Today, we’re back to Mom’s side of the family, the branch which has Connecticut roots. Samuel Keeler is my 8th great-grandfather. He is the son of Ralph Keeler and Sarah Howes Whelpley. He was born in 1656 in Norwalk, Connecticut. On December 19, 1675, he fought in The Great Swamp Fight (also known as the Great Swamp Massacre), which was part of King Phillip’s War. King Phillip was another name for the Narragansett Chief, Metacom. The Native Americans fought this war because they did not want to recognize English settlement and authority.
After the war, the town of Norwalk voted on January 12 1676, to give Samuel some bounty land for fighting the Narragansett. The land was located on Clapboard Hill. (I looked up Clapboard Hill and it appears to be an affluent area today.) Samuel married Sarah St. John (aka: Sension, Sention) on March 10, 1682. To their union, was born five sons: Samuel in 1682, Joseph in 1683, Benjamin in 1685, Jonah in 1690, and Timothy in 1695, all in Norwalk, Connecticut..
Samuel Keeler was a member of the House of Representatives of the colony of Connecticut in six sessions between 1701 and 1709. In 1708, along with others, he helped purchase the land upon which Ridgefield, CT was settled, from the Native Americans for 100 pounds.
Samuel and Sarah are the 3rd great-grandparents of Edwin O. Keeler (1846-1923), who was the 1st mayor of Norwalk after it’s incorporation and also one of the Lieutenent Governors of Connecticut.
Samuel died May 19, 1713 and his estate was settled in 1716. He was laid to rest In Ye Burying Yard, in Ridgefield, CT.
