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Since Eltweed was only briefly in Dorchester, Mass. (1632-1636), I thought it was also important to check Windsor, Conn. records. Henry Stiles's "History of Ancient Windsor" (1891) Vol. I, page 140 states:
"About seven rods in front of Michael Try's lot. as originally laid out, and facing the western side of the meeting-house, stood the BLACKSMITH'S SHOP. This was three or four rods in the rear of the the present Pierson house. We learn from the Town Acts (Bk.i 4),that, in 1650-51, March 17th,'the Town did order by a vote that there shall be a plot of ground laid out within the Palisado by Thomas Parson's house to build a house for the Smith upon it.' The smith, thus favored, was probably Thomas Mattock, who,by a previous vote of the town, had been granted an approbation of 10 pounds to 'help him set up his trade in the town, provided he continued his trade.' If not, he was to refund it again (Town Acts, Bk. i, 4). From some unexplained cause, however, Mattock seems not to have settled in Windsor. Tahan Grant, son of our old friend Matthew, is the first blacksmith on record, and occupied the place 'by Thomas Parsons,' granted by the town."
Nowhere in this well-documented book is there any mention of Eltweed having been a blacksmith or gunsmith.
Eltweed was clearly in Windsor from 1636 until 1671. Yet Stiles review of the town records caused him to identify Tahan Grant as the first blacksmith in Windsor and Grant did not set up shop until after 1651. Meanwhile, as noted elsewhere in this posting thread, Eltweed was one of two experienced men selected in 1658 to be inspectors of yarn.
I am still seeking any primary source evidence that states that Eltweed was a blacksmith or gunsmith. At this point, it seems to me very likely that over time the stories of Eltweed's genuine blacksmith/gunsmith progeny (Medad, Ebenezer, Seth, Quartus, Lemuel)became conflated with his own story, unique and interesting in its own right, and his story was lost. But I may be wrong, and I would welcome learning about any primary references to the contrary.
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