He immigrated in 1640 to America from England, where he first settled in what is now Bethel, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He after 1640 was one of the first eight settlers of the town of Danbury, Connecticut, (Cutter, in 'Connecticut Families, in 1684'). (The 'History of Stratford' makes the same statement). The others are listed as: Thomas TAYLOR, Francis BUSHNELL, John HOYT, James BENEDICT, Samuel BENEDICT, James BEEBE and Judah GREGORY. Those eight individuals purchased from the local Indians a large tract of land which now includes the towns of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield, Redding, Ridgefield, and a portion of Derby, and established there the settlement of Danbury. Thomas located his homestead in a portion of the new settlement which in 1855 became a part of the town of Bethel, and is known today as the Old Homestead at Grassy Plain. He was charged by his fellow settlers with the formulation of the articles of agreement establishing the form of civil government which they were to have in their new town. From that, and other references found in contemporary records of the locality, it appears that Thomas BARNAM was a man of more than ordinary intelligence among the immigrants of his time, and was very active in both church and town affairs. He before 1663 had a (land) grant. ('Hall's 'History of Norwalk'). The same history gives the assessment of his estate in lands in that town in 1671 and 1687 as 40 pounds. He on 28 Feb 1673 is mentioned in a Fairfield book of records: '28 Feb. 1673 Thomas Barnam has by purchase of John CRUMP one parcel of land at Maximus, being in quantity by estimation three quarters of an acre more or less' at Fairfield, Connecticut. He on 30 Apr 1678 received a grant of land in Norwalk. The grant reads: 'Granted by the plantation unto Thos: Barnam a certaine swampe lyinge neere the west side of Stonie brooke and not far of Soabatucke Hill, the sayed swampe containinge five acres more or lesse and lyeth bounded of west north and south with the common land. That same year, he sold his land in Fairfield to Alexander BRYAN and removed to Norwalk. The next record is in Norwalk, dated 30 Apr 1678, and another at the same time says that the plantation granted toThomas Barnam was 'three acres lying by the land said Thomas purchased of John RAYMENT.' He on 8 Nov 1681 at a town meeting in Norwalk, was appointed to 'oversee and keep good Decorum amongst the youth in times of exercise on the Sabbath and other Publique meetings; and the town doe impower him if he see any disorderly, for the keep of a small stick to correct such with ; onely he is desired to doe it with clemency; and if any are incoridgable in such disorder, he is to present them either to their parents or masters; and if they doe not reclaime them, then to present such to authority.'

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