One of the results of the Pequot War was to make known the country west of Fort Saybrook, and in the fall of 1637 Theophilus Eaton and some others went on a trip to explore for themselves the coasts and lands in that direction.  They were so much pleased with what they saw at “Quinnipiack” that in March, 1638, the whole company left Boston to take up their residence there, and called their new settlement New Haven.  Soon after their arrival they entered into a “plantation covenant,” preliminary to a more formal engagement.[21] This agreement pledged the settlers to accept the teachings of Scripture both as a civil system and religious code.

Having no charter of any kind, they founded their rights to the soil on purchases from the Indians, of which they made two (November and December, 1638).[22] The next summer they proceeded to the solemn work of a permanent government.  June 4, 1639, all the free planters met in a barn, and Mr. Davenport preached from the text, “Wisdom hath builded her home; she hath hewn out her seven pillars.”  He then proposed a series of resolutions which set forth the purpose of establishing a state to be conducted strictly according to the rules of Scripture.  When these resolutions were adopted Davenport proposed two others designed to reduce to practice the theory thus formally approved.  It was now declared that only church-members should have the right of citizenship, and that a committee of twelve should be appointed to choose seven others who were to be the constitution-makers.[23]

These articles were subscribed by one hundred and thirteen of the people, and after due time for reflection the twelve men chosen as above elected the “seven pillars,” Theophilus Eaton, Esq., John Davenport, Robert Newman, Matthew Gilbert, Thomas Fugill, John Punderson, and Jeremiah Dixon, who proceeded in the same solemn and regular manner to reorganize the church and state.  First they set up the church by associating with themselves nine others, and then after another interval, on October 25, 1639, a court was held at which the sixteen church-members proceeded to elect Theophilus Eaton as governor for a year and four other persons to aid him as “deputies,” who were thereupon addressed by Davenport in what was called a charge.

Under the government thus formed a general court of the freemen was held every year for the election of governor and assistants, and to these officers was confided the entire administration of affairs.  There was no body of statutes till many years later, and during this time the only restriction on the arbitrary authority of the judges was the rules of the Mosaic law.  The body of the free burgesses was very cautiously enlarged from court to court.

Hardly had the people of New Haven settled themselves in their new government before two other towns, Guilford, seventeen miles north, and Milford, eleven miles south, sprang up in their neighborhood.  Though practically independent, their constitution was modelled after that of New Haven.[24] Besides Guilford and Milford another town called Stamford, lying west of the Connecticut territory and loosely connected with New Haven, was also settled.[25] In the political isolation of these towns one sees the principle of church independence, as held by Davenport and his followers.