The town of Norwich was founded on the site of what is now Norwichtown in 1659 by settlers from Saybrook Colony led by Major John Mason and James Fitch. They purchased the land "nine miles square" that became Norwich from Mohegan Sachem Uncas. One of the co-founders of Norwich was Thomas Leffingwell who rescued Uncas when surrounded by his Narragansett enemies, and whose son established the Leffingwell Inn. In 1668, a wharf was established at Yantic Cove. Settlement was primarily in the area around the Norwichtown Green. The 69 founding families soon divided up the land in the Norwichtown vicinity for farms and businesses.