William Chesebrough, born in England in 1594, came to America in John Winthrops company that planted Boston in 1630, lived for a few years in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and in 1649 brought his wife and four sons to make a permanent home in what was then wilderness at Stonington, where he built his house nearby, helped organize the town, and guided its early affairs until his death on June 9, 1667. Lieut. Thomas Minor, born in Chew Magna, Somerset County, England, on April 23, 1608, came to this country on the ship Arabella, which reached Salem Harbor on June 14, 1630, married Grace, daughter of Walter Palmer, at Charlestown on April 23, 1634, settled permanently at Quiambaug in 1653 or 1654, and lived there until his death on Oct. 23, 1690; he was one of the founders of New London and Stonington, prominent in public office, and an organizer of the church. Walter Palmer emigrated to New England in 1629 and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts, became a freeman on May 18, 1631, joined the Charlestown church on June 1, 1633, moved to Rehoboth in Plymouth Colony in 1642 and represented that town in the General Court, then came to Stonington in 1652 and lived there until his death on Nov. 10, 1661; at his home near this spot, the first religious service between the Thames River and Narragansett Bay was held. Thomas Stanton came from England in 1635, was in Boston in 1636, Hartford in 1637, and Stonington in 1656, served as Interpretor General for the New England colonies, Marshal of the Colony, County Commissioner, and member of the General Court, helped found the first church in Stonington, and remained closely involved in transactions between natives and colonists until his death on Dec. 2, 1677, at age 62.