• Lieut. William Backus was an original proprietor of Norwich and one of its most enterprising settlers. He was also an original proprietor of Windham, being one of the sixteen legatees of Joshua Uncas. In apportioning the land among the legatees, he received three shares of 1000 acres each.83

• The specific occupation of William Backus, Jr., is nowhere mentioned, but that he was well respected is amply clear. At a session of the General Assembly at Hartford, October, 1663, he was “accepted to be made free”, that is, granted full political privileges, and was listed as one of but 25 such persons.463