Further Reading on the History of Goshen

June 1, 1731 the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut sitting at Hartford created a committee to consider what may be best or proper for the Assembly to do with the western lands. And to lay out five towns from said land and report back to the General Assembly in October next. Appointed as the committee; Edmond Lewiss, Esqr., Capt. William Judd, and Capt. John Buell. In October the General Assembly approved the committee’s report.

At the October session, 1732, the Rev. Samuel Andrew, Eliphalet Adams, Elisha Williams, and others, trustees of Yale College, asked for an appropriation of a part of these lands for the benefit of that institution. The petition was granted, and the explanation of what is called the Yale College land in

Goshen, is found in the grant and order, " that in each of the five new townships laid out east of the Ousatonnuc river, there shall be laid out in one entire piece, 300 acres of land, which tracts of land, containing in the whole 1500 acres, shall, when laid out, be granted to the trustees of said college, to

have and to hold to them and their successors, trustees of the said college, for the only and sole use, benefit and behoof of said school, forever, and to no other use."

Portions of the college lands were leased for 999 years, for the benefit of Yale College.

In May 1733 the General Assembly divided the lands into five townships and gave to the County of New Haven the responsibility for the selling and settling of said townships being the southeast town, and the southern town on the west side of the Ousatunnuck river. The land was divided into fifty shares, three shares that shall be set apart, one for the first minister that shall be there settled, to be conveyed to him in fee, one to be sequestered for the use of the present established ministry forever, and one for the use of the school or schools in such towns forever.

In 1737 the general Assembly passed an act that provided for the sale at New Haven these lands and in 1738 it was enacted "that the township sold at New Haven, by order of the Assembly, on the first Tuesday of December last, is hereby named, and shall forever hereafter be called and named, Goshen."
 

Record of first Town Meeting.

"Att a Town meeting Lawfully warned held in Goshen December ye 6 Day 1739, Mr. John Beeach was chosen moderator for sd meeting.”

And so the Town of Goshen was established.