The Founders of Hartford
Capt. Richard Olmsted, came with his uncle James in the “Lion;” one of the original proprietors
of Hartford ; his home-lot in 1639 was on the west side of Main St., about where the Centre Ch. now stands, and
the buildings north of it. This lot was taken by the town, Jan. 11, 1640-1, for the burying place, and Olmsted
received instead an acre and a half of ground "lying at the north meadow gate," and part of the lot of John Skinner,
which adjoined his on the west, and the town agreed to remove his house on to Skinner's lot, Skinner having another
portion giver him. He served in the Pequot War, and was in the Saaco fight ; constable, 1647 ; fence-viewer, 1650. One
of the signers of the agreement for planting Norwalk, June 19, 1650 ; he removed in 1651, and was the leading man
there; was authorized “to exercise the soldiers,” May, 1653; Lieut., 1659 ; muster-master for Fairfield Co.,
1673 ; deputy, May, 1653, and many times after, until May, 1671 ; was one of the petitioners, in 1672, for a new
plantation “neare the back side of Norwalk.” Aged about 76, Sept., 1683, according to his testimony in
the Trumbull Papers, vol. xxii. p. 142. He d. about 1684 ; will signed Sept. 5.
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