Frederick H. Cossitt LibraryHe left France to look after family possessions near Three Rivers in Upper Canada, afterwards visited the British Colonies and at New Haven became acquainted with Ruth Porter, from whom he received a promise of marriage upon the condition that he should return no more to his native France.
The most favorable representations of him come down to us from reliable sources, and the testimony of those who knew him best, is that he was a man of marked character, ability and enterprise. He was educated a Roman Catholic, but his family early united with the Protestant Episcopal Church. In the year 1719 he married Ruth Porter, daughter of Richard Porter, whose family was from Farmington, CT. She was a person of education and re-finement. The exact date of their removal to Granby, then called Simsbury, we do not know, but it was probably soon after their marriage, since we find the names of all their children in the Simsbury Record.
1 Rene1, however, did not purchase land there till 1725, after which time he made good and lasting improvements which remained in the family through several generations.
Mary Alma Cossitt Jewett, in a letter to her cousin, Lavinia Cossitt White, says 1 Rene1 was buried in Hartford, and refers to tradition for record of his military service, and refers to Farmington Church records for account of Ruth Elizabeth Porter's marriage.
The librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society, Sept. 30, 1924, writes, "In history of Waterbury, date of Ruth Porter's birth is Oct. 1692. Her father, Richard Porter, Probably lived there at this time, but seemingly before this in Simsbury, as his first child's birth is recorded there.
"The old Farmington Church is still in Farmington as it always has been. St. Andrew's Church is not in New Britain, but is now in town of Bloomfield, a slight change of town line taking it out of Simsbury. St. Andrew's Church was organized in 1740. There never was an Episcopal church in Farmington, which is about seven miles from Hartford."
"He kept the flock together, taught the children of the whole
colony, and trained them in right views and principles, and
moreover, he acted as magistrate and helped to keep the peace.
The memory of this excellent man should he kept green in the
hearts of the church people of Claremont. The debt we owe to
him is simply inestimable. The very existence of our church
here is mainly due to his faithful care, conscientious devotion,
and brave endurance during the first years of our history."