A 1640 hand-drawn map of land grants in Springfield, Massachusetts compares surprisingly well with a satellite view today.
Arrows point to Rowland Stebbins’ grants and those of his son Thomas.
Some observations:
- Note that Thomas Stebbins Born: 6 MAY 1662 married Elizabeth WRIGHT, daughter of Samuel WRIGHT and Elizabeth BURT.
- The Wrights and Burts were next door neighbors of the Stebbins slightly to the South. So it does appear that Thomas married, “the girl next door.”
- Margaret Street leads to… Margaret’s land grant. If related, this makes sense in 1640, but folks who see that street now would have no idea.
