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Note: There is a tradition running through all the Pond families that the Ponds of America descended from "three brothers who came from England". Record evidence to fully prove the tradition true is wanting. From the "Dedham Settler Book," a work published by E. D. Harris, Esq., of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1873, giving the Genealogy of Daniel Pond of Dedham and his descendants, (to whom application can be made for said work) we learn that ---" John Pond, and a brother whose name is not given, sons of one of Governor Winthrop's old neighbors, came to New England with the Governor in 1630. After his arrival here, Governor Winthrop wrote home to his eldest son in Groton, England, desiring him to tell 'Old Pond that both his sons are well and remember their duty.' What that 'duty' was that was so faithfully remembered we are left to conjecture. John and his brother were doubtless, men of humble birth and small means, launched forth from the paternal roof by the old sire to seek their fortunes in the new world. of the former we hear nothing more. He may have returned to England
new world. Of the former we hear no more. He may have returned to England, or pushed on to a more congenial climate. But one Robert, who it was surmised was the brother, sat down at Dorchester. He died in 1637." Here we have but two brothers instead of three. Now some have the tradition that "two brothers came first, and one afterwards." In a letter from Enoch Pond, of Bangor, Maine, written 4 May 1871, we learn that --- "In the Massachusetts Historical Society's Collections, series 3d, vol. 3d, page 262, Thomas Pond arrived at Boston from England in April 1635." Here then we have record evidence of two brothers coming first, and another Pond coming afterwards, but no positive proof that the latter was brother to the two former.
It is said that Robert Pond, of Dorchester had his dividend of land in 1633. None of his descendants can be traced down with any degree of certainty. There was one Robert Pond, of Milton who was made a freeman in 1642 --- supposed to be a son of Robert, of Dorchester. If so, he must have been a lad when his father came from England. There was also one William Pond, of Dorchester, supposed to be a son of Robert of Dorchester. If so, he too must have been a lad when he came from England. Daniel Pond of Dedham, who settled there in 1652, was supposed to be a son of Robert of Dorchester. If so, he might have been American born. There is nothing better than suppositions connecting them, save the names Daniel Pond, of Dedham, gave his sons, viz: John, Robert, and William, a remarkable coincidence if there was no kinship; still, we might as well suppose he was the son of John.
At the same time that Robert Pond, of Milton was made a freeman (1642), there was one Samuel Pond who married and settled in Windsor, CT. He too, might have been a son of Robert of Dorchester, or of John, or of Thomas. In either case, he must have been a lad when brought by his father from England.
It is said that Windsor, CT was settled in 1635, mostly by emigrants from towns in Massachusetts, and so largely from Dorchester as to make it necessary to re-organize the church there, as well as the town; and as that was the time that Thomas came from England, it is very natural to conclude that he, listening to the glowing accounts of a more congenial clime, joined in with the rest: and as Samuel might have been a son of Thomas, his residence might have been at Windsor on their coming from England, or soon after.
We hear no more of Thomas any more than we do of John. But Samuel marrying, acquiring land, dying, and having an estate to settle, there is a commencement of records from which we are enabled to trace, as we believe in an unbroken line. There is, therefore, a strong presumptive proof that the Ponds of America descended from one, or more, of three brothers. If there is no truth in the tradition it seems to me that it could not have been handed down through all branches of Ponds to the present day. The case is here presented, not as an undoubted truth, but as a probable one.
Samuel Pond
His earliest existence in Windsor, Connecticut is when he purchased land on Silver Street in 1641.
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