was an early Milford settler and its first doctor among other pursuits

Jasper Gunn was born ca. 1606 and was baptized on the 9th of August 1607, at Great Burstead, England. He was of Scottish descent. He was the fifth of six children, the only son of Henry and wife Sarah Gunne.

Jasper Gunn arrived in Boston, Massachusets on October 8, 1635 having sailed aboard the ship "Defense" from London on July 14, 1635 when just 29 years old. He came with his wife Christian Mary, nee Baldwin, though the ship records indicate an "Anne Gunn, age 25." Several Gunn genealogists have speculated that the ship clerk just heard Ann when she said Christian. This seems likely as no further mention of this "Anne" Gunn occurs in colonial records. They settled in Roxbury, Massachusets and on 25 May 1636 he was made a freeman of that town. They had their first child, Samuel, there in 1635 so she must have been expecting during the voyage over. Two more children followed: Jobamah Gunn, born 1637 and Daniel Gunn, 1639, both born in Roxbury. Also in 1639, (reputedly the same year he arrived in Milford) he was alloted 5 1/2 acres at Roxbury indicating the esteem hs fellow residents had for him at the time. He soon left Massachusets nonetheless. 

In 1638 Peter Prudden arrived from England with the Hertfordshire party in the Boston area. The Reverends Prudden and Davenport traveled to many colonial communities sermonizing and seeking followers for their dream of creating a new Jerusalem in the new world. Gunn apparently found the charismatic Prudden inspiring enough to give up his home and join the party in Milford. There being no record of him in New Haven until 1661, he may have come to Milford directly or via Hartford, it is unknown which. In any event, when he and his wife Mary were admitted to the church in Milford 25 Apr 1641 it was noted that they "having been dismissed by the church at Hertford." On the same page of the Milford church records are recorded the baptisms of their children, Mehetable ('Mable') and Abel on 2 May 1641 and 19 Jun 1643, both in Milford. Gunn does not appear in the list of "after-planters" (1646-1660) but does appear on the 1646 list of "Original" (1639) planters (This does not guarantee his presence in 1639 though as, for instance, John Smith's, who arrived ca. 1643, appears on both lists). 

Jasper Gunn was given Lot #24 (1646 map) from the initial property purchased from the Indians (now the area around One New Haven Avenue and S.B.C. down to the Simon Lake Submarine site). In 1643 Jasper Gunn was appointed with others as judges on a court to divide the land and admit inhabitants ("After-Planters) into the Milford "plantation." He received additional parcels in The town in 1646, 1649, 1659, 1660. 

The 1646, and 1649 parcels may have been an inducement to stay in Milford but he relocated to Hartford about 1647. Ancient records reflect that ca. 1659 "Item: Jasper Gunn's land that was given to him by the town formerly being given upon this condition if he settle with us, he desiring that now the expression might be so to read. The town considering that he was come to us and had been with us some space of time and he also expressing himself that he had no thoughts to remove, did grant his desire" [sic]. This record apparently confirming the 1639, 1646, 1649 and/or the additional Milford lands in 1659 and 1660 to him upon his return from Hartford ca.1657 to live in Milford permanently. 

There is no uncertainty that he had relocated to Hartford for about a decade after 1647. In 1648 he lost a damage suit in at the Hartford court. He obtained and operated a mill there, a service so important to the community that on 13 Sep 1649, Jasper Gunn of Hartford was excused from "the watch" during the time he attends to the service of the mill. "Watching for Indians" that is, a part of military service required of most freemen of the time. After the General Court at Hartford on 21 May 1657 licensed him to practice medicine he was again relieved of such military duty "during his practise of phissicke." Reputedly, he returned to Milford in 1657 (or 1659?). This is likely so as his rights to the Hartford mill operation was formally taken from him on March 14, 1659 (March 3, 1658 O.S.), as a result of an action brought by the "Committee for the Affairs of the Hartford Mill." 

Back at Milford, he was given additional land in Milford in 1659 and 1660. In those days land was granted for important service to the community. What were those services? It seems Jasper Gunn was the renaissance man of his day. In addition to being Milford's first doctor (and only one at the time). He set up Milford's first school in 1642 and operated it as its first teacher and headmaster; something that few people know. He served as an envoy on a mission to New Amsterdam on behalf of the colony to sort out issues with the Dutch (prior to its capture by the British in 1664, now New York). 

He was adept at keeping metes and measures so was entrusted as official "sealer of weights and measures" by his community. He was the mender of copper and brass metal objects like kettles and such, earning him an extra stream of Income. In 1661 he acted as a lawyer representing Mrs. Joanna Prudden in the matter of cow which she allegedly retrieved without proper authority. 

He served as representative to the Court at New Haven in 1663. The "Court" was not merely a judicial court like today, but included legislative, judicial, probate, even ecclesiastical issues that might come before the body. The men who so served, served God and Man. As a deputy to the court in New Haven he mostly oversaw matters of property and estates. He was a Deacon of the Church and a most prominent member of the community.

What people do remember of Jasper Gunn, even to this day, is his legendary services as Milford's first doctor. It was said that none of his patient's died on his watch. If only Jasper had lived longer, those people could be alive today! Of course, his legend exceeds his skills as the "medicine" of the time was very primitive. His cure for "Rhume" (the common cold), was to place a roasted egg on the nape of the neck while still hot. Try it, since there is no "other cold cure" even today! (Don't tell the FDA I suggested it!).

In the library of Trinity College, Hartford, is his an almanac for the year 1652, in which Jasper Gunn kept some patients' and customers' accounts and a lot of medical notes, much of the last in shorthand, no doubt, to protect the secrets of his trade. Most are, regrettably, indecipherable. All references in this small book are to patients in Hartford, not Milford.

Jasper Gunn's progeny are wide spread throughout the country. His children married into other prominent Milford families, lending blood lines to the Camp, Bristol, Smith, Fenn and of course Gunn descendants. Jasper Gunn died January 23, 1671 (Jan 12,1670 O.S.) leaving the then tidy estate of some 288 pounds. He is Buried in Milford Cemetery. He and Mary are memorialized on a stone on the Memorial Bridge crossing the Wepawaug River at New Haven Avenue. Gunn Street is named for him and his family.