century settlers in Totoket, the forerunner of modern Branford and North Branford.
Although reported as possibly arriving in New Haven in 1639, we find no definite record of our John till 1 Jul 1644 when he took the "oath of fidelity". Then the next year is recorded the court case from which we learn that Francis, a brother was living with John in "John's howse" and so we conclude that John was married and living in New Haven at least as early as 1645, probably 1644. Then we learn he got land in Branford, CT in 1646. This record on vol. 1 page 1 of the Branford Records 7 Jul 1646, may be merely a legal confirmation of land that had been allotted in 1644 or 1645, as the Wethersfield group under Mr. Swain came down to take it in 1644, but the details of setting up a new settlement would take time. Then we find in book 1 page 7 16 Nov 1646 John is mentioned again in regard to a fence that needs to be build and again page 13, 4 Apr 1648 he acquires more land in Branford. Both of these lists include very near the same names as the one of 7 Jul 1646.
Then in 1648 it appears he bought land of William Love in Guilford. For in the "Guilford Terrier" page 36 is found "Terrier of all the landes belonging to Wm. Love in Guilford" in which several "parcells" of land are described and then "John Linly accepted planter to said Lotts having bought them all of Mr. Robert Kitchell atturney for the said Love for the some or price 3L and 10s about the 25 of March ano. 1648". And since the next records we have of him are in Guilford, CT, and none show him living in Branford, we must assume he moved there sometime in 1648 from New Haven where we believe he had been living in 1644-48 and where in all probability his first two children were born, Sarah and John Jr., bury likely in 1646 and 1648, although confirmation records of his marriage and these births do not seem to be known. In vol. A, page 40 Guilford records, among those who would do their part in support of the minister, Rev. Whitfield, CT 20 Feb 1649, "John Linley hoped he should be able to continue his present some". The next record we have is from vol. A, page 122, when a daughter "Mary" is born to John & Ellen Linsley on 22 Feb 1651". This is the first mention of the name of John's wife.
The next record we find is page 133 where "John Linley" was defendant 26 Feb 1653-4 in one of the famous Guilford slander suits. The court record of this case, seems to us now after 300 years as rather amusing, but in those days they were very serious, somewhat like the witch trials of Salem, Mass. Several Guilford citizens were called as witnesses and John himself admitted much saying, "She had mischieved his Dogg and that they who would doe it to his Dogg would do it to himselfe & family so yft he should be afraid to goe out of his house without company, and that he would remove his dwelling for her".
This court suit seems to indicate that the people who John was acquainted with were among those who came on the second ship that anchored in New Haven Harbor in 1639, and lends color to the idea that he and brother Francis came at that time, but does not prove it.
Steiners History of Guilford states "that those church trails caused Guilford much trouble and many planters caught in them left the Colony and went elsewhere, so the church was obliged to stop them".
John was no exception, he was fined 5L and within a week begins to make arrangements to leave Guilford. On page 135 of the same book is found this record "at a generall Court held the third day of the first moneth 1653 (Mar 1654) Wm. Hall desired liberrty to buy Linley's Accommodatio alledgeing his infirmity to improve land farre distant, unto wch the most prsent showed a willingness, but no vote was passed about it at present". Also on the same page "Arill 13, 1654" " Liberty granted to William Hall to purchase Jo: Linley's whole Accommodatio provided yt he sell his owne home Lot to whome the Towne see fit & bears up a watch for it meanwhile". And then with all this trouble of lawsuit and selling out we find in Vol. A, page 122 "Apr. 6, 1654 Hanna, daughter of John & Ellen Linley was born", and on the same page "Apr. 6, 1654 Ellin wife of John Linley was buried". We can safely assume John with four small children, moved out of Guilford to Branford as promptly as possible and there he seems to remain the rest of his life, for he died there in 1698.
On page 170 of the 1st Branford book we find "John linsly and Sarah pond married 6 Jul 1655". On page 172 of the same book is recorded the births of two children "Beniamin" born 10 Jul 1656, and "Elezebeth" born 18 Jun 1658. The deaths of both are recorded on page 170 of the same book, "Beniamin" 29 Mar 1660 and "Elezebeth" 11 Jul 1659.
On page 177 we find "March 24 1662/3 mira pamer and John linsly was chosen viewers of fences for this year.
Our John Linly was a very active man and in much of the Branford affairs. 1 Nov 1683 and again 15 Dec 1690 he was on a committee to lay out highways, and on 23 Mar 1696/7 at town meeting he was one of three chosen as "surveyors".
On 21 Feb 1672 he was on a committee of five to get a new pastor for the church, and again, 24 Oct 1677, on another committee for a similar purpose, and on 20 Jan 1667/8 he was one of the signers of the New Plantation agreement.
There are records in 1660, 1663, 1668, 1682, 1683, and 1689 where he took up land granted by the town and many records where he sold land or apparently traded land.
There are records in 1661, 1668/9, 1669/70, 1673, 1675, and 1677 where he recorded branding live stock with the letter "T".
24 Feb 1670 he sold a horse to Sam. Pond.
On 10 Mar 1668/9 is recorded a list of the "men which made ye dam att ye Brooke yt comes out of ye dead swompe" which includes John Linsley.
On page 233 is John Linsley's Allotments of lands within ye Bounds of the towne of Branford" date 6 Mar 1668 and fills the whole page.
On page 277 "John Linsley sould to Robert Foote" land at Indian Nock 21 Jun 1669, and the next page Robert Foote sells land to John Linsley. Looks like a trade.
On page 113 he gave a deed to Jono Butler and the signature as recorded is "John Linsley" in 1676. Then 8 May 1683 he gave a deed to his son, John Jr., and the signature is recorded as "John Linley". Why the difference? John did not use a mark, but wrote his name out. Did he spell it differently, or did the recorder make an error?
So our John appears to have had a busy useful life in the now settlement of Branford for over 40 years after leaving Guilford.
On page 219 Book 2, Probate Records of New Haven is an inventory of personal property at his death. This is dated 13 Jul 1698 and totals approximately 20L and was taken by Noah Rogers and Samuel Pond.
Then on page 256 of Book 5, we find an inventory of his land taken 18 Jun 1725 amounting to 633L-10s-10d, and at Court held 22 Jun 1725 administration was granted to his grandson John Linsley 3rd on bond of 1000 pounds. "The said Administrator exhibited the inventory which was apprised for record. The said administrator exhibited the inventory which was apprised for records". "The said admintrator exhihibted an amt of charge of admer past and to come allowed to be 1L 10s 6d".
The personal property mentions "Mary and Hannah" children. They were the only ones living at the time, as Sarah died in 1695, and John died 1683/4. But on 22 Jun 1725 the court ordered the property divided in 5 equal parts. 2 parts to the eldest son and 3 to the 3 daughters, or their representatives. "Freeholders appointed to divided the same are John Russell, John Hand and Samuel Rose all of Branford being first sworn thereto and return of their doings to be made to the Court".
There was a appeal by John Sutliff for Stephen Barnes in behalf of his wife Mary, on page 312 of the same book in 1726, but on page 244 of Vol. 5 is recorded the final division as follows: "John Linseley admr of the unadministered Estate of John Linsley the first of Branford, Dec'd, exhibited a Division there of by free holders which was approved for Record-and it appearing to this Court said Estate is fully administered, have therefore, Granted A. Quietus Est. on the said Estate. On Account of the Dividing of ye Estate of John Linsley, Seur., late of Branford Dec'd, by us the subscribers being first sworne thereunto June 30 1725;
For ye Eldest son 49 acres & 60 Rods of the 4th Division of land L 122 : 5 : 0
34 acres of 5th Division Land 102 : 0 : 0
36 acres & 3 Roods of 6th Division 36 : 15 : 0
The right in the common or undivided land 5 : 0 : 0
Sum L 266 : 0 : 0 For Sarah 14 acres 3 Roods of the 4th Division Land L 37 : 0 : 0
32 Acres of 5th Division Land 96 : 0 : 0
Sum L 133 : 0 : 0 For Hannah 36 Acres 3 Roods of the 3rd Division of Land L 110 : 5 : 0
9 Acres & 20 Rods of 4th Division Land 22 : 15 : 0 Sum L 133 : 0 : 0 For Mary 36 Acres 3 Roods of the 3rd Division of Land L 110 : 5 : 0
7-1/2 Acres & 12 Rods of 5th Division Land 22 : 15 : 0 Sum L 133 : 0 : 0 Jno. Russell Jo Hand Sam Rose" Errors have been made about Mary Barnes mentioned above in the will, she was not John's daughter but his granddaughter.
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