How Nathaniel Lynde Came to Own Colonel Fenwick's Properties

[From "The Western Neck, The Story of Fenwick", by Mabel Cassine Holman
Reprinted by and available at the Old Saybrook Historical Society, 1992]


Fenwick-Lynde Map

As the only one of the original fifteen patentees to come to the Saybrook Colony, Colonel George Fenwick had the most elevated stature of all of the original colonists. Following Lion Gardiner's four years as the fort commander, Fenwick returned to Saybrook in 1639 and assumed control of the now permanent settlement as the "ex-officio" Governor. As such, he was entitled to select the land grant he wanted for himself and his family. The land he first chose included all of present day "western neck" (today known as Lynde Point and the Borough of Fenwick) and all of the land west of there to Cornfield Point and then north somewhat along Plum Bank (most shown on map at right).The tremendous value of that land was primarily due to the fishing rights along Long Island Sound. He also owned a sixteen acre lot on Saybrook Point that likely included the present day Annex section of Cypress Cemetery. The Fenwick home, located on that sixteen acres, was said to be a "fair house, well fortified" and likely existed at the corner of present day College Street and Willard Avenue, the site of the William Willard House of 1837. The Willard House, according to William's grand daughter, was constructed on top of what was thought to be an old foundation. Its thought that the foundation was that of the Fenwick structure.


Read the synopsis of how Nathaniel Lynde came into possession of the Fenwick land.


After taking possession of of the land following his father Simon's death in 1687, Nathaniel Lynde and his family were said to live on Lynde Point on their substantial family farm. Living at the farm allowed Lynde - one of the wealthiest landowners in Saybrook - to donate the Saybrook Point structure to the fledgling Saybrook Collegiate School in 1701 to use for the education of new pastors. The caveat was that the school could occupy the structure as as long as it remained on Saybrook Point (the school's location in Saybrook was not unanimous with the final decision to locate there being somewhat contentious). In 1717, because of financial considerations and challenges due to its non-centralized location (a fact that made it difficult for instructors AND students to attend in Saybrook), pressure led to the relocation of the school to New Haven where it became known as Yale College, named after Elishu Yale, the benefactor who donated money, goods and books to the institution. The "relocation" of the school essentially amounted to the taking of the few books the school had to New Haven. Because of the anger many in Saybrook had at the relocation of the school, some of the books were stolen in transit to the school's new location.






























































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