Long Society (Congregational) Derived its name from its location on the long, narrow strip of land east of the Thames and Shetucket rivers which formed the eastern boundary of the original town of Norwich (then nine miles square), and extended from the present village of Poquetanuck to that of Plainfield. The church was organized in 1726, under the pastoral care of the Rev, Jabez Wight. The first meeting-house of the society stood where to-day stands its successor, about three miles from the centre of the city of Norwich. The church yard, from which many of the older gravestones have disappeared, lies immediately in the rear and on both sides of the meeting-house. When Norwich was divided, in 1786, Long Society became a part of Preston.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1982521
At the time of the first European exploration, the Pequot tribe controlled most of Eastern Connecticut. After many conflicts during the Pequot War, the home territory of the Pequot’s was claimed by the English as spoils of war. The remainder of the Pequot territory, including the present towns of Norwich and Preston, was retained by the Mohegan’s. Although Connecticut’s major centers of Native American population in the historic period were outside Preston, a small number continued to live in the area into the 20th century. Impoverished, they managed to eke out a subsistence living by hiring out their labor or producing baskets and woodenware for sale.
In 1646, New London was settled by colonists from Massachusetts. The first English settler within the bounds of modern Preston was Jonathan Brewster who acquired land from Uncas at the mouth of Poquetanuck Cove on the Thames River, later called Brewster’s Neck.
Norwich was founded in 1659 at the mouth of the Connecticut River by settlers from Saybrook. The original territory, purchased from Uncas, was roughly square in plan, with each side about 9 miles long. This included a strip of land on the east side of the Thames, Shetucket, and Quinebaug Rivers, part of which is now in the town of Preston. While fields were laid out on the east side of the rivers early in the history of the settlement, permanent occupation did not take place until after King Philip's War of 1675-1676. Following the war, the Indian menace over, settlement began in earnest.
As Norwich settlers moved eastward across the Shetucket River, a number crossed the boundaries of Norwich to land farther east, still in the possession of the Mohegan’s. In October 1686, 19 persons petitioned the General Court for the incorporation of a new town. This was granted in January 1687. On March 17 of that year, Owaneco, son of Uncas, deeded the area of the new town to the English inhabitants. Preston received its name from the English home of the Park family, early settlers. The town then included most of the present town of Griswold and the eastern half of the present town of Preston.
The settlers of Preston were English colonists who migrated from already established towns, the most prominent of which was Norwich. This was primarily an internal migration of families within the colony of Connecticut, many of whom were children or grandchildren of immigrants from England. More desirable land tended to be settled first, particularly that around Preston Plains and to the west of Preston City. The English character of these settlers is evident in their surnames: Amos, Avery, Crary, Meech, Park and others. Place names within the town often reflect these early names or those of later settlers.
http://www.preston-ct.org/index.php/our-community/history-of-preston
Reprinted from the New-England historical and genealogical register, April, 1906.
